Brendan Hughes

Heard a horror story yesterday about a guy whose debit card was nicked. By the time he found out next morning, he was 4000 euros poorer. And as this had been done somehow by using his PIN, the bank won’t reimburse him.

I’ve one debit and one credit card, both fully Visa backed (not Visa Electron). Debit card is linked to my current account mortgage, so I have an interest in keeping the balance high - so there’s a lot of money at risk. So I went to the bank at lunchtime to ask how well they were protected. Bank is a big “respected” international one.

Credit card is protected against fraudulent use up to plenty, and I’m pleased to hear for the debit card the customer only runs the risk of incurring up to 150 euros of debt (depending on each case), the rest apparently is protected – even if it’s abused with PIN (she said, I didn’t get this in writing).

Two points I’d like to ask you folks:

1. When I asked about online use (either online purchases, or if it is in a batch stolen from a website then reused), she said that’s basically at the risk of the customer, it’s not covered by fraudulent use insurance . The one thing they do for all credit card purchases (online or otherwise) is to monitor usage, and if they see something suspicious, they’ll phone me first before authorising it. OK it’s a form of protection, but I’m still curious to hear that they don’t have any distinct online policy – except “tough titty”. Is this likely / usual?

2. If a card is stolen, I’m expected to report it – either to the bank, or to Visa (say, internationally). For the bank, I give my name, but to Visa I have to give the card number. For this, I need a) Bank/Visa’s phone number, b) the card number. I am likely to keep these in my wallet (if paper) or in my mobile (if electronic). But wallet and mobile are the most likely things to get stolen! I came to the UK for a month last summer – if I’d lost my card and mobile in the first week, I’d have had to wait a month before I could report it If I keep them on home PC, I’m at risk that someone gets through the firewall (yeah, unlikely I know) and nicks it. So does anyone here have good solutions, apart from memorising them?

OllyK

Or in the couple of cases they have called me - about 2 weeks after the transaction took place

Brendan Hughes

Much to learn, I have, yes?

OllyK

Yes, tear up the plastic cards of satan and barter for everything

Markus

Can only comment on credit cards, I've got a Barclaycard Platinum and when I first moved to Canada and tried to purchase something on it, it would not go through, within a few moments my mobile was ringing, was BC, alerting me that a non standard transaction had gone through on my card, did I know about it. I explained I was in canada and could confirm the amount, they said OK and allowed that transaction and others.

I've had it happen again over here, for a big purchase, and I'm quite happy with it, as it at least shows they are doing something.

Online purchases, well, most of them ask for the security number on the back of the card, so even if someone has a copy of the front of your card, or a CC recipt with your card number, they won't have the verification number.

With regards to having the pin number and the card. Sounds like someone has been caught by a card scanner put on an ATM, along with a camera to watch the keypad input. The scanner allows a clone of the card to be made, and thus if it's a debit card they can go spendy spend, same is somewhat true if it's a credit card as well. If its extracting money from the account, they'd need the PIN, so that's where the camera watching the input would come from. Also might help them with the chip n PIN type cards too.

It is a minefield when you're card is cloned and your PIN nicked as it's very hard to prove it was not you actually making the transaction

Brendan Hughes

Thanks Olly(!), Markus. Bounce for Monday morning serious answers?