If you’ve had credit cards for a significant duration, you’ll likely encounter credit card fraud eventually. The positive aspect is that if you find unauthorized charges, credit card companies provide a robust level of protection, ensuring you aren’t liable for those charges as long as you report them promptly.
Recently, I experienced my latest incident of credit card fraud. While credit card fraud always piques my curiosity about how it occurs, this case is particularly odd, as it appears to connect to previous fraud I encountered… with a different card issuer!
In this post:
My unauthorized Amex card purchases in Malaysia
I possess the Amex Business Platinum, which I mainly hold for its benefits rather than for actual purchases. In fact, I’ve executed only four transactions on this card this year, all aimed at unlocking the perks associated with it.
Naturally, I routinely keep an eye on my credit card statements to ensure there’s no fraud, even during statement periods when I don’t expect any purchases. While reviewing my recent transactions on the card, I spotted two minor charges — a $2.46 charge on July 10 and a $0.86 charge on July 19, both linked to Google. One was for Bongo Movies (“a modern African film industry in Tanzania”), while the other was for WhatsApp.
Amex Business Platinum transactions
Those transactions were so minimal that I might not have given them much thought, but I sensed that something was off. Certainly, I might not remember all the purchases I make involving Google, yet I couldn’t discern any reason I would place those charges on this card, as it’s not linked to any auto-billing services.
To be doubly sure, I clicked on the transaction details and discovered that the purchases were both in Malaysian Ringgit. Alright, that’s definitely fraud!
Amex Business Platinum transaction
I contested both charges, stating that I did not authorize them. Typically, Amex is excellent at resolving disputes in favor of cardholders, but I was taken aback to receive a denial within a few days. According to the email I obtained from Amex:
We’ve rebilled the $0.86 amount you disputed from GOOGLE.
Here’s the situation: We collected the attached documentation needed to clarify this charge and have concluded that you are accountable for the contested amount.
They subsequently included the receipt that served as evidence, demonstrating that I authorized the transaction. The problem is that the “customer email” — [email protected] — is not mine. And the same email was used for both transactions.
Amex Business Platinum dispute denial
Honestly, that’s quite disappointing handling on Amex’s end when I claim I didn’t execute the purchase, and then they reject the claim based on “proof” showing that I made the purchase, with a receipt featuring an email unrelated to me. I can’t expect Amex to know the email addresses I utilize, but I find it hard to understand how this constitutes “proof” that the purchase wasn’t fraudulent.
The Malaysia fraud connection becomes more intriguing
Individually, you might not think much of this, but this is where the narrative takes a stranger turn, in my view. A few months back, I discussed how I managed fraud on a Citi credit card, specifically concerning Grab “Poi Funding Transactions” in Malaysia (Grab competes with Uber, especially in Southeast Asia). The purchases stretched over several weeks and amounted to over $380.
Citi Double Cash transactions
Citi Double Cash transactions
They all occurred on my Citi Double Cash, which is another card I don’t frequently use for spending these days, and it had also never been associated with my Grab account.
I recognize that I’m unlikely to uncover the full story behind credit card fraud, given how extensive this underground industry is. Nevertheless, my curiosity does get the better of me. What I found peculiar is that this fraud took place just weeks after I visited Malaysia for the first time in years. The peculiar part is, I hadn’t utilized that card for any buys there (it incurs foreign transaction fees), though I did have the card in my backpack alongside around a dozen other cards, including the Amex Business Platinum.
With this most recent Amex Business Platinum issue, I now have had two cards compromised that I brought to Malaysia but didn’t actually use there, with all the fraud appearing in Malaysia (or at least processed from there, as there seems to be a connection to Africa as well).
My theory is that someone may have gone through my personal belongings during the brief period I was in Malaysia, possibly photographing my credit cards (instead of physically taking them, which would raise more suspicion). Then they could be employing a very gradual yet steady tactic towards fraud, executing this over