Mysterious contactless transaction on Discover card

[raccoon]

Recently my Discover card had a transaction on it I didn't make. It was for a small amount in a drugstore I've never even heard of in a state I've never been to, about 600 miles away. I reported it electronically and got back an email telling me to take it up with the merchant.

I called Discover and the representative said it was a contactless transaction, Which I understood from her meant that the Card had been tapped. I could tell she didn't believe I hadn't done the transaction, though she didn't outright say it.

She said they would get a copy of the receipt from the merchant and send it to me.

I'm the only person who uses this card and there is no duplicate to the best of my knowledge.

WTF is going on? Any of you ever experienced anything like this?

[Think. Again.]

1. I was in NYC once when a charge for $23,000 was made on my card in a bagel store in California...

I called the card company and they cancelled the transaction from my card immediately, but I don't know how they handled anything about the theft.

[Lulu KC]

2. Yes

It was for $1. The person who took the call said the same thing and was very blasé about it. I was somewhat peeved. Several days later I got a call from Discover about fraud. Same merchant, larger amount, plus another merchant. They had to send me a new card.

I stopped using Discover as my primary card.

(Mine was a clothing store and then a printer ink store.)

[lastlib]

3. Lock or close the account quickly.

Common tactic for ID thieves is to make small purchases as a "test" before using it to make bigger ones.

[SheltieLover]

4. My bank's fraud dept staff told me exactly the same thing years ago

I'm surprised the rep didn't immediately deactivate your card & issue a new one.

[mercuryblues]

7. When you put a hold on a discover card

It automatically comes off after 10 days,
Cancel it immediately

[doc03]

5. I had my Master Card hacked back in July. There were seven charges in Europe

for around $200 total that also included a foreign transaction fee. I haven't been in Europe since 1970.
When I called, they told me they would investigate, and it may take two billing cycles to complete which it
did and everything was taken care of. I did what a friend of mine told me he did. I went on the Bank Website
settings and set it up where I get an e-mail anytime a charge of more than $10 is made on my card and anytime
there 3 or more charges in one day. I had made a trip to Niagra Falls and Toronto a few days before, I think
since I was in crowds of people from all over the world that is where it happened.

[Native]

6. I've had this happen often, but never with Discover. Reps are blase about this because its indemic.