Alert - STC SAWA Credit Card Fraud

[teksmex69]

I got hit as well.

four charges for $80ish each.

2 on 7/24
2 on 7/25



It was my compass bank debit card

[jeffjonmom]

These jokers know what they are doing. I think in most cases, they don't steal over $500.00 because that usually causes an alert on an account. I was hit for $435.18 on July 23 & July 25, 5 @ $80.00, 1 @ 26.00 and the rest were international transaction fees. I'm not sure what the common thread is in this mess, but I do know that I'm still waiting to be reimbursed my money. I'm like alot of you and use my card for cash all the time, so who knows where it was stolen! All I know is that the banks/credit unions need to be aware of this and stop punishing US for the fraudulent actions of others!

Jeffjonmom

[avantartist]

took me 4 days to get my money back through citizens bank.

[Kuulei]

Originally Posted by Spiritglow

I've played Everquest using the card that was charged by STC Sawa Recharge. I also wondered if someone at that company sold my CC info. My best guess is Spyware or someone with a list sold it.

Spiritglow

Well I was just curious as to some common purchase everyone may have made but I can't see it except for gas? I am probably the only one posting that has NOT had these charges. Places I have shopped: Newegg *my candy store!* and recurrent monthly for 2 Everquest accounts *for more years than I care to admit* the ONLY thing I have not purchased lately is gasoline with a CC. I have been using cash for fuel purchases for the last couple of months. I have never used PayPal either.

[eestrada2]

I have Paypal, myob, and worldpay. Thankfully the myob was only for one job. Internet fraud like this is the reason I hate transactions online. Thankfully I have a bank that calls me when something is weird.

I am going off to grad school in the UK. I need all the money I got... shame on SAWA.

[klsh]

My Citibank bank account has been charged with 5 - $82.38 each charges from STC SAWA RECHARGE RAYDIH, all dated 8/10/2007. I had recieved an E'Mail from PAYPAL saying someone from an offshore IP was trying to access my account and I must resubmit my login information. I found the E'Mail and forwarded to paypal and closed that account and my bank account. I found the banks response really irresponsible as the charges had just been verified and not paid yet, but they would not start an investigation until the charges are collected. (Why pay them at all if they know they are a fraud) I have spent 2 days fighting with Citibank, trying to get them to take action NOW.
I truely believe this fraud is directly associated with PAYPAL and have learned a big lesson about online buying. Good luck to all victems of this fraud, and thankyou for posting this information it was greatly helpful to me...
klsh

[queensotsa]

Hi -
I recently received 13 withdrawals from my account from STC SAWA RECHARGE RIYADH SA - a total of $1,040!!! I googled in this name and found this posting of others who have had this happen recently. I too, like a few others, have a paypal account and received an e-mail that my account was goingt obe suspended as there was activity from a foreign IP address. It all appeared like legit Paypal info and I thought someone was trying to get into my account so I did the verification required (as we were about to make a purchase using paypal so i didn't want the account suspended). That was about 2-3 weeks ago and just saw all the transactions in my bank account today! I just wanted to share and provide this info for others who have been scammed for lots of money (my bank is being great and will get me all the money back, however it could take a week or more - so I am frustrated at how to pay bills and such for the next week as we now have no money in our account due to these guys!). Hopefully paypal will send an alert to all its users about this scam - though I'm sure they are getting people's info via other means as well. Hopefully this ends soon and they are caught so no others are put in this horrible situation!

[sox1714]

Here is my story.

8/13 - 9:30am receive a phone call from USBANK asking me to verify charges on my Visa Personal Credit Card (Not linked at all to a checking, don't have an account with USBANK).

Two Charges at a CitGo for $15.00 in Miami, I live in Chicago.

8/13 - 11:55PM - Try to access my 53 Business Checking Account. So I call the card to do my usual balance verification for the day and notice some charges. (Business Checking MasterCard)

5 Charge ATTEMPTS at $79.98. Thankfully 53 blocked all of them right away. Card has been cancelled and I need to go to the bank in the morning to get a new one issued.

Here is my information.

53 Business Card -
I'm in Real estate, so it is used everywhere from Restaurants - Menards - Office Depot - PayPal Link

US BANK Personal -
Shell Gas - All Types of Stores - Internet Shopping - Restaurants - Linked to PayPal

Live in Chicago, IL
Age: 20

Here is one thing I would like to mention. Being in Real estate I own several places, have applied for several mortgages through American Home Mortgage (May they RIP), Countrywide, JPMorgan Chase. Just wondering if there could be a possible link with that, since credit reports must be pulled and card information shows up on it. I am just trying to figure out a link between my business card and my personal. Both hit with fraud charges on the same day? Has to be linked.

I would really like to figure this thing out and perhaps start and excel file with everyones information. My e-mail is Sox1714 at aol.com I am open to taking information and trying to get something linked here. Good luck to eveyrone else!

[clgraham71]

I was just called by my bank 8/14/07 and they had two $80.00 charges from this STC Sawa Recharge, they attempted to charge a few more times after my bank, thank God, had already canceled my bank card. I've closed my paypal account, as I too, had received that email stating that someone from and offshore IP was attempting to use my account, well....apparently they got in somehow. NO more online purchasing for me. Luckly my bank is going to refund my $160.00.

[klsh]

The 5 charges of $82.38 to STC SAWA RECHARGE were paid out of my account, My bank has started an investigation, they will give me a conditional reimbursement within 10 days. But what an ordeal it has been,
all I wanted was some answers from my bank, but the people that handle
customer service do not have a clue, so I had to fight for 3 days to finally get to a manager in the banks fraud department to get answers. I also turned all my information over to FBI Internet Fraud Unit, the Better Business Burough, A complaint with PAYPAL, and A very long unhappy complaint to YAHOO for allowing people to use the same Website Addresses as large accounts like PAYPAL with just a number at the end to make them different.
My Computer tech at work showed me how to tell if an address is a fake address or not as well. So now I feel better equiped to handle a situation like this. I do feel a little smarter than I did yesterday, good luck to all of you, keep yours eyes open for these evil thieves.