Help!!! Credit card fraud victim needs advice

skint99

HELP!!!!! Any advice would be REALLY appreciated.

My last Egg statement had over £500 in unrecognised transactions, it seems like someone went on a shopping spree. I have already informed Egg, and they have told me the fraud dept will get in touch soon to ask for more details.

It happens that I recently applied for an ADDITIONAL card for a friend X. BUT I never gave it to him, on receipt, I kept it at home in a hidden place, unsigned of course, as only X would be able sign it. That card has since disappeared, and has been used against my consent.

I had a guest Y for a few weeks, and suspect that Y or her boyfriend Z may have gone through my stuff, taken it, signed it and used it. It’s the only possibility I can think of, and is ONLY a suspicion on my part. Nobody else has been in the house without my presence and it would have had the time to find it as it was quite well hidden.

My question is: (a) The card was unsigned, so have I been negligent? Am I liable? BUT there was no way my friend X could have signed it, as he lives 200 miles away, and it was not possible for us to meet. The only way I could ensure X signed it straightaway is by giving it to him IN PERSON (i.e., posting would not have been adequate).

(b) I only have a STRONG SUSPICION about Y and Z. Should I go to the police? Should I tell the fraud dept that I think it may have been them? It could be a really embarrassing situation if they are innocent. But I haven’t known them for that long…

(c) On another note, There was a payment made to “O2 PREPAY” – an 02 pay as you go – do you think it will be possible to trace the number with o2? (I have been unable, so far, to determine what mobile network Y and Z are on). All other transactions were made in my high street.

THANKS FOR ANY ADVICE!!!

Systemaddict_2

You need to provide a liitle bit more info:

When did you get the additional card and was it a Chip & Pin card?

Did you activate the card on line?

Did you receive the PIN for that card?

I think one of the conditions of use of a card is that you (or additional card Holder) is required to sign the card immediately of receiving it. Clearly from the information you have provided that has not been done. This may make you liable for debt incurred unless you can show/prove that you had not been neglegent.

Those guests who stayed at your home, where do they live, and where has the transactions on the card taken place? Put the two information together and see if your suspicion is correct. If it is you may want to consider reporting to the police.

King_David_2

Any one want to stay round my house?

The fact that I don't know you doesn't matter.

Help yourself while I'm not around. I have a large TV, desktop PC, laptop, a car, video games consoles just waiting to have a new owner.

This one looks like it's going to be tricky to get out of, as to me you are certainly liable unless you can prove the theft.

I can't see what was wrong with cutting the card up if you couldn't give it to the intended recipient straight away. Replacing it wouldn't be a problem - I'm sure Egg would rather issue another one than have to deal with fraud.

I have a view others don't have so cue the criticism.

Robert_Sterling_3

Tell the credit card company what you have told us particularly about the hidden unsigned card and the people who shared your house. It may be that you were negligent but deliberately not giving the Credit Card company the full facts would be deceitful in my opinion.
The credit card company for their part could take a lenient view of your negligence in respose to your honest statement of what you think has happened.

Robert_Sterling_3

Any one want to stay round my house?
The fact that I don't know you doesn't matter.
Help yourself while I'm not around. I have a large TV, desktop PC, laptop, a car, video games consoles just waiting to have a new owner.
This one looks like it's going to be tricky to get out of, as to me you are certainly liable unless you can prove the theft.

I can't see what was wrong with cutting the card up if you couldn't give it to the intended recipient straight away. Replacing it wouldn't be a problem - I'm sure Egg would rather issue another one than have to deal with fraud.
I have a view others don't have so cue the criticism.

No criticism from me BBA. Simon Cowell like as ever.
You can rely on others to take a more sympathic approach but that in itself does not in anyway invalidate your stance.

skint99

SystemAddict,

>When did you get the additional card and was it a >Chip & Pin card?
The card sat in my house for about 2 months. Not it was not Chip and Pin.

>Did you activate the card on line?
No, but it wasn't necessary because the main card (ie mine) was already active.

>Did you receive the PIN for that card?
No. (But it would have been the same as the pin for the main card, they wouldn't have been able to discover that because I always change them) I'm sure they signed for the goods.

All the transactions took place in my local high street. I know where X and Y live at the moment.

By the way, I have determined that Y is on O2!!!! I have her number, and that would be a way to prove the link, if O2 is willing to disclose the number that was topped up with my credit card. I hope they would do to the police.

Should I got to the police first, or is this something Egg will do?

Bouncebackability, thanks for your criticism but I can't change the past now. My trust was abused, I was trying to help someone out who needed a place to live for a while. So right now I need to focus on how to put things right. :-[

Martinslovechild

Should I got to the police first, or is this something Egg will do?

I would contact the police. I don't think that Egg would disclose any details to you directly but they would have to disclose them to the police.

Start with contacting the police and then ask their advice about where to go from there, who to contact next etc.

t_i_g_e_rr

Egg are obliged by law (data protection act) to disclose any information they hold about you. Since this is your card I presume it is your information. On the other hand, the information held by O2 is not yours, so they cannot tell you the information they hold because of the same law. However, the data protection act dictates that any and all information (with good reason) must be disclosed to the police. If the police want to find out who did this it ought to be very easy. They know where and when the things were bought (form your credit card statements and till receipts) so if the shop had CCTV (most big shops do) they can check this and compare the signatures. Nice easy job (hopefully). All the best.

skint99

Thanks to all for your helpful advice

Dwayne_Dibley_3

I think you would be best off going to the police.

As someone else has said O2 will not release details, after all for all they know you could be a stalker or something.

Get as much information together as you can and phone your local station.

I know someone who was ripped off in a similar way by someone they were putting up as a favour to their daughter, otherwise the girl would have been homeless. She ran up thousands and the thing was when they spoke to the police it came to light they had done this loads of times.

Don't feel bad for having tried to help someone - it is easy to look back with hindsight and see how naive you may have been but your heart was in the right place so you have nothing to feel bad about.

The only thing I'm not sure on is about the card not being signed - not sure how Egg will view this.

Good luck with the old bill

westernpromise

If the police want to find out who did this it ought to be very easy. They know where and when the things were bought (form your credit card statements and till receipts) so if the shop had CCTV (most big shops do) they can check this and compare the signatures. Nice easy job (hopefully)

In my experience, the police have absolutely no interest at all in catching criminals, because criminals are dangerous. They prefer to make criminals out of anyone they can catch, such as middle class motorists and Colin Stagg, because they are easy and risk-free to harass.

skint99, if you are naive enough to go to the police, take a lawyer. Based on what you've said above, I think you are at risk. I suggest the police are more likely to try to charge you with being an accessory to fraud than they are to try and trace these house guests of yours.

First, you've admitted that someone who has shared your home has used a card you left lying around to make purchases in your own local high street. This says it was you who did it.

Second, you admit you barely know them. Often put up complete strangers do you Sir? Yeah, yeah. Very likely.

Third, you're the only one who says they did it. They of course will say you did it.

Fourth, think of the hassle here for the police. Why would they bother contacting O2, tracing them, and then watching hours of grainy CCTV footage to get these people? It's going to be much easier to put together a case against you. Either you did it and you made up these house guests, or they did it with your connivance and they split the proceeds with you. And you are bang to rights my son.

Your best bet is to say nothing. Nothing at all. You know nothing. You destroyed the supplementary card because you weren't seeing your mate anytime soon.