Busted: Credit Card Scam in DC Restaurants

[synaesthesia]

This article from the Examiner about some servers at local restaurants scamming on credit cards... http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/local/Se...--42089822.html

[Chris Cunningham]

This article from the Examiner about some servers at local restaurants scamming on credit cards... http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/local/Se...--42089822.html

Just read the article.....Good thing that is was the Washington-aera as opposed to the Washington-area...and that they have a place called Clyde's which is considered High End restaurants

Can we get the proof reader a job in our schools???

[Escoffier]

Just read the article.....Good thing that is was the Washington-aera as opposed to the Washington-area...and that they have a place called Clyde's which is considered High End restaurants

Can we get the proof reader a job in our schools???

Surely you don't expect accuracy and correct spelling from the Examiner? You're expecting way too much...

[DonRocks]

I've had false charges twice in my life, both times when I left my credit cards at restaurants overnight and had to retrieve them on another day.

The first time was in a Baltimore restaurant (the name is irrelevant). I picked the card up a couple days later, but then found about $1,500-worth of charges at a Macy's when my statement arrived later in the month. The credit-card company reversed the charges without any delay, and my hassle was minimized.

The second time was in Western Maryland, and I had the restaurant mail me the card. Shortly afterwards, a small charge of $9.95 appeared from somewhere in Europe, and about three weeks later, several thousand dollars of charges began appearing from India - I think it's a safe bet the restaurant had a connection with this. Unfortunately, this problem took months to resolve, since the old account was cancelled after the $9.95 was reported - all the fraudulent charges from India got transferred onto the new account, and then while it was still being resolved my credit-card company got BOUGHT by another credit-card company, and the fraudulent charges got transferred over there, too. Ugh. When I think of all the time I spent "on hold," and writing letters. Ugh.

Moral: Be sure you have your credit card when you walk out of a restaurant!

[KeithA]

Another story on the same credit card skimming ring in Wired:

http://blog.wired.com/27bstroke6/2009/03/washington.html

[DonRocks]

I'd just like to add that this could happen at any restaurant (or, for that matter, anyplace where your credit card is out of view for longer than fifteen seconds), and that none of these restaurants should be considered to be "at fault." These restaurants were victims as well, and it's a shame that they're being singled out, but that's just the luck of the draw.

[ScotteeM]

I'd just like to add that this could happen at any restaurant (or, for that matter, anyplace where your credit card is out of view for longer than fifteen seconds), and that none of these restaurants should be considered to be "at fault." These restaurants were victims as well, and it's a shame that they're being singled out, but that's just the luck of the draw.

I just found 2 fraudulent charges on my checking account statement, made to my check card, to the tune of almost $400--a meal at a restaurant and a grocery order at a supermarket. That means the card was presented. I was not within 300 miles of the location of these charges, and my card was in my possession at the time. I frequently use my check card to pay for lunches out--usually small charges. I haven't dined at any of the restaurants mentioned in the articles, but it looks like I may have been a victim of the same thing.

Don is right--the restaurants in the article aren't at fault, and I'm sure that they all take reasonable precautions to prevent this from happening. And it doesn't seem to be limited to those specific restaurants.

[Crescent City Clown]

Once again, DC is better at it than we are at NOLA, but we keep trying...

http://www.nola.com/news/index.ssf/2009/03...hrimp_skim.html

Idiots.

[synaesthesia]

Didn't see the Post story reporting this, but http://www.baltimoresun.com/business/bal-s...0,4131002.story

[cheezepowder]

Here's the Post article.

[dcs]

Yet another reminder to check your credit card statements regularly.

[lperry]

Yet another reminder to check your credit card statements regularly.

"Slim" and "G?" Really?

[DanielK]

So, they flipped the flunkies to get to the waiter, but couldn't flip the waiter (so "Slim" and "G" are free), and this is somehow a victory? What about the other 100 waiters that S&G are probably working with?

Why is this a story?

[deangold]

So, they flipped the flunkies to get to the waiter, but couldn't flip the waiter (so "Slim" and "G" are free), and this is somehow a victory? What about the other 100 waiters that S&G are probably working with?

Why is this a story?

Because it takes people's attention away from the other scams that really hurt them?

I mean the idea that the stealing of credit card numbers in restaurants is a real issue has never been demonstrated. Credit Card skimming is a problem, but compared to ID theft? And, especially, restaurant skimming is so easy to detect and with the advent of POS systems, nearly impossible to get away with on any large scale.

[TedE]

I mean the idea that the stealing of credit card numbers in restaurants is a real issue has never been demonstrated.

I'm pretty sure that the actual arrest of an organized ring of credit card thieves demonstrates that this is a real issue. What's your point?

[DanielK]

I'm pretty sure that the actual arrest of an organized ring of credit card thieves demonstrates that this is a real issue. What's your point?

They didn't arrest the organized ring. They arrested the next-to-bottom flunkie on the chain, and the investigation seems to have gotten stuck there.

Dean's point was that the overall $$$ amount of money being stolen via skimming in restaurants is quite small, because of the reporting on the POS systems and the data trend analysis from the banks.

[ScotteeM]

They didn't arrest the organized ring. They arrested the next-to-bottom flunkie on the chain, and the investigation seems to have gotten stuck there.

Dean's point was that the overall $$$ amount of money being stolen via skimming in restaurants is quite small, because of the reporting on the POS systems and the data trend analysis from the banks.

That may well be, but I had $600-$700 charged to my Visa check card about 14 months ago, and I think it may have been the result of skimming. The charges were for Domino's Pizza and a supermarket somewhere in New York. Fortunately I was able to have the money restored to my checking account, but it was a traumatic experience, and for me represented a lot of money (more than I usually keep in that account at once). I try very hard not to use any card to pay when the card has to be taken out of my sight now.

[TedE]

They didn't arrest the organized ring. They arrested the next-to-bottom flunkie on the chain, and the investigation seems to have gotten stuck there.

Sorry, that was supposed to be "members of an organized ring of ...". Just because this info is easily tracked and the perps fairly easy to identify it isn't a problem, though? Agreed that catching the bag men amounts to not much in the grand scheme of things, but further up the chain you go I bet the same folks dealing in stolen credit cards are also widely dealing in ID theft. They should have maybe held out for more info on the illustrious "G" and "Slim". From the math wizardry demonstrated by the server who got caught I'm not sure she would have been a real font of information:

Ward was supposed to be paid $40 per stolen card, and the other servers told investigators that Ward recruited them and paid them $25 for each stolen number.

[deangold]

I'm pretty sure that the actual arrest of an organized ring of credit card thieves demonstrates that this is a real issue. What's your point?

IN all the reading I have done on credit card scams, skimming is most prevalent on ATM machines with gas stations second. I have never read an article on this. I too fell prey to a skimming scam at a gas station in Italy and 4 weeks later over 1,000 was charged in Vicenza. I was stuck back at work at Whole Foods and my freaking credit card was on vacation in Vincenza!

[dcs]

Interesting article on point, albeit somewhat dated.

[deangold]

Interesting article on point, albeit somewhat dated.

Please note they publish a magazine designed for restaurant operators who would be potential buyers of hand held self scanning devices that retail for something like $2000 a pop. Again, there is more rish of your data being stolen directly from the POS and so there are issues with compliance and record keeping that restaurants have to do. The most common ways having your identity stolen are alrge scale theft adn not retail, single transactions.

[dcs]

I mean the idea that the stealing of credit card numbers in restaurants is a real issue has never been demonstrated. Credit Card skimming is a problem, but compared to ID theft? And, especially, restaurant skimming is so easy to detect and with the advent of POS systems, nearly impossible to get away with on any large scale.

The take looks to be in the millions in this credit card scam in New York. It must be special to have such high monthly credit card bills that you could fail to notice that someone has purchased a Roy Lichtenstein lithograph of Marilyn Monroe on your account.