How dumb can card thieves get?

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RogerS

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Just got a call from John Lewis Financial Services to say that they stopped a transaction which appeared fraudulent. Full marks to JL but really..how dumb can these thieves get?

The transaction was for 50p Royal Air Maroc. Who on this planet uses a credit card for such a small amount? Yeah, I know, credit card thieves.

Luckily it's a card that is rarely used so no worries in being able to buy stuff. My internet access is temporarily blocked but I'm going to dig back through the few transactions I made on a website to see if I can workout which website is the likely one to have been compromised.
 
I think they test the card with a small transaction before emptying your account. Sort of like when a zebra comes to a muddy lake, it takes a sip, looks out cautiously for crocodiles and resumes once satisfied nothing while bite its head off
 
RogerS":2h4qabzm said:
.... I'm going to dig back through the few transactions I made on a website to see if I can workout which website is the likely one to have been compromised.

My wife had her card details stolen and about three grand charged to it. The money was refunded very swiftly BUT even though we knew, and told the bank, which firm it must have been that stole the details no action seemed to have be taken and the bank declined to say any more under privacy rules.
 
LuptonM":3uksnrid said:
I think they test the card with a small transaction before emptying your account. Sort of like when a zebra comes to a muddy lake, it takes a sip, looks out cautiously for crocodiles and resumes once satisfied nothing while bite its head off

That is very true. But 50p? That's ridiculously low.
 
This is a real bugbear of mine.

The card company don't care who is stealing the money and are not interested in investigating the matter. Card holders don't care as they just get reimbursed the money. It is the retailer who ends up losing if they have sent out any goods.

As usual the banks take no responsibility.

Mick
 
The banks/card suppliers lock your card, mess your financial life about yet they are hero's.
Maybe just maybe its not the thieves who are dumb!
The one and only time barclay card locked ours they lost a customer.
 
LuptonM":21aspxzk said:
I think they test the card with a small transaction before emptying your account.


That is indeed my understanding of how the thieves operate.

I think your 'safer' (sort of) if it's a credit card they've cloned, rather than a debit card.

Roy
 
doorframe":2qf6iw70 said:
I think your 'safer' (sort of) if it's a credit card they've cloned, rather than a debit card.
Roy


Never ever use a debit card on the net, over the phone or anywhere you don't trust implicitly - like the ATM inside the bank or PO. If money is taken illegally from your bank account you have to fight to get it back BUT if it's a credit card it's the bank's money until you pay the invoice. You are on a much better footing.
 
RogerP":344tb5sf said:
Never ever use a debit card on the net, over the phone or anywhere you don't trust implicitly .....
I suspect you're right but, that would make life kinda tricky for those of us who 'don't do' credit cards. Though Cheques have been given a reprieve there's still an awful lot of places that won't accept them, so I don't know what the answer is really?
 
studders":3gvh7wbu said:
RogerP":3gvh7wbu said:
Never ever use a debit card on the net, over the phone or anywhere you don't trust implicitly .....
I suspect you're right but, that would make life kinda tricky for those of us who 'don't do' credit cards. .....

They are easy enough to get and by paying up on time each month they're free. :)
 
Not that dumb at all. They will try tens, hundreds, maybe thousands of such small transactions. Eventually they will get a 'winner'. They've had some of my money on two separate occasions.
 
RogerP":3h0oruy3 said:
They are easy enough to get and by paying up on time each month they're free. :)

Maybe but.. I'm firmly in the 'don't have the readies, can't have the goods' camp these days. I think there would be too much temptation with a credit card, in fact I know peeps who keep getting their limits raised, in some cases to ridiculous levels, seemingly in an effort to encourage them to spend what they don't have.
 
RogerP":3d0p7dky said:
My wife had her card details stolen and about three grand charged to it. The money was refunded very swiftly BUT even though we knew, and told the bank, which firm it must have been that stole the details no action seemed to have be taken and the bank declined to say any more under privacy rules.
I got just the same response from Nationwide recently. I don't think they intended doing anything, either.
 

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