Stay vigilant people!

[HeyWayne]

Got a call from one of my credit cards last night (automated call). I didn't answer thh first call as I didn't recognise the number so left it to go to voicemail. They called again a few minutes later.

It was the fraud dept of the credit card in question, notifying me that a transaction had been attempted and declined earlier in the day, and then asking if I could confirm the transaction. I had no idea what it was (for £485 in an online clothes store as it turns out). Clearly someone had obtained my card details somehow so the credit card company advised me to destroy the card and maintain the usual precautions - shredding statements, making sure your card doesn't leave your sight etc.

Nice to see the companies on top of things though, made me feel a little safer.

[SueA]

The only problem nowadays Wayne is that you have to be sure that it is the credit card company actually calling you & not someone just 'phishing' for information. My husband's bank called him last year though to confirm that he'd withdrawn a large amount of cash from his account as it was unusual. The silly thing was that he'd gone into the bank himself to withdraw it to pay for some building work we had done & we'd checked with the branch before to make sure it was O.K. to withdraw that amount so it wasn't as though they didn't know about it. Nice to see that they do check things though. Hope you don't get stung having to pay anything as excess or whatever, thanks for the warning also, this seems to be happening to lots of people, especially a problem as so many of us put personal details online willy-nilly without thinking.

[Flummery]

Happened to me a month or so back Wayne. 'Twas good to know they'd spotted unusual activity. They had declined the transaction - the security number on the back wasn't submitted. They've issued me a new card. (They must have spotted that it wasn't seeds or fabric!)

It was certainly my bank. The only details they asked for were confirmation or denial of transactions.

[HeyWayne]

Mine was definitely the credit card company, I called the number on the back of the card straight afterwards to confirm.

Plus, with LadyWayne working in banking, I'm fairly well versed on the do's and don'ts. I get told off otherwise.

[Herbgardener]

The usual trick with this one is to ask for the 3 digit confirmation number on the signature strip to prove that you are in possession of the card... they've already got your expiry date and card number and so don't need to ask you those bits..

[smallblueplanet]

Its okay when they phone and get to speak to you......but when they think they've spotted 'unusual activity' on your credit card and then put a stop on the card without telling you! Just how do you pay for the tank full of petrol that you can't put back??? Not very funny at all.

When we phoned the CC company about it, they said they'd sent a letter notifying us of what they'd done - arrived two days after the card was stopped!!! So its all well and good them keeping an eye on your transactions - yes, thats right, that $1 purchase on ebay was mine! - but when they take action that leaves you with no other means of paying, be warned....

Needless to say they coughed up some 'and more' Points as an 'oops, sorry'!

[Alison C]

The thieves have definately stepped up their game when it comes to aquiring our money. Recently I have had loads of emails "apparently" from different banks informing me that my online account is due to expire and if I follow a link and enter my details the account will be renewed. They all looked very profesional with icons etc. Of course I don't bank with any of them. I've now had five or six of these emails and have reported them to hotmail as they some how make it through my junk filter but I wonder how many people have followed the link and provided a thief with all their bank details.
I think the key thing to remember is that no bank will ask for all your details after all if they are your bank they should know most of them anyway.

Constant vigilance!!!

[HeyWayne]

The thieves have definately stepped up their game when it comes to aquiring our money. Recently I have had loads of emails "apparently" from different banks informing me that my online account is due to expire and if I follow a link and enter my details the account will be renewed. They all looked very profesional with icons etc. Of course I don't bank with any of them. I've now had five or six of these emails and have reported them to hotmail as they some how make it through my junk filter but I wonder how many people have followed the link and provided a thief with all their bank details.
I think the key thing to remember is that no bank will ask for all your details after all if they are your bank they should know most of them anyway.

Constant vigilance!!!

I've had quite a few of these recently too. One or two perported to be from the bank I do bank with. I forwarded them straight to their fraud department for further investigation.

Like you say, constant vigilance.

[piskieinboots]

I've had quite a few of these recently too......

I use Ctrl + Delete - sends the buggers into the ether and doesn't stop by my Deleted file on the way out - even if it is 'my bank'

[zazen999]

I came home the other week and my Oh said 'We've got to verify some stuff on the bank account'; I kind of went ballistic at him not to be so daft/stupid/naive [but alot more swearing than that].

Another time he called and said 'I know you've bought my train ticket' - I thought I'd been spotted or he had that PI onto me again [joke] and they had called up to verify a £120 train ticket - they don't try and verify our expensive purchases like sofas, holidays etc - but a train ticket???

[Paul Wagland]

Am I right in thinking that, so long as you take the necessary precautions with your details, it is the credit card company's problem if there is a fraud? You only have to pay the money back if you have actually fallen for a phishing scam, or lost your card and not reported it. Whereas if your card was cloned in a restaurant or petrol station, then it wasn't your fault so Visa (or whoever) have to pay on your behalf....?

I'm guessing this is why the give such a 'reassuring' service!

I went travelling with a friend a few years ago and all four of his cards were stopped in one go, just because he'd used one of them in Vietnam! He had no access to any money (apart from mine ) for about ten days.

[beefy]

" Chip and Pin "- the saviour of the credit card fraud industry-NOT
Remember what we were all told and now as we hear from HW and countless others it is as bad if not worse than ever because an online transaction does not require a pin number.
Don't use them myself - I love cash or pay by crossed cheque. yes it takes longer to process the order but hey I can wait.

[smallblueplanet]

Am I right in thinking that, so long as you take the necessary precautions with your details, it is the credit card company's problem if there is a fraud? You only have to pay the money back if you have actually fallen for a phishing scam, or lost your card and not reported it. Whereas if your card was cloned in a restaurant or petrol station, then it wasn't your fault so Visa (or whoever) have to pay on your behalf....?

I always thought so. I don't understand then what all these CC insurance schemes are actually for - if your OH nicks off with your CC maybe?

[jackie j]

Now most shops have stopped taking cheques we all have to use cash or chip and pin. Working in a supermarket its very embarrasing to both the customer and the checkout operator when a message pops up on screen asking for alternative tender and customer says 'well I dont know why I have plenty of money in my account', it could be that your card has been stopped for this very reason.

[Tracey]

" Chip and Pin "- the saviour of the credit card fraud industry-NOT
Remember what we were all told and now as we hear from HW and countless others it is as bad if not worse than ever because an online transaction does not require a pin number.
Don't use them myself - I love cash or pay by crossed cheque. yes it takes longer to process the order but hey I can wait.

With one of my bank accounts I have to use a pin machine, which they supplied for transactions. It's a bit of a pain, but worth it if it's more secure.