[deonk1]

I just had my debit card compromised. and a few years ago my credit card got stolen.

The bank told me that scammers set up card readers, mostly at gas stations (pay at the pump) and restaurant (with hand held wireless machines) because they are the easiest to install readers in (pumps are unattended, and restaurants one person distracts the waitress while the other inserts reader).

I no longer pay at the pump, and I am careful when paying at restaurants.

As for the rest of your identity I think you've been given great advice. I just wanted to share what happened to me so all readers know the newest scam.

For debit cards - you receive an email deposit around $1000 that doesn't belong to you. it just appears. The scammer then makes contact with you asking you to send $800 back and as a reward you get to keep $200. That's how the bank manager explained it to me. Luckily it didn't get that far with me, I discovered the extra money, and well after much thought I decided to do the ethical thing and report it. THANK GOD, they took it out of my account soon after I reported it, so I would have been in big trouble if I'd have spent it. Many people I've talked to admitted they probably wouldn't have done anything about it, those people would have been scammed. I guess it pays to be ethical... I did get a spam e-mail which I didn't open, it may have been related to this several days after, but the money had long been returned to the fictitious account it came from.