Star Bucks Fraudulent Charges Ugh!!

[diznee25]

I normally don't post a lot, but I was curious if anyone else has experienced this problem.

Last year, back in November I noticed a Starbucks Reload transaction on my bank account in the amount of $80! (Guess that person wanted a ton of holiday drinks or something!) Bank investigated and I got back my money.

Today, on a different credit card, I notice (another) Star Bucks Reload transaction....actually 2 of them. Each for $25. Ugh! So I just called the credit card company and canceled that card and will be getting a new account number.

Why do people steal my money for Starbucks Reloads?! So weird that it's happened twice in the past 4 months, on two different accounts.

I always get Starbucks gift cards from the rewards programs I do, and use those as form of payment, so I've never needed to purchase gift cards, or reloads.....just kind of ironic that people need their caffeine kick that badly!

Michelle

 

[TheDisneyDoll]

Out of all things starbucks? That seems so random, and strange, but desperate people will do anything to get their fix i suppose. Glad you got your money back! Crazy that it's happened more than once.

 

[diznee25]

Out of all things starbucks? That seems so random, and strange, but desperate people will do anything to get their fix i suppose. Glad you got your money back! Crazy that it's happened more than once.

That's exactly what I thought! Plus I thought an $80 reload seemed pretty ridiculous! When I called the bank about that charge, the woman asked me, "Are you should you don't recall reloading your Starbucks card with $80? Umm, yes I do recall that I did NOT make that charge. I didn't even own a Starbucks card, and had no idea what a reload was until I researched it. Yeah, I drink at Starbucks maybe twice per month.

The 2 charges today really annoyed me because it was one of those days where I was at the doctors office for most of the afternoon, had to pick up a prescription, and then I come home to this. This card hasn't been used since Christmas, because I'm trying to pay it off. Just happened to make a payment when I noticed those charges...

 

[tvguy]

That's exactly what I thought! Plus I thought an $80 reload seemed pretty ridiculous! When I called the bank about that charge, the woman asked me, "Are you should you don't recall reloading your Starbucks card with $80? Umm, yes I do recall that I did NOT make that charge. I didn't even own a Starbucks card, and had no idea what a reload was until I researched it. Yeah, I drink at Starbucks maybe twice per month.

The 2 charges today really annoyed me because it was one of those days where I was at the doctors office for most of the afternoon, had to pick up a prescription, and then I come home to this. This card hasn't been used since Christmas, because I'm trying to pay it off. Just happened to make a payment when I noticed those charges...

$80 doesn't seem like much, doesn't that work out to about a month's worth of drinks for the folks who go everyday on their way to work? But having that happen twice is odd.

 

[TheDisneyDoll]

That's exactly what I thought! Plus I thought an $80 reload seemed pretty ridiculous! When I called the bank about that charge, the woman asked me, "Are you should you don't recall reloading your Starbucks card with $80? Umm, yes I do recall that I did NOT make that charge. I didn't even own a Starbucks card, and had no idea what a reload was until I researched it. Yeah, I drink at Starbucks maybe twice per month.

The 2 charges today really annoyed me because it was one of those days where I was at the doctors office for most of the afternoon, had to pick up a prescription, and then I come home to this. This card hasn't been used since Christmas, because I'm trying to pay it off. Just happened to make a payment when I noticed those charges...

Im not big on starbucks either, every once in a while but $80 worth is probably like 5 years for me maybe even longer!

I feel you, I got a call from chase about fraudulent charges once for a card I don't use (my emergency card). The lady goes someone is trying to buy plane tickets that are three times the limit of your card, so it was denied we just need to confirm that it's fraudulent activity.
Lady i wish i was buying plane tickets THAT expensive i can't only imagine where they were trying to go!

 

[Mizzoufan]

$80 doesn't seem like much, doesn't that work out to about a month's worth of drinks for the folks who go everyday on their way to work?

It's a lot if it's stolen from you.

 

[tvguy]

It's a lot if it's stolen from you.

I have only had one incident with attempted credit card fraud that fortunately my bank caught at the time it happened. The red flag, I live in California, and my number was being used to try and buy $5,000 worth of tires and wheels from a tire shop in New Jersey.
I guess in OP's case, the thief was a thief, just not a greedy one.

 

[DisneyMommyMichelle]

Yikes! Good thing you noticed it!

 

[tvguy]

Yikes! Good thing you noticed it!

I didn't, bank refused to approve it when the "customer" tried to make the purchase.

 

[aaarcher86]

I wonder if Starbucks is the new "gas station charge" to see if the card is valid before making a bigger purchase.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

I wonder if Starbucks is the new "gas station charge" to see if the card is valid before making a bigger purchase.

That was my thought. We had a fraudulent charge on our credit card a few months ago - something like $27.and some odd change at some random online store. We (as well as the credit card person my husband talked to) figured it was as test charge to see if it would go through, before making a big charge that would send up big red flags.

 

[Missy1961]

I didn't, bank refused to approve it when the "customer" tried to make the purchase.

I think she was referring to the OP.

Maybe the thieves figure everyone goes to Starbucks and they wouldn't notice a bogus charge. That's weird that it was SB twice.

 

[Albort]

I wonder if Starbucks is the new "gas station charge" to see if the card is valid before making a bigger purchase.

cant wait for gas stations to get their chip and pins installed...
i caught a subway charge on $22, it woke me up. I called in immediately. Chase still allowed a 2nd $600 legoland ticket charge... i feel bad to whoever gonna buy those tickets from the scammers... :\
heck, i guess chase didnt believe me about the subway charge, they sent me a letter stating that 4 months later... :\

 

[aprilgail]

I went to look at my bank account one morning (I check every morning that charges/debits are correct) and I was about 500.00 short- there was about 15-20 starbucks reloads all in a row on there! I called the bank who instantly credited my account all the money that was short!

 

[lifesavacation]

That's exactly what I thought! Plus I thought an $80 reload seemed pretty ridiculous! When I called the bank about that charge, the woman asked me, "Are you should you don't recall reloading your Starbucks card with $80? Umm, yes I do recall that I did NOT make that charge. I didn't even own a Starbucks card, and had no idea what a reload was until I researched it. Yeah, I drink at Starbucks maybe twice per month.

The 2 charges today really annoyed me because it was one of those days where I was at the doctors office for most of the afternoon, had to pick up a prescription, and then I come home to this. This card hasn't been used since Christmas, because I'm trying to pay it off. Just happened to make a payment when I noticed those charges...

If you go twice a month to Starbucks, I would wonder if the fraud is originating from a Starbucks employee. It seems really coincidental that you've had 2 fraudulent Starbucks charges on 2 different cards. Did you use both of your cards at the same Starbucks before these fraudulent charges came through?

You could call Starbucks and ask them to look into which store did the reload.

 

[cijay]

The card I carry has only a $500 limit. Last month was a $20 'advance' from a gas station bank machine, then two $150 charges (obviously one was the test) from the actual till at a gas station. Thing is - the $20 was withdrawn very far away from the two bigger ones. Neither were close to my house.