ZOverLord
Premium
join:2003-10-20
Minneapolis, MN
2 edits | reply to gingerwatch
Re: Pluto Data Credit Card Charge
One of the reasons to follow the instructions I posted in early posts is that they are the instructions provided by the U.S. Secret Service, which is the Government agency responsible for Credit/Debit card fraud.
The FBI is not the agency responsible for these types of crimes. The reason to follow the instructions to the letter is, that in the event you do end up getting a Lower Credit Score because of this mess, you can prove you used Due diligence to report it to the proper parties.
Even if you have no credit cards and this fraud occurred on your Debit Card, remember some day you may need a car loan, or a mortgage, or need to re-finance your home.
If you only report this to your bank or card issuer, well they will NOT inform the credit reporting agencies on their own, that falls into your duty.
Once your debit/credit card data is in the Wild you have no idea of what other information is also known about you, maybe they also have your mothers maiden name, your SSI #, all the things required to create a NEW credit card which might have a $50,000.00 limit.
Again, if you read your contract that came with your debit/credit card, it will state what your duties are in the event of fraud, which is known by you.
So Please don't think this mess is over, your personal information will be sold and re-sold for a very long time. Just because these original merchant accounts have been closed does not mean you are SAFE by any means unless you follow the EXACT instructions which I posted from the U.S. Secret Service in my prior posts.
Here are the Links for my prior posts on this thread
One Example Of How These Frauds Are Accomplished
»Pluto Data Credit Card Charge
The U.S. Secret Service Is The Government Agency For These Cases
»Pluto Data Credit Card Charge
Field Office Phone Numbers Of The U.S. Secret Service In Your Area
»Pluto Data Credit Card Charge
Detailed Instructions From the U.S. Secret Service For What You Should Do Being a Victim
»Pluto Data Credit Card Charge
What COULD Happen If You Choose Not To Follow These Instructions
»Pluto Data Credit Card Charge
If anyone has any other questions, I am more than happy to help.
Thanks
Don |
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kubus
join:2000-12-22
Irwin, PA | reply to Kip patterson
Kip,
Can you share just a little bit more on those 2 merchant accounts?
Nice to see the forum getting into some investigation work. |
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Kip patterson
Premium
join:2000-10-23
Columbus, OH
| I got a call from Mastercard corporate security this morning following up on two earlier conversations. I choose not to post everything I learned, since these folks aren't caught yet.
It takes the card companies a while to stop this sort of thing. They don't issue merchant accounts, banks do. They cannot call up a bank and order it around.
They are doing the obvious things - figuring out how the cards were compromised and what went wrong in the merchant account process. |
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dlc32
| reply to georgia42
How did u get your news station to listen to u? I contacted my local news station and they seem to be interested at all. |
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dlc32
| i forgot to mention my newschannel. it is wjbf news channel 6 |
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dlc32
| excuse me; i need to correct my first reply. They don't seem interested at all. sorry. |
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anonemouse1
join:2005-03-07
Galesburg, IL
| reply to legalbegal
Well, my meeting with a Quad City, IL TV station was canceled due to sickness in the office, but they would get back to me to talk. I don't know if they read the forum and figured it was too difficult to understand or if there was actual sickness...but anyway I tried.
I have gotten my new card finally so I am whole again...money returned, etc. but I just can't let it go until whoever is stopped/caught! Until then I will hang in here.
Michele |
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Darth Yoda
join:2004-06-24
ghjk8l
| reply to JohnDenver
Ya
I retract my statement about paypal because i don't think that they are the common denominator anymore (well i never thought at 100 % that they were).However ,i still think that the authorities will ask them a few questions (probably just the basics).
So far the only common denominator (at least in this thread) is still that you all shopped online at some point.I have yet to see someone who did not use his card online to be affected by this scam (but i could be wrong). |
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Darth Yoda
join:2004-06-24
ghjk8l | reply to legalbegal
Btw , my reply was to Sol2 and not John Denver  Sorry for that |
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punk007
join:2005-03-08
| reply to Kip patterson
said by Kip patterson  :Watch your step - there is no reason to think that the crooks who set up/got ahold of a merchant account for Pluto Data in Cyprus have any connection with Pluto Data Ltd in the UK. Not sure I understand your post Kip. Back on page 21 of this thread I posted as "maybe123" and stated that the fraudulent charge on my card was from "Pluto Data LTD, Great Britain." Not from "Pluto D. Nicosia ,Cyprus" there are also several other people in this thread who posted that their bad charge was from the UK and not Cyprus. |
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CuriousOhio
@216.201.x.x
| reply to legalbegal
Hey, I just found this site. I had a charge on my credit card bill yesterday from Pluto for 39.99, when I called the number it was simply an answering service. My credit card Co said that it was listed as a Management and Public Relations Services. What does that mean? At least my Co is refunding me the money!! I'm wondering if I should be worried about future mysterious charges on my credit card? |
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Kip patterson
Premium
join:2000-10-23
Columbus, OH
| reply to punk007
Neither of the Pluto Data merchant accounts are in Cyprus or England.
My best guess is that they used the reputation of an inactive British firm, Pluto Data Ltd, to get approval for the merchant accounts. It is only a guess. It takes some doing to get a merchant account, and they got at least three, including the two Mastercards and at least one Visa. So, I don't think they were Johnny-come-latelys of the street. Nor do I think that the "real" pluto Data, if the original people that created this firm are still around, have anything to do with the fraud. It was obvious that the fraud would be discovered eventually. The perps would not be so dumb as to use a company to which they had any traceable connection.
So, the only options are to follow the money and follow the source of the account numbers. Let's hope that someone does, and that we learn of the result. |
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Kip patterson
Premium
join:2000-10-23
Columbus, OH | reply to CuriousOhio
I would say yes. If this bunch of crooks got your info, others probably did as well. |
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vict in sunny ca
@Dial1.San
| reply to Darth Yoda
I was just going to post and say that our card had not been used online, and then I remembered my hubby used it to buy me a Christmas gift on line, he used his work computer. I have firewalls, etc.. at home, only use one card for internet purchases. The card he used got hit by Pluto Data Ltd, Great Britain number 888-323-8955. He shopped online at Amazon.com Cancelled cc. Will follow all instructions posted by S.S. We were victims of identity theft almost 2 years ago. You folks better follow legalbegals advice!! |
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punk007
join:2005-03-08 | reply to Kip patterson
Ok Kip, I see what your saying now.(Pluto may have been a legit company at some point but it has been hijacked by the thieves.)
So what is the last and latest transaction date reported here? Are the crooks STILL in business? |
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funchords
Hello
Premium,MVM
join:2001-03-11
Washington, DC
 ·Verizon Online DSL
 ·Skype
| reply to CuriousOhio
said by CuriousOhio:
My credit card Co said that it was listed as a Management and Public Relations Services. What does that mean? Like the Yellow Pages, merchants are categorized by the type of business. Certain corporate cards can be restricted to Travel or Restaurant use only, or only allow charges for Office Supplies. Banks can also use this information to give their business customers categorized statements -- which are supposed to make things easier at tax time.
said by CuriousOhio:
I'm wondering if I should be worried about future mysterious charges on my credit card?
Abso-friggin'-lutely! I can't believe your bank did not change your number upon your first call! Your number has been compromised and will be used again.
Your bank should cancel your number and issue you a new one.
--
Robb Topolski
http://www.funchords.com/
Hillsboro, Oregon USA |
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AlexSH7
join:2005-03-18
Bethpage, NY | reply to legalbegal
03/10/2005 $29.99 PLUTO D NICOSIA
BoA NY, VISA secured credit card from June 2004
I cancelled the card immediately
Used for eBay, PayPal, Amazon, T-Mobile, DMV and some internet shoppings |
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Plumnutz
@Dial1.Cin
| reply to legalbegal
They got me on 3/7/05 for $29.99. I'm in Owensboro, KY.
The record labels these crooks used for their scheme were Matador & Epitaph. These are punk rock labels, which tells me chances are these crooks are punkers, either inner city or suburbia based in the good ole USA.
Just my 2 cents. |
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kiboshthem
@sympatico.ca | reply to punk007
Someone on page 44 reported 03/14/05 to a debit card, but CuriousOhio on page 46 may have been on 03/17/05? Have many people used Amazon online at some point? I did but quite a long time ago. |
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sol2
@megavision.com | reply to Kip patterson
Kip do you have an inside source on this scam? Are they close to shutting these people down? |
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