How could a gambling site get my card number?

sleeping_giant

I have no inclination whatsoever to gamble but, intrigued by stories I've read here and elsewhere about the increasing popularity (and scourge) of online casinos, I allowed my curiosity to get the better of me and browsed around a couple. Not to put too fine a point on it, this was a mistake...

Many of these sites seem to offer the option to play for free, without committing any money and therefore without winning or losing any either. So I played a few hands of free blackjack at one site (which I suspect was completely legit), got bored, and tried roulette at a second, high-profile site. In neither case did I set up an account, disclose any financial details, or see anything to indicate that I was playing for real. As far as I was concerned, I was an anonymous punter playing the free games for a few minutes. But when I checked my bank statement yesterday, I found that I'd actually handed over real money to one of these sites -- probably the roulette site -- and supposedly had used my debit card to do so. I haven't lost a large amount, fortunately, but I've been thrown into a blind panic at the thought that the security of my financial affairs has been so easily compromised. While there's nothing to indicate that this card or any of my other cards has been used subsequently, I still thought it best to cancel them all.

I had thought that I was fairly Windows savvy, and I am always pretty obsessive about scanning for spyware and viruses, clearing out the browser cache, and the like. So I'm at a loss to understand how this site managed to obtain my card number. Does anyone have any theories? I'm running Windows XP SP2, IE6, Norton AntiVirus 2006, CCleaner, Ad-Aware, and Spybot.

Pete (who will know better next time :rolleyes:)

leesmithg

If you didn't input your debit or credit card details then you'd better contact your bank and explain to them what you have written.

You must note the sites you visited and let your bank or building society deal with it.

Astaroth

You think it was one of the sites? Your not sure?

Ultimately there are key logging options but if it is a conicidence then it could be simple random card number generator with a site that doesnt do things like address checking

matty_c608

Virtually impossible.

You must have typed your card into their system at one point? Promise us you didn't and then other options can be given to you!

newfoundglory

matty_c608 wrote:

Virtually impossible.

Agreed!

but

sleeping_giant

matty_c608 wrote:

Virtually impossible.

You must have typed your card into their system at one point? Promise us you didn't and then other options can be given to you!

No, hand on heart, I didn't enter any personal or card details at all. But I do understand why anyone would think my story too off-the-wall to be credible.

I've just run a dedicated trojan scanner and found something called Ezula, which is apparently adware that can potentially be used to track personal information. This had attached itself to the Amazon entry in my Favorites list and, coincidence or not, I'd placed an Amazon order on the day before I visited the gambling site. So Astaroth's suggestion of keylogging may be spot on.

Anyway, I've learned my lesson now. Thanks for all the replies.

Pete

leesmithg

sleeping_giant wrote:

No, hand on heart, I didn't enter any personal or card details at all. But I do understand why anyone would think my story too off-the-wall to be credible.

I've just run a dedicated trojan scanner and found something called Ezula, which is apparently adware that can potentially be used to track personal information. This had attached itself to the Amazon entry in my Favorites list and, coincidence or not, I'd placed an Amazon order on the day before I visited the gambling site. So Astaroth's suggestion of keylogging may be spot on.

Anyway, I've learned my lesson now. Thanks for all the replies.

Pete

Yeah it's embeded in their fav icon.

Thats why I use a different icon for amazon.

You should make a complaint to amazon their number is: 0800 279 6620

All I know is they have my bank details on file.

It only displays last 5 digits when buying from them so still hard to believe that caused it.

Zahc

leesmithg wrote:

Yeah it's embeded in their fav icon.

Yikes, didn't know that. That's definetly not cricket.:mad:

Zahc

sleeping_giant wrote:

No, hand on heart, I didn't enter any personal or card details at all. But I do understand why anyone would think my story too off-the-wall to be credible.

I've just run a dedicated trojan scanner and found something called Ezula, which is apparently adware that can potentially be used to track personal information. This had attached itself to the Amazon entry in my Favorites list and, coincidence or not, I'd placed an Amazon order on the day before I visited the gambling site. So Astaroth's suggestion of keylogging may be spot on.

Anyway, I've learned my lesson now. Thanks for all the replies.

Pete

What trojan scanner did you use please?

leesmithg

Zahc wrote:

Yikes, didn't know that. That's definetly not cricket.:mad:

I use 3 spyware scanners and, I think it was spycatcher that told me over a year ago.

Not sure so don't quote me.

Zahc

Thanks, guess what I'm doing?:mad: