Credit Card Fraud / Royal Mail Issues

[DK_87]

Hello

Some recent trawling of the forum has alerted me to the fact that there appears to have been a number of instances of credit card fraud as a result of cards not arriving through the mail to people's homes as expected. This has very recently happened to me, with small transactions in SE post codes and then further afield (Nandos, Sainsburys, CO-op etc). I wanted to get a sense of how widespread an issue this has been in the local area.

While the Royal Mail / sorting office issues are obviously inconvenient for everyone, this feels like a potential police issue above all else. Please let me know if you've experienced something similar.

I have informed Royal Mail, Helen Hayes and the police to cover all bases

DK

[ianjm]

Something similar happened to me, a bank account with my name/address was opened and charges run up to the overdraft limit. Fairly sure it was via mail theft from my postbox. Police weren't interested, suggested I go to the bank who have their own investigation teams for this sort of thing. Fortunately the bank was fairly easy to deal with (although it did take some time to resolve).

[sheff]

Similar here.

New credit card was sent and not received and then almost 600 was spent in shops and restaurants before it was flagged.

Contacted Royal Mail who pushed the burden back to me to prove it was them rather than one of the competitors who service business post.

[JohnL]

Often the Bank investigates these in conjunction with the police.

I've never really had any feedback other than a refund of anything taken when similar has happened to me (the banks attitude (I'm Halifax) is that it's their money taken not mine).

[nina_maniana]

I had same. Police not interested but actually the royal mail investigations team were great. I had to get in touch with the CEO's office direct and threaten to report to the press but when they got involved they looked at all the cases of mail theft and tracked back to a single rogue postie who had all the routes in common. Not rocket science I guess and a total pain to get someone to actually investigate but I had thought sorted... worrying if it's starting up again.

[Sue]

Not a credit card, but I had an M&S gift card go "missing" in the post.

M&S replaced it, but I have no idea whether the original one was used.

[Penguin68]

Not a credit card, but a number of years ago I had a cheque book stolen en route to me - luckily my bank spotted its fraudulent use and I lost nothing, but (although the bank could spot that it was stolen once it had reached (or was on its way to) Sylvester Road DO) - the Post Office did nothing to help, nor show any interest. There were temporary staff there then and a spate of thefts. Because, for some purposes, the law treats items posted 'as if' they had also been delivered (proof of postage being sufficient to argue proof of delivery in some circumstances) Royal Mail seems amazingly reluctant to help where items of value have gone missing. Mind you, that is part and parcel (sorry) with their sister organisation's (PO Counters) disgraceful treatment of sub postmasters, where for years they have been prosecuting individuals for fraud when their own internal electronic accounts system with sub-postmasters must use is known to be faulty.

[yummumbums]

I?ve had quite a lot of missing post. I got a card through the door stating I had missed a parcel but that parcel has never been found and now the worst of all! I set up young person accounts so my sons could have their own bank cards. The cards never turned up. We ordered new cards which turned up quickly. On checking the accounts one of my son?s was missing nearly half of his money. Went in to the bank and were assured that we?d get the missing money back in 24hrs. Having visited the bank again as I?ve had no correspondence from them in the post and no money returned they have said it?s a particularly complex case as whoever got their hands on the card has not only made many transactions they?ve also been moving money in and out of the account as well. The bank has advised that we need to wait 20 days before they can let us know what is going on. I really feel the cards that never arrived were intercepted by someone working for the postal service. I?m literally not ordering anything that comes by Royal Mail anymore and only opting for things that come by courier.

[JohnL]

I went through a problem phase over a year ago after abuse of card where I lost trust in Royal Mail and got my bank to send everything to a branch near my place of work where I picked it up.

[KrackersMaracas]

We are having post delivered where blank envelopes appear to be cut or have been ripped among the top so the contents are no longer secure. This has happened 3 times since the ED post office closed, and never before. Nothing which has been opened has been confidential yet, but all could have been - plain white envelopes with a plastic window for name/address. The next time it happens I will be reporting to Royal Mail.

[Sue]

I have also had things delivered which have been opened, or somebody has tried to open them.

[DulwichFox]

My mail is constantly left sticking out of my letterbox.

I Spoke to the postman who grunted something then went 2 doors a long a did the same.

He crossed the road and again did the same. Almost every other house.

Could not give a Sh*te.

I have spoken to Royal Mail about this back in the past and got replies and the situation improved.

Since moving away from Silvester Road the situation is worse. Different Postie every day. Clueless.

Matter of poor training ??

DulwichFox

[CaptainPugwash]

We had a credit card go missing recently, as well as the corresponding letter with the PIN. The thief wracked up loads of transactions before the card was stopped. We alerted the bank and the card was stopped and replacement cards for the account were ordered.

The replacement cards were ALSO stolen and have been used locally - largely Orpington and Bromley - for cash withdrawals and trips to McDonalds.

Is this a sorting office or postman issue?

[Ergo_mark]

we were getting joint credit cards. We got a call from the Issuer saying fraudulent activity had taken place on BOTH cards before we even new that they hadn't arrived. Used in the Orpington area in places such as Nando's and Sainsbury's.

Would also like to know whether any REAL action is being taken.

[Sue]

Isn't it about time there was some sort of photo, fingerprint or voice recognition used with cards?

Is this technologically feasible, or financially viable?

[Penguin68]

UK Cards are designed to be used with PINS - where they are contactless then that shouldn't work before they are used (once) with a PIN. These security measure are frequently over-ridden (as they can be with 'card not present' routines using the 3 figure code on the back of the card). The problem with biometric readers is not just the cost of installing biometrics on a card, but the flakiness (still) of the reader technology - which is also expensive. Retailers often don't care, so a card issued to a woman (whose name is obviously female) can be used by a man without challenge. Of course gender identity issues don't help here either.

[JohnL]

Penguin68 Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> UK Cards are designed to be used with PINS - where

> they are contactless then that shouldn't work

> before they are used (once) with a PIN. These

> security measure are frequently over-ridden (as

> they can be with 'card not present' routines using

> the 3 figure code on the back of the card). The

> problem with biometric readers is not just the

> cost of installing biometrics on a card, but the

> flakiness (still) of the reader technology - which

> is also expensive. Retailers often don't care, so

> a card issued to a woman (whose name is obviously

> female) can be used by a man without challenge. Of

> course gender identity issues don't help here

> either.

Contactless asks me for the pin (by just declining - which could be tidied up) after every 15 or so uses (happens a lot in the pub)

The good bar staff all know that of course.

[EDNate]

I had the same. Ordered myself a replacement credit card after min expired. Card took a while to come then noticed a load of transactions in Peckham area (Nandos,Primark,Sports Direct, Petrol stations). Credit card refunded everything, but clearly someone in the post office had taken the card out and gone on a contactless shopping spree. Obviously you do not need to activate a new contacless card at an ATM with your card. - this I do not understand as it would solve the problem.

Police were utterly useless "we have no evidence". Royal mail were fairly good and apologetic and said they would investigate, but we got no follow up or conclusion.

[Penguin68]

Obviously you do not need to activate a new contacless card at an ATM with your card. - this I do not understand as it would solve the problem.

You should have to use your PIN before the contactless on a new card works. My wife has just received a new bank card where that is explicitly stated. Some cards also require you to authorise them on receipt using web or phone. It may be that some cards do not require this (PIN use before contactless) but I don't know of them. However, I'm sure somebody with the right equipment and knowledge can bypass card security.

[uncleglen]

EDNate Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> I had the same. Ordered myself a replacement

> credit card after min expired. Card took a while

> to come then noticed a load of transactions in

> Peckham area (Nandos,Primark,Sports Direct, Petrol

> stations). Credit card refunded everything, but

> clearly someone in the post office had taken the

> card out and gone on a contactless shopping spree.

> Obviously you do not need to activate a new

> contacless card at an ATM with your card. - this I

> do not understand as it would solve the problem.

>

> Police were utterly useless "we have no evidence".

> Royal mail were fairly good and apologetic and

> said they would investigate, but we got no follow

> up or conclusion.

Petrol stations have cctv ...get pic of card user and compare with posties at the Peckham office....simple

[Sue]

Yes