To catch a thief...

[Brengirl]

On Friday, having exhausted all other forms of gifts for our kids I decided Amazon 'print your own gift vouchers' was the way to go. Me and him agreed the value and I logged onto our a/c. I was thrilled that I could choose a card, specify value and write a message. The vouchers would be emailed to me for printing within minutes. SORTED! methinks. The first 2 went through without problem. The 3rd request was rejected - " bla bla bla your bank has withheld payment. OK thinks I. I will sort it - contacts said bank and reassures them that Ti's I, the account holder, that wishes to buy online. The funding block was lifted.
But, not so! Amazon's Fraud Department have scent of wayward behaviour and have set up a bar to my activities. Enough said..I contacted them on Friday. Spent time discussing my predicament to a Customer Relations Person. He confirmed all my credentials and I was advised that my account would be verified and my purchases would be ratified within 24 hours.
Today, no ratification forthcoming so once again I went through the procedure. The young woman, seemed a bit bewildered but reassured me that within 36 hrs my order would be confirmed.
Just as well I had some doubts because by that time my account had been closed and no way could I access any previous transactions.
I am by now in a state of panic.
To cut a long story short and to save me and you all the details I learn that because of suspected fraudulent behaviour by ? the account had been closed. I now have to send a fax of a Statement of Account proving my card details, plus email address etc. before they will deem to send me that which I proved I can pay for.
I certainly agree that credit fraud has to be stamped out but all possible checks have been made to my authenticity. I feel what was to have been a lovely gift to my kids is now a headache.

[rustylady]

Could be the start of a real rant thread here Brengirl. I try to avoid buying online if possible - so many scare stories. But the banks are just as bad. Last year number one son needed to borrow some money till his loan was cleared for the extension. No problem, thought I. I have a little bit put away and he always pays up. Son and I went to my bank (I have been a customer there for 35 years and know most of the staff). To transfer the money to his bank would have cost me £35, so being a total scrooge (and having son with me as bodyguard) we decided to draw it in cash and walk it 100 yards up the street to his bank and deposit it there. Sounds good so far!! However, I had to go through all the palaver of providing my mother's maiden name, and a couple of answers to other silly questions before they would let me withdraw MY money from MY account. Accomplished eventually. Walked cash to son's bank, and they wanted to know why he was depositing cash into his account. Wasn't a huge amount, only about £2,000. I had to provide the receipts from my bank to prove I was entitled to the cash, and to prove I was his mum and had lent it to him. Victor Meldrew moment coming on I DON'T BELIEEEEEEEVE IT.

[RedThorn]

Wouldn't it be easier to open a new account quick in OH's name for the crimbo gifts then blast them later?

[coreopsis]

Sorry to hear your stories girls,but as RT says-is it not easier to set up another account?I have one account just for shopping online-including ebay,amazon and the other stuff.The account is empty most of the time-I transfer the money when I need to buy something-it takes me a couple of minutes to transfer the money online and it's ready to use immediately.The card is registered with bank online security-if the website is not recognised by the bank it requires me to provide a password for the card.So far I didn't have any hassle or fraud-I don't use my main card online-taught by my OH bad experiences-card compromised a few times and last straw-nearly 700£ withdrawn by Hing-Chung-Chieng from Vietnam

[Brengirl]

This morning I am feeling very tired and nervous. Because of the activities yesterday I could not sleep so came downstairs for a cuppa to clear my head. I opened my pc and was confronted by scary messages that my pc was infected and that credit card details were being spread round the world. Whatever I did I could not get rid of it. Because of my experience yesterday I half believed it. The screen was all black and I couldn't close down. In the end I used task master to close and then reopened in safe mode and reset the date. I cannot remember what I did then. Today, the icon that had appeared on my toolbar has gone (for now anyway). Still shaking like leaf!

[pdblake]

That sounds like a virus or malware Brengirl.

[RedThorn]

don't know what to say there Bren Perhaps if they come back, press printscreen then open paint and paste, save the picture and either post or pm me for an email address and I'll have a look for you and see if I can make sense of it.

[minskey]

Oh Brengirl,

If only Paypal were so efficiant; I sold a car to a bod via Ebay & PayPal, he collected the vehicle, I have his name & address, signature on the invoice to prove he collected and also on the slip that goes to the DVLA, he was a 'verified' payPal account holder, I have a 'premium' paypal account with all the bells and whistles including '24/7 fraud survelliance' This happend in April; he charged back the £1400 in June via Paypal without ever contacting me, paypal also refunded him without question, all they want to know is if I 'posted the item' He has my car and £1400.

The name and address of the chap is false. Got the police involved who told me after speaking to him he was such a nice chap it must be my fault, I have since found out the information he gave them was also false, Police did not say much when I told that to them. I have PayPal chasing me with debt collectors for the money as it has made my account overdrawn, I have refused to pay them and place it in the hands of the FOS. I'm also making an official complaint re- the total lack of interest/service from the police.

Moral of the story is Paypal is not a secure method of payment.

[SueA]

Brengirl & Minskey, your stories are really worrying me now, I've been giving my details willy-nilly online this Christmas as the easy way to buy pressies & am now wishing I hadn't in case they've fallen into the wrong hands.
At least it sounds as though Amazon had picked up on possibly a genuine problem for you Brengirl, hope you get it all sorted out soon.
Hope you get the your money back too Minskey, never been too keen on ebay myself, too many dodgy dealers on there!

[Eco-Chic]

Minskey,
The Chargeback will be because your car 'buyer' was using a stolen credit card. There is no PayPal protection for buyers or sellers of vehicles, so this can be the only explanation. I'd be really interested in the FOS outcome if you don't mind PM me the information. I'm so sorry this happened to you.

[Eco-Chic]

Brengirl,

Have you run virus cleanup scans and cancelled your credit card?

[basketcase]

Minskey,
The Chargeback will be because your car 'buyer' was using a stolen credit card. There is no PayPal protection for buyers or sellers of vehicles, so this can be the only explanation. I'd be really interested in the FOS outcome if you don't mind PM me the information. I'm so sorry this happened to you.

Not necessarily, EC. My son had a similar experience with PayPal and won't use them any more. He had some magazines (collector's items) which he sold to somebody. Said somebody withdrew payment and claimed that it wasn't him that had received them. It was, he said, his flatmate - who had gone on to buy another similar set for slightly less and (apparently) sell my son's on!

Son ended up with no magazines, no money and was out of pocket for the postage too. This was all depsite the fact that the (non) recipient had accidentally copied him on some Email that proved he'd got them!

Moral? Don't use PayPal at all and be very VERY careful if you're selling to someone in the US. There's absolutely nothing you can do to get your money back!

[basketcase]

Bren - hope you're feeling a bit better now.

[Brengirl]

Really sorry about your bad experiences Basketcase and Minskey. Makes mine pale by comparison.
I have made some progress today. I rang Nationwide Fraud Dep. and explained the sequence of my problems and that I was now required to send Amazon a fax. They seriously thought that this way out order, in fact open to credit fraud, and advised me to contact Amazon again and speak to Manager to get the thing sorted.

The fact that my Amazon account had been closed meant I could no longer gain access.
What a palaver. I was nigh in tears before at last I find an online email contact. I demanded to know why they were unwilling to honour my orders as my bank had confirmed that finances were available.
I received. almost immediately, a reply stating that I would be able to open a new a/c and could then begin my ordering process again. They have this time accepted it but I still await delivery.
Thankyou for bearing with me. I am feeling a bit more optimistic now.

[basketcase]

Glad it's all going a bit better today, Bren - or at least that you're feeling a bit better about the situation!

!"£$%^& online stuff! What is it with these people?!

I tried to alter a Standing Order on-line today - had on-line banking with Abbey for years. There's now something called a One Time Passcode, apparently. It's to protect you from fraud, they tell me. Without it you can't set up to change Direct Debits, Standing Orders etc To register, you send them your mobile number. They don't accept the Eaddress they already have - it's got to be a mobile!

What if you don't have a mobile? Well, you either have to telephone the bank to set it up or go into your branch to make your first payment. The fact that, by giving them the number from my card and my date of birth, I could change/set of DDs and SOs did not inspire confidence!

Good luck with Amazon - shall have to watch that.