[HISSTANK]

Originally posted by: DESTRO @ Hisstank.com

[quote]Over the last week or so, a number of GIJOE & Transformers Collectors have noticed unauthorized charges on their credit cards and have received phone calls from their various financial institutions alerting them to possible fraudulent charges on their accounts. *A good number of collectors have been hit with these fraudulent charges, including members of TFW2005.COM's own staff.

Fun Publications, the parent company behind the annual BotCon and JoeCon conventions, have released a statement regarding these charges and the possible, if any, link between the credit card fraud and their online ordering system. *We have copied their statement, but you can also download the .PDF file yourself by clicking here.

"We have been receiving feedback that there has been a higher than*
usual number of fraud complaints posted on online Transformers*
forums.*

While we have nothing to suggest that there was an issue with the TCC*
and Fun Publications, we look into every concern that is sent to us. All*
of your transactions are in a secure socket with the strongest encryption*
available to any site on the web. If you have a specific concern about*
any transaction with us, please use the “contact us” link located at the*
bottom of the TCC page and provide us with as much information as*
possible including:*

1. The EXACT name of merchant as it is written on your statement.*
2. Amount and date of suspect charge.*
3. Bank your card is drawn on and if it is a debit or credit card.*
4. Device and browser (and version) you used for your last payment*
with us before you saw a fraudulent charge (ie, android phone,*
computer, iphone, browser and version).*
6. Were you on a public computer?*
7. Were you on a public wi‐fi network?*
8. If you were at home or work, what Internet provider did you use?*
9. On your last transaction with us, did you receive any kind of error*
message (card declined, 404 error, programming type error)? If you did*
receive an error, how many times did you resubmit your information?*

It is very difficult to track credit card fraud. With your help, we can see*
if there are any parallels between those reporting an issue.*

In order to better protect yourself, here are some guidelines:*

Never log into a secure site from a public computer, public wi‐fi, or*
through android/windows phones. Only use your mobile device on a*
mobile app for transactions, never a browser. Turn off your bluetooth*
and wi‐fi to prevent people from hacking your credit card information*
from your phone/computer.*

If you have a card that has an rfid chip, make sure your card is shielded*
when not in use.*

Always make sure you are using a secure socket (https) for any login*
that requires a password or a monetary transaction.*

Never email your credit card information to anyone.*

As should be common practice, on a regular basis, be sure to check your*
statements and make note of any suspicious activity on your card. If you*
see an unauthorized charge, turn it in to your bank or card company, the*
charge will be reversed, they will issue a new card for you and the*
security system in place will have done its job.*

Please also take the time to read the attached article and research credit*
card security. We are very aware that security concerns have risen*
exponentially in the last couple years and we are doing our part to stay*
ahead of the curve.

"Can Hackers Destroy the Internet?" - Forbes.com"

It is always important that you monitor your card's activity, regardless if you purchase online or not. *A special thank you goes out to all the various collectors who have banded together to bring this issue to light, and in many instances, have helped collectors stop their card from being compromised. *We at TFW2005.COM urge everyone, regardless of when or where they shopped recently, to monitor their cards for suspicious activity. *