Credit Card Episode @ Va, USA

I would like to share the following experience, which incidentally is a growing happening in this Digital Age. 

Self and my wife, Vijaya, had gone to New York to stay with our son in Manhattan, NY. We had a lovely time and traveled to quite a few places, meeting our friends across the US. During one of the weeks, we had to gone to one of my Engineering classmate and close family friend, living in Virginia. On the week end, they took us to a neighbouring location, Harper’s Ferry, supposed to be the place where the first batch of immigrants from Europe landed in the US. Very picturesque, scenic and lots of small houses turned into museums for the visitors to get glimpses of the earlier era.

After a round of the interesting place, we dropped in at a road side restaurant, had coffee and some quick bite. The young smart lady at the front desk kept us busy with some interesting stories and was taking us thru the posters displayed. Learnt that her boy friend is from India and so that conversation also kept us engrossed, while my credit card was taken in to get the payments done. After I got the card back, we went to the Outlet malls for a round and went back home. I did not use the Credit Card in the malls. Next day we left for New York. The following day I tried to use the Card and the machine did not accept that. Then I tried at other shops and had similar experience. I came back home and checked the Credit Card statement on the laptop. I was shocked to learn that the Card was totally used and there was no balance in the card. When I went into the details, found that the Card was used at 8 (eight) different locations in the US on the same day and around the same time, we visited that road side restaurant in Va. The loss was close to Rs. 2.0 lakhs

I had to call up the Bank’s customer care in India and had a bitter experience from the help desk. Anyway nothing could be done from the US, except making some written complaints, thru email. Incidentally the card I had was an Insta Card and the Bank refused to load the amount, without going thru a detailed investigation. Fortunately our son took care of the expenses, otherwise, would have landed in a great trouble and misery. Back home, took up the matter with the Bank. As usual had to go thru lots of explanations etc and finally got the amounts back, thanks to our Relationship Manager of the Bank. Believe the Card was cloned during the short time when we were at the road side restaurant and shared with their network team to carry on the transactions. As I did not carry my Indian mobile, I did not get the alerts

After couple of months after we returned to Bangalore, where we live, I get a call from our local Police station in Bangalore and the officer on duty wanted to know whether I was using that credit card. I had to visit the police station and then learnt that the Bank had filed a complaint to the Cyber Crime branch and the directive had come from the Police Commissioner’s office to follow the case and take appropriate action. I had to give them a written letter that the case has been appropriately closed by the bank and requested the police authorities to close the matter.

Great experience on the whole and lots of lessons to be learnt.