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Walmart Stored Value Cards Compromised
morcheeba writes "It appears that Walmart's pre-paid gift cards have been hacked. Customers are buying cards and finding that criminals have already emptied them of value. It seems someone has access to Walmart's database and/or registration data, and can create clones of recently activated cards. (via engadget)"
Wal-Mart does not need anymore bad publicity, this should be a non-issue, if people got cheated, they need to provide recompense. It's not like they can't afford it.
Ummm, considering the number of cameras in every Walmart I have ever seen, it will only be a matter of time before whoever is doing this gets caught. I would bet money that sooner or later Walmart will start sending fake cards through the system (with high dollar amounts) to catch these kinds of people too.
I Am My Own Worst Enemy
At the very least, any time someone redeems a card within hours of purchase and at a distance that is farther than you would expect someone to be able to travel - there should be an alarm set off.
Information: "I want to be anthropomorphized"
Here's the simple solution. Ditch the high tech whizbang gift cards, and go back to good old-fashioned paper gift certificates. That would be simple and effective, so it will probably never happen.
How ya like dat?
Replying to the post about how Wal-Mart gift cards work, I've noticed this
cards before. (This is all speculation, I read the article) One possiblity
is that, the person doing this, for instance, has a bar code printer (if
their smart). If they are stupid, they have an in on the database, and are
transferring the credit to their card, then using it. Easy to track even if
Wal-Mart isn't logging transactions, and even tho I agree that their probably
stupid, big companies are usually smart to pay lots of money for security
(expensive != good, of course). So, they print out a card, (or a sticker for a
card) go to a store, buy it up. Looks like they are sticking to a store in
Cali, so unless they are reading slashdot, they are screwed if they go there
too often, unless they have a crew (have a girl, makes guys stupid) and even
then, they are screwed, it'll just take longer.
As for the sniffing idea, well shit, every Wal-Mart I've seen has at least 4
WAPs with antenees. Good ones too, Cisco 1500s which pump out a lot more power
than linksys (at least the default ones). I can't imagine that the registers
(which have to send info over the wire somewhere) send them encrypted or
anything like that. Personally, I'm surprised that we are just now hearing
about it.
Oh, and don't be surprised if this going at any number of stores. I see WAPs
everywhere. Brave New World.
SealBeater
-- Its survival of the fittest...and we got the fucking guns!!!
It's easy enough, then, to be a networking pro and get a job as a Walmart drone by just not putting your qualifications on the application? If one's new coworkers are then as stupid as you imply, running an inside job such as this doesn't sound too difficult.
Can you explain the "Walm*rt" thing? Are you one of those people that believes that Wal-Mart is the most evil corporation to ever exist and therefore think its name should be treated like a bad word?
Not that this will change where you shop, but the argument against Walmart isn't just that they put destroy other businesses that sell things, but that its overall effect on the businesses that it buys from and the government.
Walmart is notorius for squeezing every last panny out of the companies they buy goods from. While in the strictest economic sense, this is a great idea for Walmart, it is decimating other companies that pay a living wage to their employees, fueling outsourcing and bankrupsy in this country. I live within a two hour drive of towns with 20+% unemployment because the textile industry has been destroyed by foreign imports. No matter how libertarian/randian you may be, that kind of situation is very dangerous, because large numbers of unemployed (and unemployable) people leads to high crime and even civil rebellion.
Walmart also shifts expenses to the taxpayers. See a biased source and a collection of less biases sources.
If I lived out in the middle of nowhere, I'd prolly shop at Walmart, just because it would be the only option. I'm lucky to have a decent amount of money and to be surrounded by choices, and deal with small retailers and restuarants as much as possible rather than feeding the large corporate machines. It's not just feeling smarmy and alternative, it's good economic sense to make sure that money is circulated into your local economy. Absolutely pure capitalism is great only for big businesses - it's horrible for the inviduals.
It seems to me that anyone who would pay a certain amount of money for a gift card or gift certificate worth the same amount, and give a gift that can only be used at a certain place and might expire, in this way shows even less thought than giving money, and deserves this.
I'm an American. I love this country and the freedoms that we used to have.
Which is why gift cards never last that long. After one year or so, they always charge you a "service fee" at some extremely high rate, so as to basically empty the account out before said turn over occurs. (Walmart may be different then basically every other company out there and not do this, but I highly doubt it. I don't know, not having dealt with their gift cards.)