Defender Ind. Data Breach

[Off Trail]

It's unfortunately a fact that computer security is not a simple thing. I've been inside two companies that experienced breaches in the past several years and seen how it can happen even with safeguards.

It's not just keeping the front door locked to the Internet and encrypting databases. There can be all kinds of roundabout ways into sensitive data through employee accounts, insider threats, and unknown (so called "zero day") vulnerabilities.

But I'd agree that the days of storing CC info with vendors should be put behind us!

[Kamen]

Originally Posted by Junk Viking

Enter the 21'st century of banking with Revolut, Wise and similar new and smarter online offerings.

Too bad the Wise credit card is not available to residents of Nevada and Hawaii.

[slacker]

While I did receive the letter I have not had any fraudulent activity on my card. My bank automatically cancelled the card and issued a new one when Defender notified them. I did not have my number stored with them.

[TedCG1]

Originally Posted by elknimrod

Yup, noticed $1000+ charges on my card. Contacted bank and had them removed and new card issued. Couldn't figure how the card was compromised, then next day got the email from Defender. AHA! I won't be leaving it on their site, or anyone's, anymore, just to avoid waiting for a new card plus the obvious hassles.

Ed

This morning, I had 5 emails from my CC company, all regarding attempts to make charges to the >virtual CC#< I use for Defender. All refused, as the number is only allowed to be used by Defender. Thank goodness for ENO@capitalOne, and thank goodness the bandits weren't look to buy a fortune in boat goods! Logged in to Cap1, deleted the virtual card.

Haven't heard from Defender as yet, which is disappointing.

[HRowland]

I had fraudulent use of a credit card in late April. Nothing big, smaller charges to Etsy and a coffee company. I learned about this from a fraud alert text message from Citi. I reviewed other recent activity and found several fraudulent uses and disputed them. I was issued a new card. Today I received a letter from Defender stating my information was part of the breach. I had made purchases using the impacted Citi card at Defender during their spring online warehouse sale.

[Nicholson58]

Originally Posted by sailorboy1

a couple minutes of online time

Not like I haven't been through it numerous times. The biggest headache for me is having an address to mail the new cards to.

Certainly agree with that. Getting a replacement in the Caribbean is impossible so we have a couple different cards. We are careful and use cash most places.

[gonesail]

why in the **** doesn't Defender accept Paypal? are you listening Defender .. or do you even care at this point

[Bycrick]

Different strokes …. I had problems with PayPal and there isn’t a pole long enough for me not to touch them with. No payment/transfer method is absolutely safe. The best you can hope for is a decent job of fraudulent charge prevention and good help cleaning up the mess.

[wholybee]

Not sure how paypal would make it any better. I have had my paypal account hacked, which gives the hacker access to my bank account and any credit cards that were stored. and their fees and policies and support are horrible. Avoid at all costs. I have a credit union that is very responsive and offers great protection from fraudulent charges.

[CarinaPDX]

I occasionally use PayPal but it has always been a bit dodgy. Back when it was part of eBay it asked for your bank account details, "for verification", and insisted on them if you were a seller. If a buyer complained about a sale they could, and did, take the money out of your bank account until it was resolved. After splitting they backed off on demanding "verification" bank details (I was never a seller). Their next try at monetizing its users was to offer a credit card. In the last year or two they changed their policies so that if a user received a cash transfer they could only apply that to purchases if they had a PayPal credit card; otherwise the only way to get the money is now to request that a check be sent to you. I liked that I could take the small amounts of money that were sent to me and use them against purchases - these days I won't accept PayPal transfers unless there is no other way (hasn't happened yet). Some vendors still require PayPal so I use it for them but that is it.

Greg

[JBsurfin]

Originally Posted by Kamen

Costs you time contesting fraudulent charges. You might also miss some.

Umm, lets see, it takes me about 1 min to log into my credit card account and look over the charges and then click "dispute charge". done in about 3 min.

If you are not setting up text or email notification at 25.00 on your CC account, shame on you then.

[penaltybox]

My card and my husbands card got hacked. 2 of the charges were denied by the credit company but 1 went through. Luckily we caught it. It was a pain to wait for new cards. My son was telling us about the Apple card, it uses a different number with each transaction. I will be looking into it, does anyone know about this card?

[SV Siren]

We had our card hacked and used. Luckily we caught them by bank notification pretty quick. Our bank is very watchful of those things, especially when the charges come out of our local area, or purchase history, as well as one charge for $.01 out of Nigeria...we simply cancelled and got a new card. Not our first rodeo, but setting up our online payment accounts sucks, but it unfortunately is part of life these days..

I don't blame Defender, not their fault, it happens to every company these days at some time or another, it doesn't matter who you are, if you have not had your card hacked, it is much like running aground, eventually you will.

[Kamen]

Originally Posted by JBsurfin

Umm, lets see, it takes me about 1 min to log into my credit card account and look over the charges and then click "dispute charge". done in about 3 min.

If you are not setting up text or email notification at 25.00 on your CC account, shame on you then.

If credit card fraud didn't pay, there would be no credit card fraud. Where do you think the money comes from for fraud to be profitable? It comes from you, either directly (transactions you miss) or indirectly (interest rates or fees to make up for bank losses, inflated prices etc.).

I like the convenience too and use credit cards, but it is not accurate to say that data breaches cost us nothing.

I run the e-commerce platform of a Fortune 500 company. Fraud is real and its costs are real. The costs are always passed on to the consumer. We spend a fortune on security and antifraud measures, on top of what credit card banks have.

Demand and expect security from online retailers.

K

[Kamen]

Originally Posted by SV Siren

I don't blame Defender, not their fault

You should. It is absolutely their fault. Shoddy security practices. Totally avoidable.