Identify Theft at Tesco Store

Annie._2

On Thurday 27th November I visited our local Tesco store at Leatherhead, Surrey. I purchased some groceries which I put in a basket.

I went to the kiosk checkout and put my debit card in the machine entered what I know was the correct PIN and this was rejected as 'incorrect PIN', I tried again and it came back rejected as 'incorrect PIN'.
The assistant then commented that this had been happening to quite a few customers during the day and asked me to give her my card so she could swipe it before trying again. She then handed me back my card and asked me to insert my card in the machine for me to try again. The PIN was again rejected and locked.

I paid the bill in cash and left the store not thinking any more about it and called the bank when I returned home. The bank advised me that my PIN was not locked and for me to carry on using the card.

The following day I visited another retail outlet and inserted my card in their machine. The card was rejected and the transaction unauthorised.

I called the bank again when I arrived home and was advised that a security alert had been put on my account due to unusual activity and my card was used at 3 pm on the day I had a problem at the Tesco store. There had also been other activity where my card had been used on the internet.

I had not had a problem before using my card at Tesco and had not used my card for a week before using it at Tesco.

I now have no faith in Tesco security and I am surprised that this could happen in one of their stores.

I do not expect to be a victim of identify theft when innocently doing my shopping at a Tesco store.

I have written to the store manager with a copy to Sir Terry Leahy.

Lorian

Its not identity theft, and there is little proof the initial cause was in the tesco store. Your card could have been skimmed the previous week or earlier.

Annie._2

The previous time I used my card was the week before at an ASDA store where there was no problem.

The assistant took my card from me and swipped it after the PIN was rejected twice. Less than two hours later my card was used in a store and cashback was also requested on the transaction.

bargain_babe

the same happened to me, my friend paid with her card, I never contacted the bank as I only tried twice. It was Thursday pm at a tesco in the midlands. Really worried now, thanks for posting OP. I am contacting my bank and will let you know the outcome.

Lorian

Still doesn't mean the skimming happened in tesco, assuming it was the till she swiped your card though, not some black box she produced from under her uniform.

They'd need some big kahunas to be running a skimming operation from a tesco checkout, even a self-scan one.

Enterprise_1701C

The only reason to swipe the card would be to provide a slip to sign (where I work anyway), that did not happen. Can't see staff member doing something so obvious and so traceable, but still find it a bit strange that she swiped the card and then asked for the pin to be retried, surely she would not normally get anymore information out of that?

Did you use your card in a restaurant before where it was out of your sight for any length of time? Have you used it on the net?

IF the only possibility was Tesco (which I doubt) then I would have been down there PDQ complete with receipt informing the manager of my suspicions and only then would I have written to Mr T.

bargain_babe

i am very concerned though as this happened to me too. This is the first I had thought about it though as I never checked my account activity. I am on the phone to the bank now.

Annie._2

It happened at Tesco's. As I said the assitant took my card from me and swiped it. Presumably relaying the information from my card to someone in the car park sitting in their car with a laptop.

I dont know how she did it, but when she swiped it it didnt seem to be the usual swift swipe in the usual place.

I have not used my card at a restaurant, the only place I used my card before was at an ASDA store, where there was no problem.

bargain_babe

Ann my card wasn't swiped though, just said the wrong pin was entered twice. My friend paid, her card was the same as mine, but it went through no problem. I went and drew cash out from a local bank to pay her back. Not having much luck with getting through to an actual person at the bank. I've just phoned my friend, it was wednesday 26th not Thurs. I did however put the correct pin in to have it rejected twice

berniesmaster

i think you would find it hard to place the blame on tescos, somebody attempted to drain my accounts earlier this year, and i was told it could have happened anywhere at anytime since ive had the card.

frugallass

From what I've read I don't believe that your card was 'skimmed' at Tesco - it could have happened at any time prior to your visit there - when a card is 'skimmed' it doesn't mean your card becomes immediately inactive, this can take some time and you carry on using your card totally unaware that the 'skimming' has taken place.