My wife's card information was stolen from the new Safeway gas station on Bernal Ave. A lady, not a gas station employee, volunteered to help my wife with the pump. My wife declined. However, somehow, the card info was stolen and used in a Wawa store in Maryland. The credit card company called us immediately, warned us and issued a new card. We have called Safeway. However, the person who answered the call wasn't very receptive. So, watch out for any unusual behavior, even if the person is trying to be helpful when you don't need it.

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A Resident, please share the details of how "somehow" the card info was stolen. Did your wife hand the card over, or was there a skimmer on the pump, or what? Give us a heads-up so that we can be on the lookout when pumping gas at Safeway or anywhere else. Love to hear about the latest scams and how they work.

Our card company blocks use outside the range of some complex matrix they have worked out regarding our purchase patterns and geographical location, then we get a call and a new card. Pretty slick.

Mike

Problem is, Mike, should you be the one outside of that range your company has determined is yours, you may end up some week-end in Timbuktu without a valid credit card, waiting for your company to open it doors on Monday morning. This can be embarrassing when you're attempting to pay a $150.00 restaurant tab and the waiter insists your card is not valid.

Been There,

I wonder if the matrix looks at purchase activity that would put the card in a certain location. I've used it in bunches of far-off places and for some arguably unusual purchases without any trouble at all.

Mike

The unauthorized checking account withdrawals began at the end of March and the theft was not reported until mid August? Why on earth wasn't the checkbook balanced every month? There is a thing called personal responsibility! The theft would have been caught within one month......

Where is comment from Safeway from all this? Man oh man if we said we would boycott that gas station, they would sure do something.

Also, ladies do NOT leave your handbag on the front seat while filling up. They cand sneak over to steal it. I have not heard that happening here in Pleasanton, but beware!

Had our CC fraudulently used recently. Called the CC company and they looked into it. Their records showed the card was "scanned" at the store... how is that possible when we still have both of our cards, I have no idea. But seems you can't keep your CC 100% safe. Everyone from the clerk to the waiter can get all he needs to make an online purchase. Just be glad 95% of people are probably trustworthy enough for us to continue to use CCs.

My wife did not hand over the card. She had it in her pocket with the Safeway card, when she was outside the car. Looks like a skimmer was attacehd to the card reader. Withing 1/2 hr of her Safeway Gas purchase, we go a the call that the card was tried to be used in Marayland! So these perps just transfer the information to some remote area and try to scam as much as quickly as possible. We havent heard from Safeway either.

How are "skimmers" attached without an employee noticing? Part of their job should be to monitor that stuff. Maybe cameras would help discourage the practice...I'm sure the Safeway corporation can afford to address the issue in a pro-active manner.

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