LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- A $5 meal turned into a $1,700 nightmare for one woman.
Ashley McGohon says someone stole her debit card number while buying lunch.
"This whole thing is just such a headache," McGohon said. "I paid with my debit card. The window was closed, and I sat at the window for probably like five or 10 minutes."
She got the card back and went home. About an hour after eating, she received a text message from her bank, asking if a recent charge was hers.
"As soon as I said no, it shut my debit card off right away," McGohon said.
When she checked her bank activity, she saw within 90 minutes there were three different charges totaling $1,700.
Text message warning sent about a fraud charge from a debit card.
"My heart just dropped. I was like sick to my stomach," McGohon said.
After cancelling her card, she went to her L&N Credit Union location to fill out paperwork. She also filed a police report.
She was able to get her money back, but now she's left rattled.
"I'm scared to death this is going to happen again," McGohon said.
Ted Rossman with creditcards.com says this crime is, unfortunately, common. He warns this can happen at a fast-food place, a sit-down restaurant, or anywhere that a card is out of sight long enough to copy the number or take a picture of your card.
"If you have the card number, the expiration date, the CVV number, basically, you can use it," Rossman said.
Rossman says any debit or credit card can be vulnerable, but there's less protection with a debit card.
"And that's actual money from your checking account," Rossman said. "With a credit card, if any money is stolen, it's really the bank's money up until you pay them back."
Fraud charges in a bank account.
He recommends using a credit card instead of a debit card but pay it off to avoid interest.
Rossman says if you want to use debit to avoid debt, use an app service such as Apple or Google Pay, and constantly monitor your accounts.
If this does happen, report fraud immediately just as McGohon did.
"If it wasn't me, who else could they do it to? You know, honestly, if it was just a couple hundred dollars, I might have never noticed," McGohon said.
She's hoping this crime of opportunity doesn't happen to anyone else.
Copyright 2022 WDRB Media. All Rights Reserved.
