Stolen Debit Card Advice please?

Honkycat

Hi,

My daughter lost her Halifax debit card on Thursday night (but didn't realise until Friday lunchtime). As soon as we realised we phoned Halifax to cancel the card, but there had already been a number of transactions . So they are going to reimburse everything and send out a new card etc. My worry is that she also lost her driving licence at the same time and that has her address, date of birth, signature etc. The Halifax card has the account number and sort code on it. So together with the info could someone set up direct debits or whatever and continue to defraud even though the actual card long number will have changed? I phoned the fraud office in Halifax to ask and the guy there didn't even realise that the account number and sort code were ON the cards!! Doesn't exactly fill me with confidence...

I really dispair that someone finding a persons cards like this would not just do the right thing and try to return the cards rather than see an opportunity to screw over another person for money. Very sad.

Anyway, your advice on this would be appreciated. Should we close the account and open a new one, or just wait and keep an eye on it?

Thanks very much,

Steve.

ladyrider260

The best thing to do would be to go in and speak to the bank. Direct debits just need the account number and sort code, but if any fraudulent DD's are set up then you can claim the money back.
Keep an eye on the account for the next 4wks to make sure nothing is set up that could be fraudulent, but it's unlikely as it can be traced back.

Make sure that your daughter keeps her PIN number seperate from her card. This would have been needed to carry out any shop transactions. If it was online transactions then the bank can trace these.

Extant

Direct debit fraud is pretty much non-existent due to the stringent checks and procedures; you don't need to worry about this. There is no point in closing the account and opening a new one.

Remember when HMRC lost all of those details? The official advice then was not to open a new account; it's the same here.

Your daughter is protected against fraud by the Banking Code, there is no need to worry at all - get her a new card and license, keep an eye on the account, and it will be fine.

maninthestreet

How did they manage to use the debit card - wouldn't the pin number be required??

DreamerV

maninthestreet wrote: »

How did they manage to use the debit card - wouldn't the pin number be required??

When you use a debit card online to pay for something, it doesn't ask for a pin number. It usually wants the 16 digit card number which is on the card, and the start and expiry dates (also on the card) and the security code (also on the card, but on the back).

McKneff

If they ordered goods via the debit card wouldnt they have to give an address to send any goods they had ordered over the telephone?

Extant

McKneff wrote: »

If they ordered goods via the debit card wouldnt they have to give an address to send any goods they had ordered over the telephone?

Yes, but nobody ever said your average crook was smart.

There's other ways to use - mobile phone top-ups, mag-strip cloning for foreign ATM use, etc.

socrates

BarclaysManager wrote: »

Yes, but nobody ever said your average crook was smart.

mag-strip cloning for foreign ATM use, etc.

You would need a PIN number for that to work

James

Cut, pasted but most of it is applicable to your daughter).

The following I hope will be helfpful in so much as it's the best way forward for recovering her losses AND protecting herself against ID Theft.

The good news is under the Banking Code (12.12) your daughter should get her money back - unless she has been negligent with her PIN or has acted fraudulently or (the crunch) without reasonable care. The bad news is that more and more banks are refusing to cough up and reimburse victims.

What I’d do now and why: [Keep an accurate record of all phone calls, who you speak to etc, like wise emails or letters]

Report this to the Police and get a crime reference or incident number.

Why?

By reporting this to the Police it will help convince the Bank your really are a victim, and in your case serious.

Allows early intervention by the police if ATMs or shops PIN Pads have been tampered with. It may also point to a data breach. But don't expect the police to investigate.

Follow up your original phone call and visit to Bank with a letter and put everything in writing soonest. (Keep a copy, send letter recorded and request a receipt).

In the letter give your card issuer the Crime Ref or Incident No.

Ask your bank how the crime was perpetrated i.e. using your Card Details, or if your Card was Cloned and the transactions authorised with your PIN or a Signature.

Why?

The letter will prove you reported the crime as soon as you noticed it.

By asking how the crime was perpetrated will allow you to take the necessary steps to protect yourself from further frauds.

Good luck.


PS: You may even be the victim of ID Theft - you can take steps to protect yourself here too.

Click here.

You should also check your credit files FREE from ALL 3 Credit Reference Agencies:

Call Credit (Click on Link to Annual Credit Report).

Equifax (Remembering to Cancel within the Free Tria Period)

Experian (Remembering to Cancel within the Free Trial Period).

Recent articles from the Press:

Chip & PaIN (The Independent)m

Dont Blame the Innocent VIctims of Chip & PIN Fraud (The Times).

Fight Back Against Refusal to Pay Out on Chip & PIN Frauud (The Times).



Latest: (CLICK HERE).


Good luck

Honkycat

Thanks everyone, I feel much better now. There were about 10 transactions ranging from £2:50!! to £100. The bank says that often shops are quite leniant with pins and if you say you can't remember it you can just sign instead. They seemed fairly sure she'd get the money back.... there have been lots of tears.... she's a student who's working in Iceland during the summer for £5 an hour.
I'm still a bit worried about the fact that they have her Licence with date of birth, address, etc.. it's like an identity fraud starter kit! Oh well, we'll just have to see what happens. I'm not sure if I'll bother with the police though.... we're in Northern Ireland and, even with burglaries, the police are less than useless.
Thank you very much for your advice guys... much appreciated.
Kids eh?

Honkycat

Well, today my daughter took delivery of a "deluxe 8" black Monster C0ck"! Not quite sure what to do with it now.... just send it back I suppose. Makes me wonder what else will be coming our way. I was thinking though, to order something like that they'd have had to enter an email address? I wonder if the fraud team could trace them through that?