Hi all, sorry I've been down with a bug. Your debit card can be a mastercard or a visa--whichever your bank chose to use--however that debit card is tied directly to your checking account. If someone gets your card number they then have access to your checking account balance.

Yes, T-Mobile is a cell phone company and in my case this person somehow got a hold of my debit card info, set up with T-Mobile to pay his account through an automatic withdrawal--using my account to pay his bill! I was hit 4 times.

Since I also had my account at T-Mobile, I didn't catch it right away. (Also I was behind balancing my checkbook) And every once in a while I still find something totally weird that I've done that I can only relate back to stress from the divorce. So when I first saw those transactions I was beating myself up as being 'not on the ball' and telling myself to 'get it together'. Once the last transaction of $798 appeared on the last page of my statement I knew something was WRONG--I would never spend that kind of money at one place. That's when I called the bank and they checked all my 'weird' transactions, and they were all to the same place. Once I had that I knew I'd been taken.

Since I never lost my purse or my card, I can only theorize that I gave it to a waiter at a restaurant and they left to run it, took down my info and then returned my card. It would have been the ONLY time that card was out of my sight.

So....things I've learned to start off 2007
1. NEVER have debit card
2. ALWAYS balance checkbook as soon as statement arrives
3. TRUST MYSELF--I know when I haven't spent extra money
4. Maintain more than one account, at more than one bank

Hope this clears up any confusion. Yes, it is possible for someone to set up autowithdrawal with your card--I can't beleive it's possible but T-Mobiel told me the 'safeguards built into phone system for payments is only there for the honet people--anyone who knows how can bypass the system's doublechecks!' Therefore ladies, nothing is safe!!

FYI, CNN had a report last Fri or Sat about people accessing investment accounts and cleaning out everything people have saved for retirement. AND brokerage houses aren't guaranteed by the government, so their only reason to cover your losses is to keep their name clean. this man got nowhere recovering his assets until he got the media involved. It was a very large and reputable broker. Something to think about....

Also FYI, I talked to my Insurance agent and was able to add fraud protection to my homeowner's policy for only $25 a year. Seems well worth it. If the bank or card company won't pay back your insurance would kick in. Any fraud. That was with American Family Insurance, but I would think other's would also offer it.

Hope this helps!