This is one more reason why one should never use a debit card. I use cash, credit cards, cheques and now Bitcoin instead. The advantage of a credit card over a debit card in this situation is that one's bank account is not impacted. As for cash and Bitcoin the advantages are clear. Cheques being an older, and unpopular, method of payment are also way less likely to this kind of fraud.
No, but it could fuck up your credit rating, especially if you can't prove fraud was involved. At least if they gain access to your debit card they can only spend the funds in there and not max out your credit.
There is a dirty little secret that the banking industry does not want you to know here namely that it is
they who have to prove that you owe the money; however to protect one's rights one has to be prepared to go to court. The way to protect one's credit in identity theft situations is to sue the credit grantor’s and credit bureaus. I would not waste my time in dealing with their "customer service" lines. Instead upon receipt of the first "dunning letter" or "collection call" I would file a lawsuit, and make it
their problem. Paying an attorney in these situations is well worth the cost and aggravation.
PS. I would rather pay an attorney 10x the amount in question to litigate rather than settle with a credit grantor or a credit bureau in an identity theft situation.
Edit: The above applies where there is no prior relationship with the credit grantor, since in that situation it is always the credit grantor who is at fault since one did not agree to do business with them. If there is a prior relationship, then one must immediately advise them of the fraudulent transactions and co-operate with them. In the latter case litigation becomes an option
only if they refuse to reverse the fraudulent transactions.
