It happens all the time, and from many different outfits. Mostly they use random number generators and eventually they hit on a good combination of card number and security code. It's easy for this to go in for at least a few months before people notice.

ETA When it happened to me it was for "technical support."

I understand that 1 way purchasers of stolen card #s check to see if the card is valid is to make a small charge w/ it. Credit card #s reportedly are also sold in bulk on the underground market.

how-was-your-credit-card-stolen

what-will-thief-do-my-credit-card-number

Yes ,this is very disturbing. One time, many years ago, I was shopping at a mall and there was a car raffle. My phone service provider was changed because when I signed up for the raffle there was fine print that I was agreeing to change my service!

This is probably against the law now.

It's true that some people have extensive charges and might not notice a small one.

tibbrex, I was recently charged $16.28, recurring monthly billing, for a subscription to read magazines online. A website I've never dealt with and didn't visit or browse. I went the other direction and called my CC company. They removed the charge and issued a new card with new number - there was no reasonable explanation as to how the magazine vendor may have had my credit card information. It's my card on file with Amazon and used occasionally for other online purchases, but never leaves my desk. I don't carry it.

My DH has a subscription to a sports magazine and I buy Birds and Blooms for my mother. Both are paid annually by check. The only occasion where I find time to pick up a magazine in recent years is at my stylists when getting my hair colored ;0)

My CC company told me that IC Freeshipping.com is a "legit" business and "well known." Turns out, I've been being charged since last December! I was stunned because I read my bill every month -obviously not very well! I think what confused me, though, is that the address looks like it could be an eBay address, and I shop in eBay frequently.

CC company told me I "must have hit a button" to get free shipping. I never sign up for that stuff, though, so they clearly make it not well known what you are clicking. I Never got an email saying Id' signed on, as they said I should have, etc.

They credited me four more months, but it turns out, that "free shipping" cost me A LOT!.

Aargh. Why do businesses have to practice so much deception?

And I'll tell you, it makes me never want to buy from Plow & Heart again.

I receive alerts on my phone every time my card is charged. So, I can keep up with whether DS has paid his rent on time (he uses my card) and when my online orders go through. It's great.

Bummer. I check my charges off the bill each month.

tina, I thought I did as well! It's hard, though, to recognize a recurring charge when you don't expect it. It looks like an eBay charge or something like that.

My problem is that there is so much deception in business practices nowadays. I KNOW I signed up for a monthly charge for the New York Times and for my car insurance, Netflix etc. I made an effort to do that. There is no way this Freeshipping.com thing was clear, willful on my part, or anything like that.

This practice of "signing people up" for a trial while in fact signing them up for a membership is a deceptive practice. Making them cancel a membership is NOT signing them up for a trial. You want to offer people a trial? Then do so. Give them the trial, THEN email and ask them if they liked it and would they like to sign up. These companies have no right to sign people up permanently and put the burden on them to opt out after a trial. a membership is NOT a trial.

It's so dirty and dishonest.

I have a credit card that I only use for 1 bill a month and just pay the amount every month I never look at the statement For some reason I looked last week and found freeshipping.com has been billing about $17 for about a year I have no idea how I signed up I phoned and they cancelled and are giving me a four month credit I dont know how else to follow up

That website is a known scam/fraud.