Symptoms
- Unfamiliar charges appear shortly after an online purchase
- Charge from a merchant or amount you don't recognize
- Card issuer flags a transaction as suspicious
- Multiple small test charges before a larger one appears
Likely causes
- CommonData breach at a retailer you shopped withStored card data at a company can be exposed in a breach without your knowledge until charges appear.
- CommonFake or fraudulent shopping websiteA convincing but fake online store can capture your card details directly at checkout.
- PossibleCard skimming at a physical location around the same timeA compromised card reader elsewhere could be the actual source, coincidentally timed with an online purchase.
What to do
- Call your card issuer immediately to report the unauthorized charge and request a new card number.
- Review your recent transaction history for any other unfamiliar charges.
- Change the password on the shopping site's account, and any other account using the same password.
- Check whether the retailer has announced a data breach around the time of your purchase.
- Dispute the unauthorized charge formally with your card issuer if it hasn't been reversed automatically.
- Monitor your statements closely for the next few billing cycles.
- Consider using virtual card numbers for future online purchases to limit exposure.
When to call a pro
For repeated fraud or if a chargeback is denied unfairly, your bank's fraud department can escalate the dispute.
Safety
Generally low risk
Generally low risk for a careful person. Stop if anything looks different from what this guide describes.