How a Stranger Used One Text Message to Steal My Entire Digital Life -- Time

[Ms. Toad]

45. The store may be in on it.

Or, depending on the technology used, a third party may have installed a card skimmer on the terminal you used, as was popular a free years ago with ATM machines.

And whether it was a vibe call or a text, the risks are the same. The initial contact with the victim in the article was a text.

Ironically, here is one of the main offenders (Chase) identifying unsolicited calls as suspicious activity:

Warning signs of a banking scam
Scammers rely on fear, urgency, and the promise of a quick solution to bypass your better judgement. Recognizing the red flags that mark potential bank impersonation scams is one of the best ways to help protect yourself. Here are some examples of suspicious activity:

Unsolicited contact: If you get an unsolicited call or text from your bank regarding an urgent issue, treat it with caution, you can always hang up and call back using the contact info found on the back of your card or account statement.

Your last comment contradicts the scenario you set up. In your scenario, your card is already declined. So whether you respond to the questions of the unsolicited caller or call the number on the back of the phone the card needs to be restarted. Why would you choose to provide information to someone whose identity you don't know when it takes so little to hang up to ensure you are actually speaking with someone associated with your card.

Bottom line, it is just a stupid risk to take to provide any information in response to an unsolicited call or text (or email, for that matter). Do some searching. You'll find everything I have suggested above being used as part of financial fraud. Ignore it at your own peril.