Credit Card Information Compromised from Connecting Threads.
 

> Customers who had credit card numbers on file after using them at
> Knitpicks.com, ArtistsClub.com, or ConnectingThreads.com may have had
> their information exposed. A file on the Crafts Americana Group, Inc.
> servers was accessible for a period of time before being removed on
> January 25, 2013. The file contained names, credit card numbers,
> addresses, and phone numbers.
>
> Source:
> California Attorney General



This is the e mail I received this morning and I checked my account immediately and yes there was a $500 from New Zealand. They cancelled my card and are sending me a new one. The people dealing with me at the credit card company were very kind and so calm. Obviously they deal with this all the time. I gave them the information that I had received the e-mail and others had immediately e-mailed they had had charges but didn't know where they came from. This was a quilter's site. So that is why I checked. One lady had her credit card company call her but it went passed mine.

Thanks for the information. We had our Discover card account hacked last spring. Had to get new cards. Got a call from Discover asking about some charges that didn't look right. So glad they are watching out for this stuff. I had a charge for a motel in California, iTunes, and something from Groupons. Weird selection I know.

I never use a credit card on line or mail order. If they won't take a check or money order they don't get my business.

Thanks for the info. This is becoming a never ending problem.

debcaven..I got the same message a few days ago..I immediately checked my cc online .. and it seems to be OK.. sorry yours was compromised...These 3 sites are "sister sites". I'm sure most of you know this, but not I...Been using a CC at Artistclub.com for years with no problems..but these are different days..I'm going to use a check or paypal from now on..Mainly will try to spend cash locally, I think. Sometimes that is not possible, I know...
Yes, I read the thread on 'paypal' too...

I, too, had this problem this Christmas, but where I was hacked was never found out (or, at least, not shared with me or the bank). My personal banker made a creative suggestion since I am not a paypal user due to some problems several years ago. They set me up with TWO checking accounts and labeled one of them as my "Shopping" account. It will remain at zero balance until I transfer $$ into it when I am ready to shop online.

I go to a site to order, determine how much the charge will be for my total purchase, move to my online banking site where I transfer the correct funds into the "shopping" account, go back into the ordering site and complete the transaction with them using a DEBIT card that only works on my particular "shopping" account. At that point, when the charge goes through, my "shopping" account balance at the bank goes back to zero, so it will benefit nobody to try to charge against it illegally.

The process takes a few extra minutes but I feel much safer than I used to.

Jan in VA

We use "one time only" numbers given by our CC company for use online. The number can only be used once and then is shut down.

Hi

Thanks for the idea, I have to go to the bank tomorrow to set up a new account due to mine being compromised (the cheeky devils tried to get into the account by advising them that I had moved to another part of the country and would they send all my details to the new address- luckily my bank was on the alert) so when I go I am going to ask them to set up an account like yours. Mauren in UK

I do the same. I love the ShopSafe cards I can create on my banking website. It makes online shopping so much safer.

From personal experience your account being compromised doesn't have to be on line...we had eaten at a new restaurant and paid with a credit card which anyone has access to once it leaves your hands. The next day I got a call from Bank of America about some suspicious charges that appeared on my account that same day totally over $10,000 dollars for purchases all over the country, New York, Las Vegas, etc....one for $5,000, (2) for $1,000, (1) for $1500, etc. Thankfully they had refused to pay them. The smallest and first one charged was for a pair of shoes from a company I never heard of but evidentally it rang a bell with them. They issued me a new card, of course, and put me on a list where my acc't is watched. If I make any large purchases like for car repairs I call them with the amount so they know what to be looking for and will pay it.
Don't know if they ever found out who did it.

But Connecting Threads does take checks and money orders.

I had my card compromised after using it at Connecting Threads. Thanks for the info. I will be hesitant to use it there again and I had planned on doing so in the next few days.

I had my card compromised recently ... as did many people here on QB according to the MANY threads on the subject just in the last month. It's a good bet that were were all done by the same hackers.

Jan ... I'm going to check out that idea with my bank! Thanks for the tip!!

I just checked my Discover card. Someone hit me up for $197 on 2/13. Thanks for the heads-up!

This is a great idea, will have to look into it. Several years ago there was a problem with our account, don't remember the exact details, but we needed to establish a new account, however we also had to keep the original open for checks that hadn't cleared yet. My DH put $300 into that account until the problem was corrected, then he only used that debit card number on charges that he initiated, which meant if the account was hacked, they could only get $300, unlike a debit card which would have access to your entire account. It always pays to be alert, and for the bank to be alert too. One day after dropping my husband and daughter on a plane to FL, she going back home and he "looking for a job", so I decided to initiate my new credit card that was in my name only. I made several purchases before and after work, and when I got home, the bank had left me a message about the charges made that day, as I had never used the card before. It was nice to know that "they had my back". It never hurts to be too careful.

Well that may be how people in many places in Europe got both of my debit card numbers just two weeks ago that were from two different banks!! I told my dh that I bet one site I shop at frequently was compromised but they aren't telling we the customers in fear we'd stop shopping with them online.

My Discover was hacked about a month ago and they called me.
Someone tried to get into my sister's 401K and the bank stopped them.

We are in the SC breach but I really do not think mine was from that,
I think someone grabbed the # (I had only used it 3 times in that month
gas, groceries, and on-line to check my credit report).

I now have one of those metal blocked holders.

Have been told you can just wrap the cards in aluminum foil & that will work.

I'm not sure if my bank would give me a free account that didn't require a minimum balance...you'd think they would, just to prevent this kind of stuff!

I order from the catalogs and they do take checks but not on line.

I never charge on my debit card or credit card at a restrurant or on line. If I plan to eat out I take cash. For other activities such as ordering on line I get a prepaid card ( you can purchase one at Wal Mart and at your bank) and use it for purchases. This way no one can get your card #'s.

I sure wouldn't use my debit card to make online purchases as if anything happens there is no insurance to replace the money but there is w/ a credit card. Perhaps Pay Pal w/ a credit card listed w/ them. Someone on this board complained abut Pay Pal, that she couldn't close the website when she was through w/ the transaction, so someone spent her money on Pay Pal. I just looked at Pay Pal and you can close that window. The exit box to click is at the top of the page. If you make infrequent purchases on line, use the same card to keep track of everything. If your credit has been compromised, contact experian and the other 2 to put a freeze on your credit. If Your bank acct is compromised, better close that acct. Any more suggestions are welcomed however all credit report give good advice.
Hope you stay safe. We live in a world where we must always be on guard, watch for the safety lock when doing a transaction and I no longer will hand a waitress my card to pay the bill. Pay in cash.
Hugs.

PS. Whenever I do a transaction, I close out the site, then close my browser.

I have a CC with a $100 limit that I use for paying on toll for toll road and small shopping purchases, don't ususally go over $100 unless it is for dogs meds/flea stuff. Pay cash at stores and when we eat out, those are worst places as they walk away with card and can copy it while ringing up bill or take picture of front and back and hand it back to you.

I had my Discover card taken over by a phone call! If the customer reps will accept the changes over the phone then I don't need Discover. It's the only card I used for online shopping, no other use. Security for online shopping is going to cost any business a lot of money. The stores that don't or can't pay for the security will continue to have all information compromised. Now I use pre paid card. Just be sure it has a security code on the back or it will be a gift card.

You can get a VISA green dot card and load it with the amount of money you want to spend. You do have to pay a monthly service fee of less than $5.00 if you want to keep it. We do this so no one can hack our regular account.

so thats how it happened i had my card cancelled as well i am in alberta canada so it has spread well. tick me off. they called me right away. inconvenient though as i am away for 5 weeks. so what does one do now when dealing with these companies in my case it is connecting threads.com which is one of my favorite online places to shop.

Well, that may answer why my discover was hacked! It has almost $3k in charges from January 26th until I saw it on the 28th. I called and my account was shut down and a new card issued. Scarey!

The file has been closed to however it was gotten and is now considered safe so don't be afraid to shop at ConnectingTheads.

Our internet card was hacked Friday -- $1800+. The company alerted us -- 7 hits with 5 in less than 20 minutes. We have to do some follow through this week Before I called the fraud number back I checked online (in case the call was a phising scam) and saw the items. Then I called. You have to followup fast -- this is the second time in less than a year and I have no idea where this was picked up. I don't let sites save my card number, but I know it is stored somewhere,

I do a lot of shopping online and have one credit card with a lowish balance that is only used online and the folks at the card company know the card is only used online. They have been great notifying us of problems -- but they said not many of these folks get caught unless they get caught in a big sting.

I NEVER use a debit card anywhere. It is so easy for criminal types to 'catch' the debit card info from the 'air' when you use a debit card and your checking account can be cleaned out very quickly if they do.

At least with a CC there is a limit to what you are responsible for paying if your card is hacked. But banks aren't very willing to replace your balance in your checking account when your debit card is hacked.

I've never used paypal. My DH has an account, so I can ask him how it works.

Had my card hacked for thou$and$ of "snap on tools". My company caught it...but it sure is frightening!

Please watch Pay Pal too. They "lost" my account and never did find it. Tell me about their security one more time? No more business through Pay Pal for me.

Pat

I only use gift or prepaid visa or mastercards. My sons Identiy was stolen over a month ago what a mess he had to deal with and still is!!!!

You can request new cards from your bank or credit card companies that cannot be read electronically from a distance. They will have to be put manually through a scanner to be read. However, they will also not be able to be used by you at some of the new quick scan places like turnpikes and drive thru places. They will however be secure in your wallets, purses, etc. from being scanned when you aren't aware of it.

I'm glad you posted this. I just placed an order with them last week monday (2/11) and come Wednesday, someone hacked out credit card. I couldn't for the life of me figure out where the hacking came from....NOW I KNOW. This is sad, I lover there sutff.

This just spurs me on to get a card with a low limit balance to use for online purchases. I do use one of those metal credit card carriers, but am thinking about returning to cash use in restaurants. I hate it when they walk off with my card. You never know what they are doing with it. I have changed all my passwords to 13 digits. Let the low life hackers figure those out.

Well...this is a mystery solved. I had only used my card in two places...an order to Connecting Threads and one to FabricDepot. I got a call a few days later from my bank telling me to call their fraud agency because the bank had been contacted by them that someone was possibly using my card fraudently. I called and 'sure 'nuff' .

I am in SE Oklahoma and my card had been used by someone in San Clamente, Calif to purchase something that cost 4 dollars and some cents. The agency said that apparently the person had done this to see if it was a good card. They immediatly picked up on it that it was a possible fraud, telling me that they had already cancelled the purchase, but I would have to tell my bank to cancel that one and give me a new card.

I never knew which online store was the culprit and it is good to know which one. When I contacted Fabric Depot about it I told them I was in doubt as to who it was..but later they told me that they had put an investigator on the issue in their store just to make sure it wasn't them. Isn't that great? I have a lot of respect for them because of that.

Yea Fabric Depot. <smile>

I must be a dodo bird because how does one know if calls received about a hacked credit card are really from the bank?

Anyway...I am so glad I caught this thread as I was going to place my very first order to 'Connecting Threads' today on line.
I've had my credit card hacked twice in the past and what a mess!

We have a credit card with a very small limit for online shopping,our bank is really good my husbands credit card was hacked and they refund him and informed him right away.

I talked with connecting threads this morning. All those compromised were sent a snail mail letter. I thankfully was not on the list but did have my credit card scammed while down here in Texas. But it was not them and I trust that info. I will continue to do business with them.