Clever woman finds all about the person who stole her credit card— it all started with a notification

Credit card fraud has soared in the US since the pandemic. While most victims find themselves lost and helpless, one smart woman figured out a way to get all the details of a credit card scammer. TikTok creator Lauren (@absolutelylauren) shared her story which went viral with viewers lauding her quick thinking. 

Here's what went down

In her video, Lauren said that if credit card users know how much the scammers spent and where they spent it, they can find out all they want to know about the scammer. In her case, she was able to get the initial information from a notification. 

She said that when she got the alert that someone used her credit card to place an order on Olaplex (a haircare, shampoo brand), she wasn't sure if it was a scammer or a family member. She thought about it and came to the conclusion that it couldn't be her two younger brothers or her dad. She for once thought it could be her mom but she didn't color her hair, so she wouldn't need the specific product, she said in the video. 

She also explained that in the past her friends and family had made purchases using her credit card, so she had to check. She called up everyone and even asked if they were planning to buy it as a gift for her. When she learned that nobody used her card, she knew that it was a scammer.

While she thought of blocking her card and reporting the transaction, she took some time to think it through. She got the idea to call Olaplex customer service and find out more details about the order. When she told the customer care representative that she had the card number, time of purchase, and the exact amount, the staff told her she could indeed share the details. 

The creator said that at one point she gave enough information to the customer representative to commit fraud. However, the staff didn't do it and gave her the government name and address of the person who used her credit card to make the purchase. "It was not someone I knew, it was someone from a small suburb in Texas," the creator said in the video. 

She then revealed that it was a man named Jason who made the purchase for his wife on Black Friday. "At least they got a deal out of it," she jokes. She then reported the incident to the authorities who told her that they would do their own investigation and they didn't need her findings. However, they confirmed that it wasn't a slip-up but part of an elaborate scam. "So if you want, you can get all that info on your own," she said at the end. 

Several users in the comments shared similar stories about their cards being scammed. "Omg love this. One time my scammer accidentally hit “ship to billing address," shared one user, @eileeeeeend.

Meanwhile, one user, @aaaraeeepointed out that Olaplex wasn't supposed to give out the information, referring to the protection of privacy. To this, the creator replied that she gave them a choice and explained the entire story of the unauthorized transaction.

For more updates, vlogs, and content on photography and branding, follow Lauren (@absolutelylauren) on TikTok.