I thought nothing of the PSA that CFAY issued yesterday (image above) but now I'm hearing about friends and friends of friends that have been hit. And the thing is... it's not just one bank or certain card. It's USAA, Military Star, etc...

Have you heard anything? Been hit? This is rather troublesome since it seems to be just hitting our community (or is it more widespread?).

Please check your receipts and accounts!

I've already had my info stolen My first week here too back in July! I checked and double checked and couldnt figure out what was going on. I called my bank and apparently (when I used it on base, haven't been off base at the time yet) my card info was taken and things were being double charged? I couldn't tell because basically everything had the same name on the charge. For a while my account balance was making these crazy dips and it was scary, I do keep track of my balance. We at first thought it was a delay in some charges, and then called our bank again to make sure they were pending... but they locked our account and told us the charges were under investigation for suspicious activity. They sent me a new card because apparently the info was compromised. Honestly, to this day I still don't know what those suspicious charges were because I was never told. Whatever money or charges were made on my card were never processed and our balance went back up

YIKES. I guess the PSA above is for stuff that is happening more recently/right now so be sure to check your accounts again, RoboCat! I wonder if there is any connection... and this has been happening for a while?

Well when we opened an account with NAVYFED we were told that it has been an ongoing thing, but it's increasing as of late I'm guessing. More people are arriving after all, new cards to steal

I had it happen in Feb and have a friend who got hit this week. Scoop I got was it was connected to someone at Chilis...

that would make sense, because when I first got here all I ate was Chilli's. When I was bold enough to venture off base I've never gone back and haven't been hit since.

Yep, We just got everything sorted out. It happened just about a week or so ago. We have USAA. It really makes you feel violated. I also noted that my card was used at Chilli's right before it happened. I have been using cash since everywhere. What an inconvenience. It sucks that I have to suffer for nearly 2 weeks with no debit card because someone can't make and spend their OWN money.

How dare them?

I totally agree. It was hard having no card, but thankfully my husband convinced them to keep his card active until new ones were sent. Another option we had, thanks to someone on JB, was to open a NAVYFED account asap and have money transferred to that account which was made available to us. What a panic we had, to think at the time, our lodge bill is due, we had no money for food or necessities. Makes me sick to my stomach thinking about whoever is responsible for this

Great. So I got crappy chicken and my card number stolen. My charge was September 23rd and it was take out, but that has to be it.

sounds like NCIS needs to hit Chillis ;0)

We got hit today - USAA. All three charges were made in CA, Target and Radio Shack.

Luckily USAA was on it and suspended our account. I check daily as we had our AMEX and Citibank hit when we were in Atsugi back in 2005 and it was not a good feeling. When that happened we were advised by AMEX, and then again by Citibank that anywhere in ASia you are at a higher risk.

We had been to Chili's about two weeks ago. Several people we know have had the same common denominator - Chili's! We WILL be calling NCIS Monday morning! I hope to see some action and results.

So where is the card being fraudulently used? On base or off? Don't they have video of these places? This has been going on at least 3 months in a relatively small community, I can't believe they haven't figured out yet who's behind it. Sounds like someone at Chili's.

If they figure out who was on duty the times y'all went there, it should narrow it down to 2-3 people. 

ThaiGuy - The fraudulent charges to our accounts have been made stateside - CA, totally over $1200. Others in my husband's command also had Target charges in San Diego - same type of amounts.

Am hoping someone is already on this it is very aggravating to think we are not safe to use our credit cards on base! I look at every clerk with much greater scrutiny now!

We were at Chili's tonight, and they had a sign up letting everyone know that they couldn't accept any credit cards. I'm wondering if it's because of this? If so, I think it's great that they are being at least a little pro-active about it.

So, if it is someone(s) from Chili's --sounds like they're selling information or passing it out to "friends", yes?

Pinkcookie --yeah, that's good. But it's a shame because sales will suffer and therefore, the "innocent" staff's tips will suffer in turn. Sucks for everyone. And people will distrust Chili's in general.

A little over three grand was done on my card, all at different gas stations in Connecticut with $300 or $400 charges at a time.

The thing is, if this was going on in February, why the hell is it still going on now?

me and my husband were just talking and we have used cash only at Chilli's since July, not on purpose but somehow it always worked out that way, and now we have decided from now on any eating establishment while we are overseas cash only ;O) hopefully it keeps our accounts safe.

Yeah, we have a NFCU account too.  I had to transfer money over too...  It was still a pain though.  I agree that it makes me sick thinking of it as well.

What amazes me the most about this, is people go to Chili's Yokosuka. I have never had a good meal there.

@ ex-navy Dave- we go about once a month its more of a I don't feel like cooking and I want a waitress to bring me the food and I'm too lazy to go off base thing ;0)

And I love the wings with a Bloody Mary.

Neither have I. I'll admit though my fam and I were desperate and had no idea at the time it would be so bad

Eh, people who first PSC have no idea. Annddddd it's right by the Lodge so new people are easy to pick off. So I'm sure a lot of people new to town got hit.

And I live within a five minute walk --great to get some drinks with salsa and chips (just wish they didn't close at 2100!).

Posted By deamarie on 10-08-2011 9:14 PM

we have decided from now on any eating establishment while we are overseas cash only ;O) hopefully it keeps our accounts safe.

I really think that's overkill.  Offbase in Japan, you are about as safe as can be when using a card.  Rather than swearing off cards altogether, a good safety practice is to not let the card out of your sight.  If they can't process the card at your table, then insist on taking it to the cashier personally. And keep your eye on it!  It's when the card is out of your sight that the numbers can be stolen, either electronically or manually.

If Julie did takeout then the card should have been in her sight the whole time, right? So how did they get the number (like, is it easy to just pick off the information on their registers later?), or is the register somewhere else than up front?

Just have a credit card that is used only for the purpose of going out. Only use your debit card for cash.Problem solved.

Yeah, I was standing there the entire time the transaction was rung up since I had kids in tow. She swiped the card right in front of me.

I usually pay cash for things, but that night we just happened to stop on a whim there and my cash envelope was at home. You'd think, though, whoever is selling said numbers would get that it would eventually get traced back to them.

Ohhh. Well, if it is Chili's sounds like weak security in their register system then.

And also sounds like someone got greedy, Julie, since it's been happening like crazy recently. Idiot(s).

You're right, Liz. Greed. They probably started out with a small amount of numbers and when they got away with that, did it some more.

Hopefully whoever is doing this gets caught, and soon

Now that you are talking about Chili's I kinda figured out what happened to my CC. We ate @ Chili's on the 25th of September and a few days after I tried to use the same credit card @ the commisary unfortunately I could not use it. It said I am not authorized!!! I called the NFCU in the US and found out that someone was using my CC @ Target Oceanside CA. The NFCU issued a new card to me, but until now im still wating for it in the mail.

So someone here is stealing info and doing some online shopping? Or sending that info to someone else o.o Seems to mostly be in the san diego area?

Posted By RoboCat on 10-09-2011 9:35 AM
So someone here is stealing info and doing some online shopping? Or sending that info to someone else o.o Seems to mostly be in the san diego area?

The agent I happened to talk to at USAA said this had happened to her and a lot of times once the card number is sold, they have new credit cards made with this number and voila, they go shopping. All my transactions were in Connecticut and my friend had all her stuff in Florida. It's probably just distributed across the country.

Such a shame people have to result to stealing vice making a living for themselves.

I have had this service for the past few years:

http://www.equifax.com/advantage/

It was cheaper when I started, around $12 a month, but its pretty cool. You can setup a lot of different alerts, so if someone happens to charge a ridiculous amount on one of your cards, it will notify you.

It also has a protection for identify theft.

Sorry to hear about all those that have had to go through this type of issue.. Good luck to all of you that are still dealing with it.

So I was talking to some friends about this and was enlightened to how they possibly steal card info. Reciept paper, when rubbed over a card hard enough males an exact copy

Eh, there's tons of ways to steal the info --even little devices that all you have to do is slide the card through just like a credit card machine and the info is saved.

But in this case it more or less sounds like someone(s) can go into the register system and get the information (or read it off the register tape) --since people have had their card in sight throughout transactions. I know I've worked places where I closed out my til and could easily get all the info from the credit cards I processed that day. Then the next day my managers could see it, then the cash office, etc etc.

People don't realize how in some businesses it is easy for employees do what is happening here --too many options for a crook.

I was just reading about how some charges were in CA and some in CT and FL. The charges on my account were from a Hardware Store and Meat Market in Columbia. The meat market charge went through. The next was at a hardware store and USAA flagged it when they tried charging almost 2,000. The USAA rep told me that the person had duplicated my card. It was not an online transaction. That just freaks me out. People are so cruel.

they got me too. i was checking my account when i saw a charge i didn't recognize so i goggled the store. it was in Beirut Lebanon! i called my credit card company and they canceled the cards and issued me new ones but two more charges popped up that were pending both in Lebanon also. i was wondering how someone got my number but now i understand, i used that card at chilies a few times.

I find it strange that base KNOWS that someone at Chili's is obviously stealing people's card information but they just put out some generic announcement like they dont know what is going on. That is kinda sad that people here had to get together and figure it out.

Posted By Blacklabel on 10-10-2011 12:20 AM
I find it strange that base KNOWS that someone at Chili's is obviously stealing people's card information but they just put out some generic announcement like they dont know what is going on. That is kinda sad that people here had to get together and figure it out.

That's why I posted this thread, basically. I totally ignored that PSA because I thought it was just another notice they put out routinely. But when I started hearing about it from friends... I just got really suspicious.

I know they probably didn't want to get people riled up but they really should have put something out like "There has been a rash of increased credit card fraud on base, please monitor your accounts" or whatever --so people would pay attention.

Well, I hope this helps people (since they deserve to know what happened) and everyone gets their money back. >:|

We've known about it for weeks now. People that were TDY from PSNS got hit (about ten of them) with charges ranging from 250 to 5,000. We were called and notified that the only connection they had was Chillies on base and that NCIS had been notified and was investigating. Then a week after that my Boss was hit for 4,800 at a target in San Diego, CA. This after he was up all night worrying about his family in the PI with the Typhoon that was wreaking havoc there. Two days later one of our engineers was hit for 2,500.

So, it was put out that we're to ban Chilli's for two reasons. One for the possible Identity theft the other for the roach infestation that Adam mentioned in an earlier post. Needless to say, we've banned chilli's and now enjoy dinners out in town or in ye old lodge. Good luck to those who have been hit and hope they catch those that are doing this.

SO thankful for the thread. I've been watching my accounts closely and they were a few transactions today that I didn't make. I cancelled our cards immediately and reported it to the bank. Thankfully, it wasn't a big amount and was just pending with our bank, so we won't end up losing anything. My husband has already reported it to NCIS just like several other people he works with. I can't believe how widespread this is. I hope they catch everyone responsible.

Also, I have been to Chili's twice in the last few months.

We got hit as well. On a card that was brand new and just activated a few days before and the only place it was used was at Chili's. My charges were almost $500 at a Walmart in Oceanside CA. They were in store purchases not online purchases. I personally thought it was someone handling our mail in CA since their was so many of us and most of them were in store purchases but after reading this it seems like Chili's is the only link. Thank god ours was only $500 and not thousands like some people. However, I did transfer all the $$ out of that account as soon as I saw the charges. I just happen to be paying bills online and one minute they weren't their and the next minute they were.

For the people that got hit --how long ago were you at Chili's and then when did the fraud happen? I've been there but not too too recently (month ago probably). It's kinda effed up that your information may have been sold and that you could get hit at any random moment. Ugh.

So sorry to hear all the stories so far. For everyone else: keep monitoring those accounts!

Liz, we were at Chili's two weeks ago if that helps. It was a command group and not everyone was hit (so far!).

Yesterday, I had checked my accounts before going to base, they were fine. Two hours later at the commissary we were denied. When we got home and pulled our account up, three charges had appeared from CA along with a message to call the bank ASAP. Luckily for us USAA suspended our account and we will not pay for the charges. We also informed them that we knew several people here in Yokosuka, Japan had been hit. I think most people(if not all) will not have to pay for those charges.

Where as I tend to agree with ThaiGuy that it is really safe in Japan, I have to tell you that the credit card companies do not agree. There are not only foreigners runnning businesses here, but also Japanese can be corrupt too, ever hear of yakuza? Safety Japan is a fairytale that is over, if you don't believe me, start reading some of the Japanese news and speak to some of your Japanese friends. I do agree that I feel 'physically safer' here in Japan, and do not miss having a handgun or shotgun for protection, but a little researching should give you cause for a little caution. Asia in general has corruption problems galore. I am sure I will make people mad by saying that, but it is the truth.

September 23rd was when we had gone to Chili's. We don't have to pay for the charges either, but the list is ridiculous. The thieves went from gas station to gas station to gas station. Thank God it was my USAA card. I have to say, too, I can't help but feel somewhat better it was my credit card and not our checking account. I always leave a $500 cushion in our checking account, but recently let it get to $1000 and in my head it just seems easier to get credit card charges off rather than put money back into an account. Yes, that sounds totally irrational once written, but leave me to my female logic.

Back a few years ago, my husband had his wallet lifted off the work to home bus, but did not realize it until the next morning when he had to go to work. When I checked out our Navy Fed account we had over $1200  for pending charges all with porn sites in one night. (And before anyone says I could have been asleep and it was my husband behind my back, I can guarantee you it was not, he and I were not asleep that night.) We had to FIGHT with Navy Fed to not have to pay the charges. We had to FAX them the report we had made with the MA's, it took almost two months of fighting. But just with USAA, it was fixed in minutes over the phone.

I too was at Chili's on Sept. 23rd. And I too had a credit card number stolen, however it was a chase card, so I don't think the criminal is targeting only Navy Fed and USAA cards. Luckily chase is REALLY vigilant about tracking spending patterns and they started declining my card right away. I have already reported this to NCIS and if it happens to you, you should call them immediately and report it. The more information NCIS has the closer they will get to catching the guilty jerk. I'm sure the restaurant is not accepting credit cards right now because they are under investigation and until they catch the criminal don't want any more credit card numbers stolen. I have to give them kudos for that.

The date we were at Chili's was the 25th of Sept.

My question is whether anyone has been hit that did not go to Chili's? I am hoping that answer is no. It would be nice if this can be narrowed down quickly, and that a message to anyone thinking about trying it will be made that you will be caught!

Posted By farfromhome on 10-10-2011 10:14 AM
The date we were at Chili's was the 25th of Sept.

 a message to anyone thinking about trying it will be made that you will be caught!

It would go a long way towards reinforcing this message if they actually caught somebody. I mean really, how hard can this be?

Furthermore, they are collaborating with people in the States who are using the stolen cards.  Since they seem to be using them in person at Target & other retailers, these places have video and are pretty accustomed to dealing with fraud.  Haven't they caught any of the perps on tape?  With dozens of victims over many, many months you'd think this would be high on someone's radar.  But maybe not...

We went to Chili's on Sept 25th and a few days after my credit card was denied at the commissary.

We were at Chili's around the same time frame. Me and my 2 kids. It was my card that was duplicated. It was our checking account. The USAA rep said only my card was compromised not my husbands (we have the same account but not the same number on the card of course). We got our money back as well. My card was never denied anywhere I tried to use it. I noticed it and called USAA because I always keep a close track my account since one of our credit cards was hit when we lived in VA after the computer system was hacked at T.J.Max and our card number was stolen and sold.