Any Credit Card experts about?

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Posted: Mon Aug 18, 2008 10:16 am

Looking for some ideas on what may have occurred, as follows:

My new Mastercard has been used for some purchases on Amazon. The only problem is it wasn't by me. This card has not been in an situation where it could have been skimmed and the only on-line transactions have been phone banking with the major telco here. Fortunately because I use on-line banking, I picked it up quickly.

The bank guy I first spoke to said that they must have had the card number and the CVH, however I can't see how they could have. So in case I have problems with the disputed charges, does anyone have any bright ideas on how this could have come about?

Posted: Mon Aug 18, 2008 10:31 am

Could it be you're a victim of 'phishing'? Did you respond to an email from your Telco with a linky maybe? It seems to me you must have left that information somewhere ..

You say you've only used it in phone banking transactions, maybe your phone is tapped?

Posted: Mon Aug 18, 2008 11:50 am

No, as I said it could not have been skimmed and I think I know just a little bit about phishing not to have fallen for that. There are also no keyloggers, trojans or such things on my PC.

Phone tapping is more than a little unlikely.

So do we have any experts with ideas please?

Posted: Mon Aug 18, 2008 12:11 pm

When you did your phone banking did you talk to a live person? What details did you have to give that person?

If live person he/she could be the culprit.

Also Amazon should have an IP log of where the purchase was made. That can then be traced back to see if it is a computer you would have had access to. If not then the CC company or Amazon should reverse the charge. Also Amazon should obviously have a record of where the items were sent.

Posted: Mon Aug 18, 2008 1:01 pm

Certainly in the UK, banks are using temporary workers more and more. The banks will talk all sorts of fatuous rubbish about checks and security but the bottom line is that the people they use are strangers with no track record.

They may not have access to your PIN number but all other details are open to them as banking systems were not designed to allow access for this type of worker.

I also believe that a lot of work is being done overseas, so the banks throw responsibilty for security to some faceless third world company - of course it's all totally secure. Shocked

Personally I would bluntly tell the bank that you repudiate the transaction, insist on immediate repayment and refund of any charges and interest and authorise them to involve the police to investigate the receiver's address for the goods.

Posted: Mon Aug 18, 2008 1:30 pm

The Man wrote:

When you did your phone banking did you talk to a live person? What details did you have to give that person?

If live person he/she could be the culprit.

Also Amazon should have an IP log of where the purchase was made. That can then be traced back to see if it is a computer you would have had access to. If not then the CC company or Amazon should reverse the charge. Also Amazon should obviously have a record of where the items were sent.

No it was an automaton, not a human phone call.

I don't actually see much problem with Amazon and reversing the payments; as you say the IP and mailing address will almost certainly not be in my country. Its just as far as I can tell, there is no way I can see they could have got the CVH and card number, unless there is a problem with a couple of very large companies or with the card company itself.

Its an interesting issue though, as I know that certainly in the UK many years ago (twenty plus) it was not permitted for goods to be sent other than to the card holders registered address. If that was the case now then a lot of the fraud would be prevented.

GomerPyle wrote:

Certainly in the UK, banks are using temporary workers more and more. The banks will talk all sorts of fatuous rubbish about checks and security but the bottom line is that the people they use are strangers with no track record.

This is a very strong possibility, but one they will be very reluctant to admit.

Mod edit: Combined your posts because you double posted - SB Wink

Baiting Guru Joined: 04 Dec 2005 Posts: 3551

Do you use a cordless phone? Conversations can be overheard with something as simple as a baby monitor. If you used your card over the phone, you could have been at risk.

Posted: Mon Aug 18, 2008 5:14 pm

I do hope you have canceled the Mastercard....?

So are they considering this a case of identity theft or what?

Posted: Mon Aug 18, 2008 6:32 pm

Cell phones can be monitored also, and information stolen.

You had to have given your CC info somehow because the chances of matching the CCV number to your CC number otherwise are pretty nil.

Edited to add: Or maybe as Gomer suggests, the culprit is a bank employee.

Posted: Mon Aug 18, 2008 6:41 pm

Stealth wrote:

This is a very strong possibility, but one they will be very reluctant to admit.

If you have to deal with your bank beware of havng the attitude that you have to prove anything to them - you don't.

Posted: Mon Aug 18, 2008 10:50 pm

sheboppe wrote:

You had to have given your CC info somehow because the chances of matching the CCV number to your CC number otherwise are pretty nil.

The first guy said pretty much the same, although when I cancelled the card the second person was more open minded. Mobile is not in the equation either, so its either as Gomer suggests or somebody in the other companies (who would probably have to be IT).

Posted: Tue Aug 19, 2008 1:14 am

Is it brand new or had you made purchases on it already? If you had already made purchases on it, the company you bought from could also have been hacked--remember it was only a few weeks ago that the media reported the major hacking case involving OfficeMax, Barnes and Noble, etc.

If it was brand new, I would question whether it was intercepted and info noted in the mail before you received it.

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