Credit Card Fraud

[seanmlow]

Bank called me today and said my card had been cloned and used in the Ukraine. in the last 48hrs. I had only been into a few shops on Lordship Lane, and think it was when I left a tab at one of the bars here.

Just a word of warning - this has happened to mates of mine so be carefull.

[annaj]

Strange sense of deja vu.

Is the search function working this morning?

http://www.eastdulwichforum.co.uk/forum/read.php?20,106737,106737#msg-106737

[grabot]

I had the same experience today. What is the relevance of the search function? This is a serious matter and if it is brought to individual's attention multiple times, I would consider that to be a very good thing. My transactions on the account in question have been quite limited in recent weeks. I generally use my card in supermarkets, cash for smaller transactions in independent shops.

[SeanMacGabhann]

I keep 2 cards - one with a very small limit for use in shops and so on and one with a larger limit for emergencies

I use the small one most days up and down the Lane and not once ever had a problem - luck seems to be on my side again. PLus I don't buy petrol which seems to figure prominently

The search function by the way is useful - if people see multiple threads on teh same subject they tend not to be read as widely as a single thread with all the information contained on it - so not only is it useful for those reading but it helps people like you who want to raise awareness

[kford]

Which bars, sean?

A workmate just had his card cloned at EasyJet's online booking centre. Took 2k while he was on hols.

[*Bob*]

grabot Wrote:

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

What is the

> relevance of the search function?

It's to help avoid seeing the same threads over and over and over again* and so get totally disinterested with the whole shebang.

*see also house Prices, yummy mummies, we are thinking of moving to East Dulwich, house prices, yu...

[SeanMacGabhann]

kford - as people who know me will testify - all of 'em!

Let me think.. I can honestly say I have put my card regularly behind all of them except Mag and Vale - and then only because I rarely stop that long in those places

[grabot]

I appreciate that for trivialities the search function is great. But, postings often ramble off into "witticism" or political commentary. My general rule is that as postings grow they become less relevant. In this case I would say that a fresh posting is justified to provide emphasis. In fact, I have just hit this posting with a big fat non-sequitur myself. Sorry about that guys. I am in a bad mood because of the attempted fraud on my card. My colleagues advise me not to use debit cards, not to have internet banking and to always use cash; what use is that?

[SeanMacGabhann]

Grabot - you have a point there - but as a rule of thumb if the Administrator hasn't lounged it I think of it as still being within the pale and normally resurrect it (I just did one for the Inside 72 thread)

of course now that means neither of our last posts have been about CC fraud....

[ratty]

I actually prefer it if, on a new occassion such as this, a new thread is started! Makes it easier to keep abreast of what is going on.

Dying to know what bar though - come on - please tell!

[*Bob*]

If you own and use a credit or debit card, at some point your card is liable to be cloned.

Whether or not you 'buy petrol locally' or put your card behind the bar at the Docker's Fist or not is meaningless. Not when there's a hundred other things you buy on the internet every year and are happy to supply all your details, including the security code.

Most serial card cloners (with their various sources of collecting card details) are not foolish enough to go on that spending spree in Dubai ten minutes after you sign for your bar bill and retrieve your card.. not if it's a long term operation, which they usually are.

[grabot]

I agree with Bob and I am afraid my colleagues, many of whom have previously worked in fraud prevention. Responding appropriately is tricky though. Unfortunately, many of modern life's financial conveniences also represent vulnerabilities. The best advice seems to be to use a credit card, rather than a debit card where possible; apparently the burden is on the credit card company to prove blame rather than the cardholder.

[*Bob*]

Choosing a good bank is more important than how and when you use your (credit) card. One that spots dubious transactions quickly and doesn't leave you holding the tab whilst they sort it out.

I'd recommend First Direct.

[reenie40]

I had a call on Monday morning to say my card had been cloned -someone tried to take money from a cash machine at about 11.30 Sunday night and as I'm not usually out an about at this time they stopped it. Apparently late Sunday night is the most common time for attempts of this type.

Only spent at Somerfield and Sainsburys over the past couple of weeks (what an exciting life I lead!), never buy petrol either as I don't drive, so I would just assume it was done a while ago.

[scotslass]

FirstDirect put an immediate stop on my card last Thursday when it was used at a cash point in Germany - most of my transactions are at weekends so when 2 amounts of cash were taken mid week it flagged up on my account. At least that is what their Fraud Dept told me

[lozzyloz]

I once canceled my CC after losing my wallet in Puerto Banus. By coincidence the replacement for the cancelled card (it was about to expire) landed on my door mat a few days later. I used it for over a month before being contacted by the fraud squad and it took quite a bit of explaining that it was a mistake! Stolen cards only triggers alarm bells if the amount go's over the floor limit of a particular retailer. Don't know if that system has changed.

[eccentric]

*Bob* Wrote:

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

> Choosing a good bank is more important than how

> and when you use your (credit) card. One that

> spots dubious transactions quickly and doesn't

> leave you holding the tab whilst they sort it

> out.

>

> I'd recommend First Direct.

I second FD

Had a call from their fraud dept. on Saturday to say as I was in Threshers on LL at 7.30 Friday night they guessed it wasn't me dropping ?60 in Tunis at the same time!

[Mark]

Natwest are stupid. They sent me a letter on Saturday saying they had put a block on my card and I should call them to get it lifted as there was suspicious activity on my account. Someone had withdrawn ?100 from a Sicilian bank but, as I was in Sicily at the time, it was me. WTF didn't they just ring me instead?

Egg are good, I bought a skiing jacket once using my Egg card (which I hardly ever use) and as I did so my phone rang, it was Egg asking (after the usual security questions) if I was using my card in a shop in Covent Garden at that moment.

[EDmummy]

Got a call yesterday from my bank's fraud team. A clone of my card had been used in South African 10 minutes beforehand. Very quick detection but I think my card had already been flagged for possible fraud as I had an unrecognised cheque on my statement (may be legitimate but I cannot remember writing it). The only shops I have used have been big stores - Sainsburys, Woolworths, Boots etc., but I did have one transaction at Budgens. Anyone else who has had their card cloned used Budgens? Only cash machine used has been the one at Barclays on LL.

[danrees]

Had a similar thing with my Egg card being used in Morocco. Have used this in Budgens so who knows?

I loved the way the girl at the call center said "don't worry, we have blocked your card so your money is safe now"

IT IS YOUR MONEY NOT MINE!!

[ClareC]

My debit card stopped working at cash points a couple of weeks ago, I went into the bank to withdraw some cash and told them the problem, they gave me the cash I wanted and allegedly checked my account and ordered a new card.

No card arrived. Went into the bank a week later, new card hadnt even been ordered, account allegedly checked and new card ordered.

New card arrived Tuesday, tried to use it yesterday, transaction not authorised....... went online today, seems that although my genuine transaction was declined, transactions in Montreal and Johannesburg on the same day were not!!!

My card was cloned early April! Numerous ATM withdrawals have been made up to my daily cash withdrawal limit on numerous days since 2nd April. They are all in South Africa and Canada.

I now have no access to my account / money (internet banking doesnt work when card cancelled) and have to wait a month to get the money back, even though the bank have told me its fraud (NSS) and I will get a full refund! hmmmm

I used my card three times just before this happened, once in an Abbey ATM in Leather Lane, once in WHSmith in Leather Lane and once in a bar in ED.

The international fraud team are investigating...... will let you know how long it takes to sort! Can anyone lend me a tenner ;-)

[macroban]

> once in a bar in ED.

Which one?

[ClareC]

liquorish...... although I didnt leave the card behind the bar and I am fairly certain my card wasnt out of my sight when I paid using chip and pin - my gut feeling is that it didnt happen there.

The Abbey ATM and WHSmith seem unlikely too though!

Looking further back (two weeks before it happened) there was a card payment to a country pub in Leamington, payments to Vodafone and Diamond insurance both made over the phone, and a card payment to Sadlers Pharmacy LL. I havent given that card as a tab for ages.

I wonder what the average time period is from taking the details and using the cloned card....

[reenie40]

Got my new card from First Direct yesterday following the cancellation of the other one Monday morning - great service.

[ClareC]

Ive been told 7 days for new pin, 2 weeks for new card and 10 days for internet banking log in etc! Abbey!

I cant pay my credit card bill now (Egg) so will incur interest there too :-(