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Barlcaycard Fraud - new variation? Contactless card Beware.

Horseunderwater
Horseunderwater Posts: 3,406 Forumite
1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
edited 16 August 2012 at 4:49AM in Credit cards
I always check my credit card account on line every day, as I like to see what has cleared and to make sure payments have hit my account OK.
2 days ago all was showing as it should be, but when I logged in last night/early hours of today, a different credit card number was showing on my on line page!
There was also 3 payments to some retailer in Slough for £10/time for 3 x O2 vouchers. Definitely not mine! Never even been to Slough in my life. So I rang up the lost/stolen line and got through to somebody who said "yes you have been issued with a new account number as your old one was cancelled". So I asked when did this happen? The 9th August, same date as the 3 O2 buys. Coinincence? Supposedly, a man rang them and said the card was found in a car park in Slough and he gave my name and said he was my boyfriend. They literally took his word and cancelled the card. But he had obviously used it to buy the vouchers already. Test buys. Since this person did not have any other details, he did not get the new card sent to the new address that he wanted. So when I rang - the bloke I spoke with went through quite a few checks.
But on the 6th August I got chatting to a lady in Thetford Sainsbury car park about my disability and hers. We swopped home phone numbers and names and then I said I'd got to complete my bus run and she should go shopping. This is the interesting bit - she hugged me and said she'd ring me in the week. So far no call. I think it was during this hug that she did a contactless data mine of my cards chip, which I think carries the full card number on it. So she would have had my name and that and the home phone. You have to get the card close from what I can tell to the reader for the thing to work, so this would make sense. This seems to be a new scam that someone has worked on getting going as the POLICE in Cambs were not aware it was possible, but I have been told that there was a TV program on not long ago stating that this was an up and coming new crime. So obviously it is possible. So beware of who is near you when you are carrying your credit/debit cards with you. They are the ones with little wavy sign on them. Looks like sound waves being transmitted. My old debit card and the new one does not have it on, although the chap in the bank itself said all new ones would do. But it looks like I have been sent an older type with no contactless bit included. So at least no one can get into my current account that way. Just have to careful with new CC when it arrives.
It may be worthwhile making this a sticky to warn people that this is happening.
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Comments

  • meer53
    meer53 Posts: 10,217 Forumite
    Tenth Anniversary 10,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    I think it's more likely that your details were compromised when the card was used previously ! I can't see a fraudster waiting 3 days before using card details, however they managed to obtain them.

    What i don't understand is why you would hug someone you met in a car park ?
  • Gromitt
    Gromitt Posts: 5,063 Forumite
    Get a faraday cage wallet.

    Im not kidding either
    Instead of spending £20 on a wallet, ring the bank, ask for another contactless card, put it next to your existing one in your current wallet. Blocks the signal just the same.

    (Yes, they can get your full card number from a contactless 'datamine', but its unlikely she'll have the equipment, know which pocket your wallet is in, etc)
  • reclusive46
    reclusive46 Posts: 2,698 Forumite
    Gromitt wrote: »
    Instead of spending £20 on a wallet, ring the bank, ask for another contactless card, put it next to your existing one in your current wallet. Blocks the signal just the same.

    (Yes, they can get your full card number from a contactless 'datamine', but its unlikely she'll have the equipment, know which pocket your wallet is in, etc)

    Indeed, any problems like this will be phased out soon enough as most people will have more than one contactless card. I already have 5 lol All my cards excluding santander visa debit is contactless. Even my Amex has 'Expresspay".
  • So beware of who is near you when you are carrying your wifi credit/debit cards with you. They are the ones with little wavy sign on them. Looks like sound waves being transmitted.

    Wifi cards? :rotfl:

    I thought your story was crazy enough and then I reached this point. If you don't understand the technology, you certainly shouldn't be making the bold claims that you are or pointing the finger at some friendly lady who you met.

    P.S. If you're so concerned, don't go around trading phone numbers (and hugging?!) with random strangers you meet in the car park :money:
  • meer53 wrote: »
    I think it's more likely that your details were compromised when the card was used previously ! I can't see a fraudster waiting 3 days before using card details, however they managed to obtain them.

    What i don't understand is why you would hug someone you met in a car park ?

    As I said I rarely use my card at all, so it would have been taken a month previously, which makes it even dafter as to your reasoning.
  • P.S. If you're so concerned, don't go around trading phone numbers (and hugging?!) with random strangers you meet in the car park :money:[/QUOTE]
    I DID NOT HUG HER! SHE HUGGED ME - LEARN TO READ
  • meer53
    meer53 Posts: 10,217 Forumite
    Tenth Anniversary 10,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    P.S. If you're so concerned, don't go around trading phone numbers (and hugging?!) with random strangers you meet in the car park :money:
    I DID NOT HUG HER! SHE HUGGED ME - LEARN TO READ[/QUOTE]

    Does it matter who hugged who ?

    Your card details could have been taken months previously, stop worrying about how it happened. Mobile phone top ups are the most common type of fraud, 02 are based in Slough, it's not where the transactions were made.

    Personally, i wouldn't give anyone i'd just met my phone number or let them hug me !
  • garynuman
    garynuman Posts: 201 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 100 Posts Combo Breaker Debt-free and Proud!
    Group hug anyone?!
  • meer53 wrote: »
    I DID NOT HUG HER! SHE HUGGED ME

    Calm down, calm down, no need to shout! In that case, apologies, that must have been really weird having a stranger throw their arms around you and start hugging you in the car park.
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