That mysterious $1.99 charge from a company you've never heard of? It might be the most important line on your whole statement — a criminal "testing" your stolen card number before the big hit. In this episode, host Mark Sullivan turns you into a statement detective: how card numbers get stolen (usually through no fault of yours), what those tiny test charges really mean, the free "fraud alarm" you can set up in minutes, and your surprisingly strong legal protections — plus the key difference between credit and debit card fraud that most people don't know.

In this episode: data breaches, skimming, and "sucker" marketplaces explained, the small-test-charge early warning, how to read a statement line by line, free transaction alerts that buzz your phone the instant fraud hits, why credit cards protect you better than debit cards, and exactly what to do the moment you spot a charge you didn't make.

Note: Online Scams — Real Stories of Fraud and How to Identify a Scammer has no partnership, sponsorship, or financial relationship with any organization, bank, card company, or app mentioned in this episode. Mark Sullivan is not a financial advisor and this episode is not financial advice. Resources are shared purely for listener benefit.

• How card data is stolen — breaches, skimming, criminal marketplaces. Standard FTC and consumer-protection guidance on how payment card data is compromised and resold. FTC consumer education (consumer.ftc.gov); confirm current wording before recording.
• Test charges as an early indicator. Criminals commonly run small "test" transactions to verify a stolen card is active before making larger purchases. Widely documented consumer-protection and card-industry guidance; confirm wording via consumer.ftc.gov or a card issuer's fraud-education page before recording.
• Credit card liability — $50 cap / zero-liability. Under the Fair Credit Billing Act, liability for unauthorized credit card charges is capped at $50; most major issuers offer zero-liability policies. FTC consumer guidance (consumer.ftc.gov); confirm current figures before recording.
• Debit card liability — tiered by reporting speed. Under the Electronic Fund Transfer Act, debit card liability depends on how quickly you report: up to $50 if reported within 2 business days, up to $500 if reported later (within 60 days of the statement), and potentially unlimited beyond that. FTC consumer guidance (consumer.ftc.gov); confirm current figures and timeframes before recording.
• Protective tools — transaction alerts, fraud alerts, credit freezes. Free transaction alerts are offered by most banks/issuers; free fraud alerts and credit freezes are available through the three major credit bureaus. FTC consumer guidance (consumer.ftc.gov) and IdentityTheft.gov; confirm before recording.
• Older adults and financial fraud context. Older adults reported billions in fraud losses; statement monitoring and fast reporting are key mitigations. FTC "Protecting Older Consumers" report (ftc.gov); FBI/IC3 (fbi.gov).
• Reporting and recovery resources mentioned. FTC: ReportFraud.ftc.gov, consumer.ftc.gov, and IdentityTheft.gov. FBI: IC3.gov. AARP Fraud Watch Network helpline (free, non-members welcome).