Stolen Credit Card

So I was eating lunch today with some friends when I got a phone call from 800-454-9078. I didn't answer because I was busy and it was an 800 number, which is suspicious. I assumed it was a spam phone call.

They left a message, though, and I listened to it after I got back to the office. It again seemed extremely suspicious... it was a robot voice that started speaking too early, so I only got half the message. Wanted me to call back at the same 800 number as was on the caller ID. Clearly a scam.

I got curious, though, and googled the number, which turned up this. Apparently the number is a legitimate source of calls from Chase credit cards services warning about fraudulent charges. I indeed have a Chase credit card (no photo to make this a Project 100 post... too lazy).

I called up the 800 number on the back of the card (I'm still not going to call an unknown phone number back and give them my info even if some website says it's OK) and got an automated system which read me a transaction which isn't mine, and I push the appropriate buttons. Two accented customer service reps, 10-15 minutes of hold time, and a bad cell phone connection later, it turns out that the card number has stolen and the thief used it to buy $1.00 of iTunes, some Netflix, and some Gevalia. They would have done better, I think, had the card not been $50 or so away from being maxed out (lots of airplane tickets on there this month)... lol.

I was impressed, and also not. Impressed because the card company figured out that something fishy was up. The fraud services rep gave me the third degree about the iTunes and the Gevalia, which was kind of annoying but appropriate because Chase wants to make sure they charges really were fraudulent. Also impressed that the laws place the liability for this sort of thing on the bank, who otherwise would not lift a finger to prevent it or detect it and wouldn't believe my claims that I didn't make the charges. Not impressed because the notification message was extremely scam-like, I didn't like sitting on hold, and the first customer service rep wanted ME to explain what the call was about.

The account was closed and I'm getting a new card. They're going to send me some paperwork apparently. I'll update when it arrives. Fascinating.