warning- card fraud

[Lady Whistledown]

Warning to all- some bugger managed to clone my debit card details last week and go on a merry old spending spree in London (think it might have been done on the day of the QPR game ). Damn QPR.

Fortunately my helpful bank (never thought I'd say that) noticed the unusual spending pattern and called me to query it, so no financial loss to me despite them having clocked up at least £500 worth of purchases within an hour.

I can't remember letting the card out of my sight at any point, or using it anywhere stupid, or on dodgy websites or anything like that, is nowhere safe? Goes to show you just never know what sort of people you're dealing with. Do not let anybody take your cards anywhere, there are thieving pikeys all over the place.

Some people are such ARSES

 

[Titanic]

Edna,
I hope you were not asked to read them the numbers off the back of your card.
If so, phone your card provider immediately, and get it stopped.
There is a scam doing the rounds at present where they ring up on the 'unusual spending pattern' (which is done legitimately sometimes) and then ask for your details off the card.
The real card company will NEVER do this - they obviously have all the details already.

 

[Beach Hut]

Yep double check to be safe - have you proof someone spent £500 on your card or is it word of mouth ?

 

[Lady Whistledown]

Funny, I read exactly the same thing earlier today, which made me think about it again, but no, it definitely was my bank.

They cancelled the card straight away and have sent out a new one. I checked the account balance that day and it had dropped, but has now been restored as promised. Couldnt' believe they picked it up so quickly (they called me only 3 or 4 hours after this person had started spending).

But cheers anyway! I just find it amazing that someone can steal your details without you even noticing, or being obviously careless at all.

 

[bhafc99]

I got a debit card picked out my pocket years ago. Reported it and got the money back (eventually), but the statement made interesting reading. They carefully spent just under £50 each time (the limit without further authorisation), and halfway through their shopping spree paid for lunch at a local pub! Must've been tiring work, all that thievery...

 

[Lady Whistledown]

Same with mine, they spent roughly £50 a go, and asked for £50 cashback at a bunch of London supermarkets. Still triggered my bank's fraud detection systems, mainly because they did it about 8 times within the space of an hour.

Thieving junky smackheads, the lot of 'em.

 

[34064 Fighter Command]

Thieves in bank card cloning scam


The details of debit and credit cards could be read by the scanner
Bank customers have been targeted by thieves who hid a credit card scanner in the "card swipe" of a bank door.
The scanner, planted at an HSBC bank in Newbury, Berkshire, was able to record details held in the magnetic strips of cards, as people swiped them in the door to gain out-of-hours access to cash machines.

This allowed the thieves to transfer the details to other cards, a practice known as cloning.

Detectives are now hunting three men caught on CCTV footage installing their own camera at the bank in Mansion House Street, which police believe was used to watch people entering their personal details on the cash machine.

It has been a problem in the London area for some time, but several police operations there seem to have pushed the criminals into the home counties

Pc Chris Baumgart
They also put "Out of Order" signs on other cash machines to encourage more people to use the machine in front of the camera.

The scanner was uncovered during a criminal investigation into credit and debit card fraud, Thames Valley Police said.

Pc Chris Baumgart, of the cheque and card fraud unit for west Berkshire police area, said: "We believe this is the first time this technique has been used in the Thames Valley.

"It has been a problem in the London area for some time, but several police operations there seem to have pushed the criminals into the home counties.

"Consequently we are asking the public to be wary of any suspicious-looking devices on the exterior doors of banks with lobbies which offer out-of-hours services and also of any paper signs.

"If a machine is out of order, the message will be displayed electronically on the machine's screen."

The three men are described as being of eastern European appearance and were all dressed in casual clothing.


Thank f*** I never use HSBC !

 

[34064 Fighter Command]

Warning over cash card scam


The skimming device is made to look like part of the ATM.
A hi-tech scam that allows criminals to clone cash cards within minutes has been uncovered by Hampshire police.
The "skimmer" device was found at an ATM in Aldershot after £250 was stolen from a person's account.

Within a minute of the card being used, thieves in London had cloned the card and got the pin number which allowed them to make withdrawals from the account.

The "skimmer" fits over the card slot on an ATM and is designed to look like part of the machine.

It allows criminals to electronically copy all the information on a cash card.

Police in Aldershot are warning people to be extra careful when using ATMs in the area in case this scam is used again.

Officers say if anyone is suspicious that a cash machine they have just used has one of these devices on it they should call the police immediately as the thieves may still be nearby.

 

[Lady Whistledown]

I hadn't even used any cash machines for ages. Must have been someone copying the details when I paid for something, though the only "unusual" payment i made was at Victoria Station when buying a train ticket.

Probably never find out.

 

[Barnet Seagull]

Edna, same happened to me, fortunately now it's all resolved but they spent £400 quid odd before I noticed.

I'm very careful with my card, but getting a swipe can only take a second.

 

[Beach Hut]

I hadn't even used any cash machines for ages. Must have been someone copying the details when I paid for something, though the only "unusual" payment i made was at Victoria Station when buying a train ticket.

Probably never find out.

That could well have been the place there was a thread before about this happening on Gatwick Express.

 

[Lady Whistledown]

Anyone else buy tickets at Victoria then?

Couldn't buy them at Burgess Hill as the machines weren't working and the office was shut, nor at HH because there was a monster queue behind some plank trying to change his season ticket, oblivious to the 40 people waiting. Hence I had to queue up at Victoria so I could get a ticket and go through the barrier.

I was lucky, the guy in front got a penalty fare from the old bag in the office despite having exactly the same excuse as me.

 

[Lord Bracknell]

Roz isn't here at the moment. So I'll tell her story.

Her card got stolen, by a bloke who used it to order a SKY installation at his own house, including a twelve month subscription - charged monthly to the card.

He wasn't difficult to trace.

 

[Juan Albion]

Happened to me before Christmas, which I mentioned at the time. They cloned my card somehow and spent $3500 in one evening, including $1200 at the liquor store. Cheeky wotsits even deposited $1000 (empty envelope, of course) to try and take it out again.

Got all my money back on Christmas Eve.

 

[dwayne]

good money making scheme that.

 

[ManxSeagull]

I get stopped quite often when across. When I come over to the mainland, I tend to do a lot of shopping and a sudden burst of £300 to £400 in the space of an hour in many individual shops must trigger some alarm.

I don't mind the security checks and think they are a good idea, but it is embarrasing when the till initally rejects the card and they have to ring the credit card company. You can guarantee when it happens there is always a big queue behind me.

They always say never let the card out of your site, but when you are in a restaurant payng a bill you always let the waitor take the card away and swipe it. Anything could happen in that short space of time.

 

[Yorkie]

This happened twice in a week to colleagues of mine. One of them was the wife of a copper.
Both times the bank alerted them of unusual spending patterns.

One card was being used to buy mobile phones at £75 apiece (this was 3 years ago)

It turned out the common factor was a garage in Huddersfield where both of them had bought their petrol.
Neither of them had thought the card had been out of their sight but it seems as though there was some sort of magnetic device to clone their cards.

They both got all their money back and the employee at the garage was arrested.

 

[Beach Hut]

Well my wife bought some tickets for the Bluebell Railway a few years back quoting my cheque / visa card.

Needless to say a few days later some bloke is trying to buy a video by phone and then collect of a shop in Portslade but as she used to wrk at Alliance & Leicester was tipped off and purchase stopped - cards cancelled etc

As annoying as the twat who nicked my wallet at Norwich - cancelled the cards but wallet returned with cards a few days later

 

[Lush]

I got this e-mail yesterday (obviously orginates in the States)....

Visa and MasterCard scam

My husband was called on Wednesday from "VISA" and I was called in Thursday From "MasterCard". It worked like this: Person calling says, "This is Carl Patterson (any name) and I'm calling from the Security and Fraud department at VISA. My Badge number is 12460. Your card has been flagged for an unusual purchase pattern, and I'm calling to verify. This would be on your VISA card Did you purchase an Anti-Telemarketing Device/Any expensive item for £ 497.99 from a marketing company based in Anywhere?"

When you say "No". The caller continues with, "Then we will be issuing a credit to your account. This is a company we have been watching and the charges range from £297 to £497, just under the £500 purchase pattern that flags most cards. Before your next statement, the credit will be sent to (gives you your address), is that correct?" You say, "Yes".

The caller continues . . . "I will be starting a fraud investigation. If you have any questions, you should call the 0800 number listed on your card 1-800-VISA and ask for Security. you will need to refer to this Control #". Then gives you a 6 digit number. "Do you need me toread it again?"

Caller then says he "needs to verify you are in possession of your card. Turn the card over. There are 7 numbers; first 4 are 1234 whatever) the next 3 are the security numbers that verify you are in possession of the card. These are the numbers you use to make internet purchases to prove you have the card. Read me the 3 numbers."

Then he says "That is correct. I just needed to verify that the card has not been lost or stolen, and that you still have your card. Do you have any other
questions? Don't hesitate to call back if you do."

You actually say very little, and they never ask for or tell you the card number. But after we were called on Wednesday, we called back within 20 minutes to ask a question. Are we glad we did! The REAL VISA security dept.HE told us it was a scam and in the last 15 minutes a new purchase of £497.99 WAS put on our card.

Long story made short . we made a real fraud report and closed the VISA card and they are reissuing as a new number. What the scam wants is the 3 digit number and that once the charge goes through, they keep Charging every few days. By the time you get your statement, you think the credit is coming, and then it's harder to actually file a fraud report. REMEMBER: THE REAL VISA REINFORCED THAT THEY WILL NEVER ASK FOR ANYTHING ON THE CARD (THEY ALREADY KNOW EVERYTHING ABOUT US)!!!!.

What makes this more remarkable is that on Thursday, I got a call from "Jason Richardson of MasterCard" with a word for word repeat of the VISA Scam. This time I didn't let him finish. I hung up. We filed a police report (as instructed by VISA), and they said they Are taking several of these reports daily and to tell friends, relatives And coworkers. PASS IT ON!

 

[Max's Dad]

Two weeks ago found out that some bastard in the East End had managed to take £1,450 from my bank account in two days.

I'm still trying to get my money back and Barclays offer absolutely no liaison with you as they continue their "enquiries".

I find I'm treated with suspicion despite a 25-year track record with the bank, a savings account, a mortgage, two Barclaycards, two current accounts and one deposit accounts all with Barclays/Woolwich and no history of previous "issues".

Please send me whatever you can spare.