Vegas & The Aftermath - Diary

[tikay]

The O2 one was likely the tester. If your card has been cloned, they tend to try it out in case you've reported it stolen and cancelled it already or to see if not whether you would notice a small amount being taken out.

Similar thing happened to me a couple of years ago. Only difference is I don't have much, so I would know if somebody walked past my account from the slight breeze they'd leave behind, let alone actually withdrawing money from it.

Yes, that makes sense. That was the sole "non-Wonga" transaction.

I'm now wondering if Wonga have loaned me money in my name, via the fraudster, & I'm supposed to be paying it off. Guess I'll get a letter shortly.

[tikay]

I had a bit of bad earlier in the week, but it all turned out OK in the end.

I was a bit miffed at the time, but I spoke to Tom, & as ever, he put it in context.

With hindsight, I owe Karl Marhrenholz a good drink, were it not for him the problem could have been much worse.

I owed Karl a few quid, £90 or whatever, for some staking action.

I logged onto my Online Banking, & immediately noticed something was wrong. There were ELEVEN payments, all on the same day, to Wonga.com, each for around £300, & one payment to O2 for £30. I have never dealt with either company. The Wonga Payments were attributed to London NW1, & the O2 from Slough.

This was 0730 one morning when I discovered it, & I rang the bank - NatWest - immediately.

They asked a bunch of reasonable questions, then said they would all be refunded to me by 6pm that day. In fact, the "Fraud Refund" was in my bank just over two hours later, except they missed two, later corrected & since refunded.

They also warned me there there were NINE more payments not yet showing on my Account, all of them to Wonga.com. Two were for around £300, the other seven were each for......£1. (Admin fee or somesuch?).

These have not yet been refunded, but NatWest have promised me they will be.

Two more have appeared this morning, each for £305.50, but they are dated Feb 26th, so are part of the same batch I suppose.

When I rung the Bank, they immediately cancelled my Debit Card, & said they would send me a new one. Not received it yet, but I guess it will arrive in a day or two. Until it does, I'm officially poor, no cash in my pocket, no way of paying for stuff. Happy days in some ways, it's been a while since I was totally boracic. Quite a reality check that. Tom offered me an emergency loan, until the new card arrived, but I rather liked the idea of eking out the few quid in my pocket. I had planned to play the DTD £300 today, but the thought of borrowing money to play poker is just too horrible. Guess I could sell my action at about 0.45. I'm sure Flushy would buy at that price.

Must be said, for all the bad publicity they get, NatWest handled it wonderfully, & their Fraud people had excellent personal skills. We are not exactly calm & reasoned when we discover some random has nicked £4,000 from our Bank Account, but they handled the convo, & whole palaver, with great empathy & understanding.

I would not have discovered it for a while if I had not gone Online to pay Karl, so I owe him thanks too.

Knowing my luck, I bet he wins the Tourney now, & I get a nice payback.

Its good to run good.

More importantly did Natwest tell you how the fraud was carried out?  Why won't it happen again?

My guess is someone got hold of your debit card and got the details off that.  

All the more worrying at it would mean it's someone you know or someone you've given your debit card to recently.  

Eaten out at any restuarants lately or bought petrol by debit card at any petrol stations you don't usually go to?

Thanks Aaron. I never asked the Bank how it had arisen, I was just relieved they reimbursed me so quickly. I doubt they would tell me anyway, knowing the ridiculous way DP works.

They asked if the card had ever "left my person", it had not, I have never given it to anyone, ever, & I keep it in my pocket all the time.

I have not used it anywhere unusual or sussy recently, just the usual BP/M&S petrol stations, the local Tesco, nothing else. I don't buy stuff Online & don't use dodgy or mucky websites, so I really can't think how they got the card details.

 

[kinboshi]

When I worked in Leamington, there was a gang of people working at some Shell petrol stations who were swiping people's cards twice - once through a dodgy card reader and then once through the real reader (this was before chip and pin).

Lots of people had their details stolen and subsequently had money taken from their accounts. Those who had used credit cards were 'reimbursed' before they actually had to pay anything as the card companies removed the dodgy transactions from their bills. Those who had used debit cards had to wait a number of months to get their money back, but I think they all did eventually.

Tikay, do you ever use your card at an ATM? Sometimes these are targeted with little scanners that are placed onto the machine and read the card when you insert it. If it's an unfamiliar ATM then you might not notice the additional reader. What they sometimes do is operate in pairs, where one uses the ATM (actually attaches the reader), then a number of people use the machine, and then the criminal's partner goes up to the machine and removes the scanner. That way there is less chance someone will notice the reader and notify the bank/police.

Of course there are countless other ways of getting your details. Receipts, statements, and a card can  be scanned in seconds by a waiter or shop assistant.

[tikay]

When I worked in Leamington, there was a gang of people working at some Shell petrol stations who were swiping people's cards twice - once through a dodgy card reader and then once through the real reader (this was before chip and pin).

Lots of people had their details stolen and subsequently had money taken from their accounts. Those who had used credit cards were 'reimbursed' before they actually had to pay anything as the card companies removed the dodgy transactions from their bills. Those who had used debit cards had to wait a number of months to get their money back, but I think they all did eventually.

Tikay, do you ever use your card at an ATM? Sometimes these are targeted with little scanners that are placed onto the machine and read the card when you insert it. If it's an unfamiliar ATM then you might not notice the additional reader. What they sometimes do is operate in pairs, where one uses the ATM (actually attaches the reader), then a number of people use the machine, and then the criminal's partner goes up to the machine and removes the scanner. That way there is less chance someone will notice the reader and notify the bank/police.

Of course there are countless other ways of getting your details. Receipts, statements, and a card can  be scanned in seconds by a waiter or shop assistant.

No, I don't use ATM's.

Did you know that "chip & pin" was - so the story goes, Tighty will confirm - invented & patented by a poker player who frequents Luton -G, & some other poker Venues? Pretty wealthy guy, I gather.

[TightEnd]

That's correct, he developed the software, trademarked the term "chip and PIN" and sold the whole thing to the banks

[tikay]

That's correct, he developed the software, trademarked the term "chip and PIN" and sold the whole thing to the banks

Life without chip & PIN would be very different.

I doubt, at the time, he could have envisaged how successful it would become. Bet he now wishes he licensed it, rather than sell it. 

[tikay]

Took some snaps today, mostly which I won't bore you with. These two interested me, because in the 2nd photo, the swan makes all the difference.



 

Click to see full-size image.

Click to see full-size image.

[RED-DOG]

I'm off for a 50 mile + walk shortly, too. How exciting - me, walking.

Don't worry guys, I'll take my camera with me.

Don't forget, if you become ill or get into difficulties, send us a picture.

[tikay]

I'm off for a 50 mile + walk shortly, too. How exciting - me, walking.

Don't worry guys, I'll take my camera with me.

Don't forget, if you become ill or get into difficulties, send us a picture.

Too late, done it. I'm wrecked now.

[tikay]

I spotted this on the side of the path by the Thames near Walton.

Anyone know it's purpose?

Click to see full-size image.

Click to see full-size image.

[tikay]

Interesting piece of topiary, but gawd knows what it is meant to represent.

Click to see full-size image.

[RED-DOG]

Now Tony. Those photographs. You could have just taken a couple of snaps, but you made a concious (and successful) effort to make them arty.

Go on. Admit it. You did, didn't you?

[tikay]

Once she was shiny & proud, her paintwork gleamed, her wood all varnishy, now she is decrepit, & dying. So sad.

Click to see full-size image.

Click to see full-size image.

[tikay]

Now Tony. Those photographs. You could have just taken a couple of snaps, but you made a concious (and successful) effort to make them arty.

Go on. Admit it. You did, didn't you?

NO!

I'm probably just a natural.

[tikay]

Excuse the quality, but this is a rare bird indeed, the yellow-breasted, white stumpy-necked singy bird.


Took this myself.

Click to see full-size image.