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2011-04-21 9:10 AM

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Subject: active.com = Credit Card Fraud ???

So here is the story.

I have two cards that have fallen victim to credit card fraud in the last month.  This by itself is not "news" as many cards fall victim to this.  For the banks part they have been exceedingly easy to deal with and everything has been straightened out.  Since I like to try to understand the world I went back and tried to figure out how this may have happened.  Interestingly enough one of the cards is a "backup" card that never leaves the house it is used incredibly infrequently, less than 5 transactions per year.  The other is a walk about card and gets used a fair amount for the usual, gas, groceries, entertainment and such.  Both cards were not lost, and all statements are e-statements.  The two cards come from totally different banks.

Since neither card has been actually stolen, that leads me to belive the number leaked out somewhere.  Since there aren't statements to steal I figure it must be in a vendor transaction process.  I compared the transaction history of both cards and found only one common vendor and that was active.com for race registrations.  Both cards had been run by active shortly before the numbers turned up stolen and used by someone else.  I can't say for certain that active is the one leaking the cards, but it at least feels like it might be.  So...

You may want to be especially vigilant in watching your credit cards if you use active.com.

 



2011-04-21 9:13 AM
in reply to: #3458387

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Champion
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Southern Chicago Suburbs, IL
Subject: RE: active.com = Credit Card Fraud ???
MNGopher - 2011-04-21 9:10 AM

So here is the story.

I have two cards that have fallen victim to credit card fraud in the last month.  This by itself is not "news" as many cards fall victim to this.  For the banks part they have been exceedingly easy to deal with and everything has been straightened out.  Since I like to try to understand the world I went back and tried to figure out how this may have happened.  Interestingly enough one of the cards is a "backup" card that never leaves the house it is used incredibly infrequently, less than 5 transactions per year.  The other is a walk about card and gets used a fair amount for the usual, gas, groceries, entertainment and such.  Both cards were not lost, and all statements are e-statements.  The two cards come from totally different banks.

Since neither card has been actually stolen, that leads me to belive the number leaked out somewhere.  Since there aren't statements to steal I figure it must be in a vendor transaction process.  I compared the transaction history of both cards and found only one common vendor and that was active.com for race registrations.  Both cards had been run by active shortly before the numbers turned up stolen and used by someone else.  I can't say for certain that active is the one leaking the cards, but it at least feels like it might be.  So...

You may want to be especially vigilant in watching your credit cards if you use active.com.

 


At the very least, I recommend you report it to both banks what you have found and let them investigate. 
2011-04-21 9:18 AM
in reply to: #3458387

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Master
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Subject: RE: active.com = Credit Card Fraud ???

It could also be that the computer from which you are using active.com has some malware/virus stealing information.  If so, any passwords etc. may have been compromised. 

Actually this would be more likely than two transactions that happened to be from the same person at two different times being stolen on Active.com. 

2011-04-21 9:21 AM
in reply to: #3458413

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Subject: RE: active.com = Credit Card Fraud ???
velocomp - 2011-04-21 9:18 AM

It could also be that the computer from which you are using active.com has some malware/virus stealing information.  If so, any passwords etc. may have been compromised. 

Actually this would be more likely than two transactions that happened to be from the same person at two different times being stolen on Active.com. 

Possible, except the transactions happened from two different machines at two different locations.  Work vs. home.

2011-04-21 9:27 AM
in reply to: #3458426

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Master
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Centennial, CO
Subject: RE: active.com = Credit Card Fraud ???
MNGopher - 2011-04-21 8:21 AM
velocomp - 2011-04-21 9:18 AM

It could also be that the computer from which you are using active.com has some malware/virus stealing information.  If so, any passwords etc. may have been compromised. 

Actually this would be more likely than two transactions that happened to be from the same person at two different times being stolen on Active.com. 

Possible, except the transactions happened from two different machines at two different locations.  Work vs. home.


Then it could be that your active.com account was hacked.  I'm assuming you have an account?  They are a pretty secure site.  For one person's account to be nailed on two seperate occassions using two different cards is pretty unlikely based upon odds.  (Just thinking as a software developer from the technical implications).
2011-04-21 9:39 AM
in reply to: #3458440

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Subject: RE: active.com = Credit Card Fraud ???
velocomp - 2011-04-21 9:27 AM
MNGopher - 2011-04-21 8:21 AM
velocomp - 2011-04-21 9:18 AM

It could also be that the computer from which you are using active.com has some malware/virus stealing information.  If so, any passwords etc. may have been compromised. 

Actually this would be more likely than two transactions that happened to be from the same person at two different times being stolen on Active.com. 

Possible, except the transactions happened from two different machines at two different locations.  Work vs. home.


Then it could be that your active.com account was hacked.  I'm assuming you have an account?  They are a pretty secure site.  For one person's account to be nailed on two seperate occassions using two different cards is pretty unlikely based upon odds.  (Just thinking as a software developer from the technical implications).

 

Possible that the account was hacked and I have since changed the passwords.  However, in general sites that store CC info do not provide a method to extract that information back out.  So if the account was hacked someone might be able to register me for races, but that would be the limit.  However, I flatly refuse to allow sites to keep CC info on file for future use.  I admit the odds are very long that a single persons card would twice be stolen in this manner, however I have no other way to explain it at this time.  And right or wrong, I feel that active.com is the most likely source of the leak.



2011-04-21 9:44 AM
in reply to: #3458387

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Pennsylvania
Subject: RE: active.com = Credit Card Fraud ???

No real comment on the true cause of your account numbers being stolen, but a comment for safety (if your card offers it).

For one of my credit cards, there is an option to create a virtual account number.  Through the credit card's site, you create a temporary number that is linked to the actual account but if the temporary number gets compromised, no one can do anything with it because it isn't the real number and 'expires' quickly.  I try to use this card with this feature when ordering from new sites or sites that have been known to have been compromised.

Good luck!

2011-04-21 9:59 AM
in reply to: #3458502

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Subject: RE: active.com = Credit Card Fraud ???
melbo55 - 2011-04-21 9:44 AM

No real comment on the true cause of your account numbers being stolen, but a comment for safety (if your card offers it).

For one of my credit cards, there is an option to create a virtual account number.  Through the credit card's site, you create a temporary number that is linked to the actual account but if the temporary number gets compromised, no one can do anything with it because it isn't the real number and 'expires' quickly.  I try to use this card with this feature when ordering from new sites or sites that have been known to have been compromised.

Good luck!

I had not heard of this feature and will ask my bank about it.  Thanks for the tip.

2011-04-21 3:38 PM
in reply to: #3458559

Master
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Subject: RE: active.com = Credit Card Fraud ???

However, I flatly refuse to allow sites to keep CC info on file for future use.

Many (most?) sites that process online orders store your info anyhow, and just don't display it if you check the option to "not store info".

The only value that they are absolutely not supposed to ever record is the CVV (3 digit number on the back of your card).

-- just a guy who used to work on payment processing systems

2011-04-21 4:46 PM
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2011-11-20 6:08 PM
in reply to: #3458387


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Subject: RE: active.com = Credit Card Fraud ???
Just thought I would throw in my two cents here.  I also had the same thing happen to me.  Two credit card numbers, two instances of fraudulent activity.  The common thread, is that both times it happened within a month of registering for half-marathons through active.com.  I work in information technology and am familiar with the need to store and protect personally identifiable information like CC numbers, but it seems like some system (or even human component) has been compromised at active.com.  I don't intend to utilize them any further, and will contact them about this.  I know it's been a few months, but I would highly recommend you fill out a police report for it, or if it happens again.  I intend to do the same first thing tomorrow morning.


2011-11-20 6:50 PM
in reply to: #3458387

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Subject: RE: active.com = Credit Card Fraud ???
Same thing, my card was hit.  I can not say it was active.com but the hit was just a few days after I registered for a race on active.

Edited by hrliles 2011-11-20 6:51 PM
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