One concession stand purchase inside Acrisure Stadium during the NFL Draft was all it took, a Pittsburgh woman says, for her checking account to be wiped out overnight.
She told reporters she woke up to a flood of bank alerts and then discovered her checking account had been emptied after that single credit-card swipe at a draft concession stand. On her statement, she says she saw a barrage of food-delivery charges and even an attempt to place a Domino's order after the money was already gone. The allegation has spooked some stadium workers and fans, who now worry a point-of-sale skimmer or some other breach may have exposed card data.
Linda Jones told 11 Investigates she first saw a "declined" notification and then spotted multiple DoorDash charges and the attempted Domino's order on her account. "It's just horrible how people can go and hack systems and take people's hard-earned money," she said, according to WPXI. Jones has reached out to Acrisure and to her card issuer, the station reported. According to the report, Pittsburgh police said their public information office had not been notified of any skimmer reports at the stadium, and Aramark had not responded to requests for comment.
How thieves turn one swipe into multiple purchases
Once criminals get hold of card numbers, they can cash in through card-not-present channels such as delivery apps and online merchants, running up charges long after the physical card is tucked back into a wallet. Visa states that under its Zero Liability policy, cardholders generally are not held responsible for unauthorized charges if they report them promptly, and that issuers are expected to investigate and restore funds when appropriate. Acting quickly and reporting suspicious activity right away usually improves the odds of getting money back.
Steps to recover money and protect accounts
If something similar hits your account, contact your bank or card issuer immediately to report the fraud, freeze or close affected cards, and ask whether you qualify for a provisional credit while the investigation plays out. File a report at IdentityTheft.gov to generate a personalized recovery plan and get paperwork you may need for police and financial institutions.
Keep an eye on the calendar too. Consumer guides note that many credit-card billing disputes must be sent in writing within 60 days of the statement date that first lists the suspicious charge. For details on dispute timelines and sample dispute letters, see Bankrate.
If you were at the Draft
Anyone who used a card inside Acrisure Stadium during the Draft may want to comb through recent statements, switch on transaction alerts, and consider favoring a credit card or mobile wallet over a debit card until any issues are sorted out. WPXI reported it will continue tracking Jones' case and urged anyone with information to contact its 11 Investigates team.
