Costco stole $100 from me

[KittySlayer]

Seems like quite a few just in this thread allude to debit card usage.

I have never even had a debit card. Why use a debit card instead of a credit card? What am I missing out on?

Some people choose to use a Debit Card to control their spending. With a credit card they can loose control and spend more than they can afford. With a debit card their spending is limited to their bank account.

 

[Cameramonkey]

Seems like quite a few just in this thread allude to debit card usage.

I have never even had a debit card. Why use a debit card instead of a credit card? What am I missing out on?

What bank do you use that doesnt issue a debit card to give you easier access to your cash? Do you actively refuse one when they set up your account?

 

[BugI02]

Disclaimer: Hoosierdoc correctly identified what occurred. Unable to sleep, I rechecked my account at 0330 and the $100 debit amount was gone ! I’m happy that my card was not compromised, but I almost feel like I’m owed the $100 for the anguish of this issue. I had stopped my debit card use ability and was prepared to call Costco, my bank, and half the known world to resolve this “problem.”

Special thanks to Hoosierdoc although why he was awake at that hour of the night/morning !

The lesson here is go with a credit card on outdoor or poorly secured card readers. If there was indeed a skimmer involved, they would have been stealing your money with the attendant complications for other debits scheduled from that account. And the whole time you are fighting to get your bank to 'cheerfully' return your money, you might have to use a credit card anyway. Just get an American Express of the type where you have to pay off monthly and then do so, no such thing as an overdraft penalty

I even have true gasoline credit cards because if skimmed they are of severely limited use to the bad actor in terms of where it can be used, what it can be used for and how much they can steal

 

[BugI02]

What isn’t clear to me is the purpose of the practice. If my debit card wasn’t good for $34.63 how was it gonna be good for $100 ? ! !

Since there is no set amount at the time the purchase is approved, they are testing that the account will support some predicted maximum expenditure by the time you close the transaction

 

[Route 45]

I even have true gasoline credit cards because if skimmed they are of severely limited use to the bad actor in terms of where it can be used, what it can be used for and how much they can steal

Yep, same here. I use my Shell credit card every time at the pump and save 10 cents a gallon.

 

[BugI02]

What bank do you use that doesnt issue a debit card to give you easier access to your cash? Do you actively refuse one when they set up your account?

Yes. And one has to be quite insistent to achieve the desired result of no direct connection to bank accounts. The banks love it because it generates higher fees across the board

 

[BugI02]

Yep, same here. I use my Shell credit card every time at the pump and save 10 cents a gallon.

I sometimes wonder what it would be like to live in a world where one could trust other people to be honest, but I also wonder if it would turn out to be like Sparta or Feudal Japan

 

[Route 45]

I sometimes wonder what it would be like to live in a world where one could trust other people to be honest, but I also wonder if it would turn out to be like Sparta or Feudal Japan

What are you talking about?

 

[BugI02]

Historically, for the majority of people to be honorable, the societal penalties for deviation from that standard had to be pretty harsh

 

[gregkl]

What bank do you use that doesnt issue a debit card to give you easier access to your cash? Do you actively refuse one when they set up your account?

I'm not sure if they offered me a debit card or not its been so long. If they did, then yes, I refused it.

But I have never used an ATM either so maybe that's why I haven't missed having one.

 

[DoggyDaddy]

I'm not sure if they offered me a debit card or not its been so long. If they did, then yes, I refused it.

But I have never used an ATM either so maybe that's why I haven't missed having one.

Wait, please tell me you don't still write checks at the grocery store...

 

[MadMan66]

I've used my Citi Credit card with double cash back for years for all purchases. Better protection and I get 1% back for every dollar I send and 1% back when I pay it off. Here's the trick... I pay it off every month so I never pay interest. I've bought a $600 set of tires for my truck with just my cash back money.

You just have to have good discipline on spending. I set up text alerts for my credit card and bank account to stay on top of it. It also alerts me every time a charge goes through, so I can immediately be alerted if there is a fraudulent charge.

 

[Libertarian01]

Not to argue or anything just throwing in that in about 15 years of having a debit card I always run it as a debit card and have never had any problems.

Mine is through the FPCC FCU if that matters. Credit unions do things a bit different than banks.

Regards,

Doug

 

[DoggyDaddy]

Not to argue or anything just throwing in that in about 15 years of having a debit card I always run it as a debit card and have never had any problems.

Mine is through the FPCC FCU if that matters. Credit unions do things a bit different than banks.

Regards,

Doug

Agreed about credit unions. I'll never go back to a regular bank. I've had my debit card compromised before and both the credit union and Master Card (that issues the card) have been very quick to right any wrongs. Now years ago it took a lot longer, but that's no longer the case. I usually have the money back in my account within a couple of days. And now my credit union can issue a new card in the branch rather than having to wait 7 to 10 business days for a new card to arrive.

 

[gregkl]

Wait, please tell me you don't still write checks at the grocery store...

I don't think I write a half dozen checks a year. I write one to support Special Olympics and one to my conservation club and if I sign up for a training session.

Otherwise I use credit cards as much as possible. My wife and I earn at least one set of round trip airfares every year putting stuff on the CC.

I use cash occasionally, but usually don't have more than $20 or so on me.

 

[DoggyDaddy]

I don't think I write a half dozen checks a year. I write one to support Special Olympics and one to my conservation club and if I sign up for a training session.

Otherwise I use credit cards as much as possible. My wife and I earn at least one set of round trip airfares every year putting stuff on the CC.

I use cash occasionally, but usually don't have more than $20 or so on me.

Whew! Okay then... At least you're not one of "those people".

 

[gregkl]

Whew! Okay then... At least you're not one of "those people".

No, but sometimes my wife will dig through her purse for change if she's paying cash. I'm like, NO, just give them bills!

 

[DoggyDaddy]

No, but sometimes my wife will dig through her purse for change if she's paying cash. I'm like, NO, just give them bills!

I like keeping my change. When my change jar gets full, that's my "mad money". And now that my credit union has a change counting machine, I don't have to pay any fees like Coin Star.

 

[MadMan66]

I like keeping my change. When my change jar gets full, that's my "mad money". And now that my credit union has a change counting machine, I don't have to pay any fees like Coin Star.

Yep, I do this too. Change is my spending money. My jar usually holds approximately $300 in change. I call it my untraceable money for guns.

 

[gregkl]

Yep, I do this too. Change is my spending money. My jar usually holds approximately $300 in change. I call it my untraceable money for guns.

+3. We use it for cash when we go on vacation.