Hey guys. I'm currently on deployment in Africa. I check my accounts pretty regularly to ensure there is nothing out of the ordinary. 2 days ago, some how my card got duplicated and I got jacked for over $1200. USAA called my wife and told her about the fraudulent charges. They immediately shut my card off, issued a new one, and are in the process of refunding my money. Thank God they are a good financial institution for the military. The reason I am posting is to make sure everyone keeps a close eye on their accounts. Identity theft can very easily happen, very quickly.


Marshall

 

If you've got access to it, use the Eagle Cash cards that the military has been pushing. That's all I use here in the sandbox, even at the PX.


Kris

 

Glad it's looking like it'll work out for you. Your right. You have to keep a close eye on those accounts. We look at ours every day. We also decided just in case, we got accounts at 3 different banks. One is for paying major bills only. The card never leaves the house and never gets used for purchases of any sort. And one account is kinda what we call our savings, gets used very rarely. The last is our play account. We put only spending money in there. If you have only 1 account, at one bank, and have to shut that account off due to some funny business or something else, that very well may shut you down financially. having multiple accounts at different banks will help you work around that, allowing cash to still flow at one bank and stop at another.

 

I have a 2nd checking acount at my credit union used for on line purchases/Pay-Pal. I only put enogh money in to cover a purchase, at the time I make the purchase. It takes a couple days to clear the E-check as opposed to instant payment, but is the least risk I've found for shopping on-line. Some sellers don't allow for e-checks due to the 3 days for Pay-Pal to clear, but tough ta-ta's, other sellers can benefit from my business. I also have a seperate debit card I use for gas purchases throughout the week. I only put in about $100 at a time, that way it's not catastrophic fi a cashier over charges and easier to track.

 

Another big thing to watch out for is small amounts being taken. Lots of scammers get off with alot of money by deducting amounts under $5 from several accounts. Ends up making big bucks eventually.

 

USAA is great... Glad they got you taken care of.

 

I use a credit card for daily purchases and travel. keep the limit low, keep the balance zero.
I also have a corporate card for business expenses so they can deal with fraud.
My checking account debit card gets used at a few local stores around town.

 

Little update. USAA made good on their word. They deposited all of my money back into my account yesterday. 5 days after they realized what was happening, they had everything fixed. I am truly impressed, and have nothing but good things to say about them. Everyone be sure to check your accounts on a daily basis. You never know when you are going to fall victim.

Marshall