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Cliffnotes: Bought boost controller from guy in Boca Raton on Thursday last week, today I have fraudulent activity in Boca Raton at Wallgreens. He seems to not know anything about it, money was sent from PayPal (I generated the payment from scratch, not responding to an invoice), and the PayPal account is linked to a separate debit card, albeit same bank account). Seems super suspicious, but I can't figure out how it'd happen. I have no idea how my debit card (which is in my wallet) could have been compromised, and furthermore how potentially the seller of the boost controller could have done it being that I never gave him any info.
Little background. Bought a used (installed but never used), boost controller, co2 tank and regulator off LS1Tech. Guy seems legit, forwarded me the correspondence from when he bought the controller in August, his invoice, pictures of the unit, etc. He even contacted the company on my behalf to inquire about the difference between his controller and the newest model (at which point the owner of the company offered to upgrade his unit at no charge).
Fast forward, I sent him the money for the controller through PayPal, had him ship the tank/regulator to me and the controller and solenoids to the manufacturer for updates. Provided me with legit FedEx tracking numbers (even a picture of the FedEx invoice.
All was well until tonight, got a phone call from my bank saying there were fraudulent charges on my account. I thought it could be a scam so I hung up and called my bank to verify. Sure enough there were two fraudulent charges on my debit card. Both at Wallgreens, one for around 70, the other for around 80.
Here is where the story gets weird, the fraudulent charges are from Boca Raton FL, that happens to be where the seller of the boost controller is from (I remembered that from the FedEx tracking numbers). I dispute the charges with my bank and promptly call the seller.
He answers, and seems legitimately surprised. Offers to help in any way he can, offers to "FaceTime" with me to verify he is who he said he was, drives what he said, etc.
Obviously tomorrow and the next day will shed more light (the boost controller is set to arrive at the manufacturer tomorrow and the tank/reg is going to be here on Wednesday).
The fact he answered the phone and was seemingly surprised really has me curious, but I just truly can't imagine the odd's that within a few days of doing business with someone from Boca Raton my debit card is stolen from that exact area. Even more strange is the debit card that the fraudulent activity occurred on is not the one linked to the PayPal account that the money was sent from.
Any thoughts/ideas? I am changing all my passwords, canceled that card, etc.
Little background. Bought a used (installed but never used), boost controller, co2 tank and regulator off LS1Tech. Guy seems legit, forwarded me the correspondence from when he bought the controller in August, his invoice, pictures of the unit, etc. He even contacted the company on my behalf to inquire about the difference between his controller and the newest model (at which point the owner of the company offered to upgrade his unit at no charge).
Fast forward, I sent him the money for the controller through PayPal, had him ship the tank/regulator to me and the controller and solenoids to the manufacturer for updates. Provided me with legit FedEx tracking numbers (even a picture of the FedEx invoice.
All was well until tonight, got a phone call from my bank saying there were fraudulent charges on my account. I thought it could be a scam so I hung up and called my bank to verify. Sure enough there were two fraudulent charges on my debit card. Both at Wallgreens, one for around 70, the other for around 80.
Here is where the story gets weird, the fraudulent charges are from Boca Raton FL, that happens to be where the seller of the boost controller is from (I remembered that from the FedEx tracking numbers). I dispute the charges with my bank and promptly call the seller.
He answers, and seems legitimately surprised. Offers to help in any way he can, offers to "FaceTime" with me to verify he is who he said he was, drives what he said, etc.
Obviously tomorrow and the next day will shed more light (the boost controller is set to arrive at the manufacturer tomorrow and the tank/reg is going to be here on Wednesday).
The fact he answered the phone and was seemingly surprised really has me curious, but I just truly can't imagine the odd's that within a few days of doing business with someone from Boca Raton my debit card is stolen from that exact area. Even more strange is the debit card that the fraudulent activity occurred on is not the one linked to the PayPal account that the money was sent from.
Any thoughts/ideas? I am changing all my passwords, canceled that card, etc.
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