The problem is that the banks are getting creamed with ripped of cards and depsite chip and pin the scammers have still found ways around it.

The usual scam things are tellies, video cameras, DVD players; easily floggable stuff.

Anyone out there buying stuff for specific cars is usually buying to an order.

The banks categorise card transactions between 'safe ' and other.

Briefly,

Safe is ; either the card holder signs in front of you, whilst you check the signature. OR the cardholder gives you all the details card number valid from/ expiry date /pin/ address of cardholder etc etc by phone/fax/internet. AND you deliver to the cardholder address. That would be a safe sale if all details match.

This would/could become unsafe if the goods are collected by anyone other than the cardholder, OR delivered to an address other than the cardholders address.

What is not 'safe', is anything else, especially if the 'cardholder' asks if his brother can collect as ' he is passing your door' That would make a sale 'unsafe', as you have no proof that it was actually the card holder who rang.

Providing the retailer sticks within the 'safe' rules - the banks will pay up. Create an unsafe sale and your are on your own

Mike must have bent the rules, however slightly, for the bank to walk away.

We've all done it from time to time and it does hurt when you get bounced.

David APi