WARNING used your card in the USA recently?

James · 23 June 2005 at 12:49PM

40 Million card accounts were exposed to fraud in the USA last week:

http://news.com.com/Details+emerge+on+credit+card+breach/2100-7349_3-5754661.html

The knock on effect is that cardholders who’ve visited the USA from Australia, New Zewland, Japan and China in the last 10 months or so are being warned that their cards too could be at risk.

http://www.hbtoday.co.nz/storydisplay.cfm?storyid=3640874&thesection=localnews&thesubsection=&thesecondsubsection=

http://www.fortwayne.com/mld/journalgazette/business/11954852.htm

http://www.samudaya.org/bb/viewtopic.php?t=173

http://news.moneycentral.msn.com/provider/providerarticle.asp?feed=AP&Date=20050623&ID=4912076

I wonder if and when the UK card industry will advise consumers here if they are at risk?

If Australiasia is anything to go by and you've bought something in person in the States or via the net or mail order from the good old US of A it looks like your account could be at risk.

James

realaledrinker · 23 June 2005 at 11:08PM

Your credit card company would have to pick up the tab for any losses, surely?

Fatboy_NSS · 24 June 2005 at 5:34PM

There's no need to warn customers. Everyone should be checking their statement every month for dodgy transactions anyway. Making a statement that anyone who's been to the USA should be extra vigilant would have an opposite effect, as it would imply that people who weren't in the US last week don't have to worry. The card companies do know which accounts were compromised, so if any fraud does occur on any of these accounts it will be relatively simple to claim the money back.

James · 24 June 2005 at 8:16PM

I disagree there is a need and a duty of care. The Dutch have considered it appropriate to warn their cardholders, why not the Brits?

http://www.expatica.com/source/site_article.asp?subchannel_id=19&story_id=21374&name=Dutch+news+in+brief%2C+24+June+2005

Simple to claim money back it maybe, but what happens when direct debits go unpaid, there's not enough money in an account to pay standing orders or meet subscription costs etc? It's the poor old consumer that makes the phone calls, writes the letters and suffers the stress. Surely those responsible for the compromise should be held liable for subsequent costs to any victims?

At least 30,000 Dutch accounts according to the report were breached, I wonder how many Brits have had their data compromised? Surely they should be informed?

Fatboy_NSS · 25 June 2005 at 1:00AM

James, I think you misread my point. A cardholder is at risk of fraud from someone skimming their card, copying their details over the shoulder in a shop, dishonest bank staff, etc. Rather than issuing a warning to a certain group of cardholders the banks should encourage all their cardholders to be vigilant and report any unauthorised transactions. Issuing a warning that cards recently used in the US are vulnerable to fraud would lead to complacency. A more generic warning is far more appropriate, and I already get this kind of warning printed on my statements every month.

James · 25 June 2005 at 5:44AM

Fattboy sorry - If a breach caused details such as your account number, three digit value on the rear of the card, home address, tel no. etc to be compromised then I still believe that the holders of the compromised accounts should be informed individually.

James · 1 July 2005 at 11:29AM

Let's put this another way:

If a cardholder compromises their PIN, Password or other account details they are advised to contact their card issuer SOONEST in order to protect themselves from fraud liability and secure their account.

Surely the card industry should do likewise – inform those 40 million cardholders world-wide whose accounts have been compromised and card issuers take appropriate action?

Would you agree that if anyone who has suffered from card fraud that has visited and used their cards in the States or ordered goods from the States should be recompensed immediately and liability issues dismissed?

There's quite a number of contributers to various forums that have fallen victim to card fraud. I wonder how many of those victims used their cards in the USA, their details compromised and they have no idea?

James · 7 July 2005 at 5:02PM

British Cardholders still remain in the dark. Yet Californians are taking action:

Credit card suit no seeks damages:

http://news.com.com/Credit+card+suit+now+seeks+damages/2100-7350-5777818.html?part=dht&tag=ntop&tag=nl.e703

I wonder when someone will make a noise on behalf of UK cardholders?

realaledrinker · 7 July 2005 at 11:55PM

zzzzzzzzzzzz

James · 9 July 2005 at 2:04PM

40 million cards compromised and you think its worth a zzzzzzz

Here's a little tale of from the BBC:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/insideout/yorkslincs/series6/computer_doctor.shtml

IMHO card issuers have a morale duty to infrom cardhodlers if accounts have been compromised and they should put things right!

In addition have a look at the following:

http://www.thisismoney.co.uk/credit-and-loans/article.html?in_article_id=402122&in_page_id=9

I wonder if and when those who've had their cards and details compromised in the States will be informed likewise?

pin · 9 July 2005 at 9:39PM

James wrote:

IMHO card issuers have a morale duty to infrom cardhodlers if accounts have been compromised and they should put things right!

card issuers don't have any moral (not "morale") duties to do anything. If they had any morals they would not be in the credit card business. The only duties card issuers have are their legal and contractual duties.

WARNING used your card in the USA recently?

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