Debit card Fraud in Majorca

Nukumai

gordikin wrote: »

Keep on pressuring your bank and disputing this with them...you've nothing to lose and a whole lot to gain.

Seconded. Exhaust all possibilities. Don't give up.

StewartScott

Thanks for the advice. I'm trying to find the holding company of the club and going to call the directors of the place. Even if I get nowhere it will be good to cause them some of the grief they are causing me. Travel insurance is a no unfortunately.

My plan was to tell the club that if they didn't refund me, I would ensure that I made holiday reps on the Island aware of this kind of scam. To be honest i doubt any of it will have any effect but maybe it's worth a go.

Fuzzy_Duck

How far exactly did you get with the bank? Did you ring up for example, explain and be refused straight away? Or were you given the fraud forms to fill out, returned them and then they told you of their decision?

If it's the former definitely ring again, speak to another member of staff. I've been the victim of fraud twice and on both occasions got someone saying "sorry, but there's nothing we can do." I rang again and got someone far more helpful. It may just be my bank but they're useless unless you get the direct number for their debit card fraud department- if you speak to anyone else they don't bother transferring you and basically tell you tough luck.

Don't give up- it's hard to believe you would have authorised such a huge amount of money. I had a similar problem where I didn't lose my card, I had it on me all the time. The fraudster didn't get my pin but they got my card details. I can only assume it was a dodgy member of staff as I had used it in a few bars and restaurants. Needless to say I use cash as much as possible, especially in places where they take your card away before returning it. It is possible to win your money back when you don't know who did it.

StewartScott

I have filled in the forms and faxed them back but the person I spoke to made it clear that he thought I didn't have much hope of getting my money back.

It may all work out, but I haven't heard anything yet. I will keep on at them though and I am hoping to find someone who might empathise with the situation.

Cheers for all the helpful advice from everyone by the way.

maninthestreet

StewartScott wrote: »

I have filled in the forms and faxed them back but the person I spoke to made it clear that he thought I didn't have much hope of getting my money back.

It may all work out, but I haven't heard anything yet. I will keep on at them though and I am hoping to find someone who might empathise with the situation.

Cheers for all the helpful advice from everyone by the way.

Possibly also worthwhile asking your bank why mutliple transactions totalling over £4000, spent in a very short period of time with the same overseas establishment did not trigger any sort of alert as being an unusual pattern of spending, even if the debits were PIN-confirmed.

SandC

That's what I was going to say. I only had to make six separate transactions in one day online totalling no more than £100 for my bank to flag it up as dodgy as it was unusual activity.

I would definitely play that card, how extreme was this kind of expenditure for you? I'm guessing very.

baza52

how many rounds did you actually buy and what sort of drinks did you get? Did you also buy any of the "girls" drinks or pay for dance's or anything else?
Did any of the other stags have the same thing happen or remember what happened.

Freddie_Snowbits

I hope OP is not an oil trader on the side?
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/energy/oilandgas/7862246/How-a-broker-spent-520m-in-a-drunken-stupor-and-moved-the-global-oil-price.html

Still, better to leave wallet at home and take cash in situations like this!

StewartScott

No oil trading for me thank God! The whole night is fuzzy and another guy went to the Doctor's on his return as he felt so terrible and expalined the symptoms and the Doc said it was likely he was spiked. He said it happens a lot, which is scary.

I had a couple of dances, but nothing insane and it still can't justify such a massive bill surely?!

Just to explain we are all 30 somethings not 18 year olds on our first holiday abroad, so we do have a level of alcohol tolerance and are relatively sensible. However, I'm not trying to weasel out of things, I still behaved foolishly.

brokeinyorkshire

The bank won't investigate it further as they are not at a loss financially.

Chip and PIN transactions are usually declined as more often than not the customer has the PIN memorised.

If they did watch you enter your PIN how did they access your card without your knowledge?

You can always appeal the banks decision.

I have seen this happen on numerous occasions and each time the customer was in a club, sometimes a massage parlour/strip joint and got stiffed on drinks/services.

I am sorry to hear you have lost so much though.