Frauding an Internet Identity
 

How common is this?

Ive been on the net since its become mainstream, 95ish or so, and just this week my identity has been stolen.

Someone somehow got ahold of my password (im an idiot and used the same password for everything), and started up an ebay auction, and a few other harmless things, but the kicker, they stole 800 dollars from my paypal account.

Ive notified Visa (who wont do anything about it), and also paypal, they sent me a letter via snail mail so i assume this process will be rather lengthy.

What are the chances I will get my money back??

And, I hold my self rather intelligently when it comes to the internet, i wouldnt be dumb enough to just give out my password or anything like that, so how would one obtain it in the first place?

too many ways to list. while the topic is safe to discuss in it's current state, you are asking to hear about hacking methods and such which aren't a good subject here.

one needs to practice safe computer habits.

7 character passwords
security security security
don't use public computers for private matters
don't use passwords that are common language

bottom line, im asking are the odds good that my money will be returned?

And has such an incident ever happened to anyone else?

anyone have any input??

Well, if your money was taken from your paypal account it depends on a few things.

Did they use your paypal account to get money from your checking account via your debit card?

Did they use your paypal account to get money from your credit card?

Did you have a balance from your paypal account that was used?

----

Honestly, credit cards have a maxium liability of $50, and debit cards have total liability. If they used your paypal account to drain your bank account via your debit card, then you're in trouble.

-SF

My bank account was not affected.

My visa is attached to the paypal account, and therefore the money taken from my paypal account came out off my visa.

So, you're only liable for $50 of each fraudulent transaction.

-SF

Well, thats a definite plus.

Has anyone else ever experienced something like this? How did it go?

Evidently it has happened to a number of people who frequent the forums on this site.

http://www.paypalsucks.com

interesting..

looks like ive got alot of bitching ahead.

An attendant at a gas station used my card number and my credit union gave my money back after I filed a dispute form. The police sent me a letter saying the "solvability" was slim and not enough money was involved to assign a detective to the case. So he got away with it, and I got my money back so everybody won but my credit union.

A buddy of mine bought his wife something online for her birthday using his bank card. About 2 weeks later he went to the bank and his account was empty. (got about $400, but the account got to about -$500 before the bank cut it off).
Goes through the hassle of closing the account, going through all the transactions to determine what was his/what wasn't. Crappy situation, but got it rectified.
A week after everything gets back to normal, he get's an email from a hotmail account thanking him for the use of his credit card. The author called him many names, said the FBI /Police / Secret Service were too busy chasing terrorists to help him. Taunted the police, my buddy... everyone!
My buddy got pissed and called the police. They said they couldn't do anything, not enough money to assign an officer. Called the FBI Fraud, said they couldn't do anything but call the Secret Service. SS said it was under 100K and they couldn't do anything.

Moral of the story? As long as you aren't too greedy you can get away with anything.

TRUE STORY.