phat_newbie, you have a very close call, lucky for you, you managed to cancel all your old cards and received new ones.

If you think back a minute, how did they get your info in the first place?
Who would have given them all your CC info and all they need is just your the verification code to make nail you?

It is most likely a) your own CC bank or b) the merchants that you whom you have shop a lot may have kept records of your CC numbers.

Here's what you need to do, call your CC bank and ask them for their privacy disclosure policy and ask them how you can opt-out from their reseller list. Simply, do not allow them to sell your information to 3rd party, or simply take your business elsewhere. They may require you to send in some paperwork, if so, just do it.

Rotate your CC numbers every 3-6 months, ask your CC to generate new numbers, or simply report lost card so that any merchants who may have keep copies of your last transaction will no longer find it valid.

Check around to see for reputable credit report agency or banks in Malaysia and see if you can find ways to check your own credit records; make sure it lists only the credit cards that you actually own.

I think I saw a report from Mastercard or Visa, there are high number credit cards fraud in Malaysia and a lot of online merchants just don't like do to business with Malaysians (even though they have good credit) just because of this situation.

This post has been edited by netfan: Jun 14 2007, 12:53 PM

Feel free to call your bank and ask. Most will do it for free as courtesy and to keep you as customer. You are more valuable to them than a few replacement cards, and if they want to charge you, talk to the supervisor or manager and state that you've a suspected fraud case and you may already been paying them an annual fee to use their card and it is in their best interest to keep you as customer and them free of trouble. Do shop around.. CC is a very competitive business and believe me, banks want your business!