What's up with Mudhole?

[Bethabara]

Not long ago I went on Mudhole to maybe order a few things like finishes, etc. I admit I have not looked or ordered there for a long while. After I tried to check out, filling out my address and C-card info, they kept asking for my full social security number or I could not check out. So I canceled everything and bailed out.

Does anyone else see anything wrong with asking for my full SS number? Never gonna happen Bubba!

[Proofflyfishing]

Strange.

[kermit]

I ordered some stuff from MH this morning. I did see that SS# was required on CC orders and ordered without giving SS#. I paid with PayPal, and everything was fine.

Yes, I do see now that it was only asking for "Security Number" (required) and not SS#. It wants the # on the back of the card.

[ffftroutbum]

Maybe you should just contact them directly to inquire. Ordered last week and this week and did not experience anything like that. It’s possible you may have been compromised/hacked. If that is the case, you may have a bigger problem. I might also consider contacting your credit card company and getting a new card since you entered in your cc number.

[archfly]

Sounds like you were being phished (and that is not a pun), and I'll bet Mudhole had nothing to do with it. No one on the internet, but the bad guys will ask for that number to check out.

[ttroutt]

I just spoke with their sales/customer service and they stated that they are not asking for anyone's social security number. If you read the credit card information area what it is asking for is the Security Number, the 3 digit code on the back of the credit card, not your social security number. All mail order companies ask for this. I think that it was just misread by you when you went to fill out the info.

[WiFlyFisher]

I just went to their checkout and it states: "Security Number (required)". Like any good shopping cart the box only allows the user to type up to 4 numerical digits for the CVS credit card code (AMEX is 4 digits). So you could not even enter your entire SS number, which would be stupid to do anyway.

John

[sodbank]

I ordered a large order of components 2 weeks ago and was not asked
for SS#. I usually order 3 to 4 times a year with no issues.

Doug

[Bethabara]

Thank you for the feedback.
I didn't imagine it and the window plainly asked for my social security number with blank spaces for 9 digits.
Maybe it was because I never officially set up an account before with Mudhole, I just bought as a guest in the past.
I can't even remember what year I started buying from Janns net craft, maybe the late 80s, but they have so few items that I can use or order and they keep cutting my items out of the catalog.
But I never had a problem with other places like; Anglers Workshop, Bellinger, or Golden Witch Technologies, great places.
Maybe I'm just getting too old to worry about it.

[DrLogik]

Any merchant that asks for a SS number is never going to get my business. There is absolutely NO REASON they would need it.

[mer]

The credit card security number on the back is usually called the "CCV" or something.
Also be careful filling out forms online, apparently latest scam for id theft is something called "formjacking"; you fill out a form online, i scrapes your info sends it to a third party and sends the info through to the original party. About the only way I can see that is the original website is compromised and the bad actor replaces code that is processing the form.
So due diligence, keep an eye on any CC's used online to buy things and your credit reports.

"Do all this stuff online or on your phone it'll be easier for you!" Yeah, and make it easier on the bad guys.

[mlarocco]

There used to be a really good shop here in Woodland Wa called Anglers Workshop. Very good staff but they were having a difficult time competing with Mud Hole and eventually sold out. The new location is in Illinois. I have not dealt with them but they should be a reasonable alternative to Mud Hole