Well done Post Office credit card people!

Newly_retired

I only use my PO credit card abroad or for internet or phone bookings, never in shops or for cash.
When I got back from a UK holiday there was a letter from them regarding potential fraud on my card and asking me to ring them, which I did.
They informed me they had suspended my card as they believed it had been used fraudulently. Had I recently ordered expensive jewellery from USA?... and various other luxury items?
Well, no.
I am really grateful they suspended my card and stopped any more theft from it.
Fortunately for me it did not inconvenience me whilst I was away as I used a different card.
They even cancelled the two small "tester" payments the fraudster had used.
Well done Post Office credit card.

chattychappy

Newly_retired wrote: »

I am really grateful they suspended my card and stopped any more theft from it.

Well... it is their loss if there is a fraud. I'm not really sure what there is to be grateful about.... The system isn't perfect - it allowed unauthorised usage and they have now stopped the card to prevent further usage.

dalesrider

chattychappy wrote: »

Well... it is their loss if there is a fraud. I'm not really sure what there is to be grateful about.... The system isn't perfect - it allowed unauthorised usage and they have now stopped the card to prevent further usage.

No the loss is with the retailer. CC will claim it back.

There is no way a system can/will be designed that will block ALL fraud.
There is a limit on the number of transactions a card provider can block. Block above this % and they suffer a fine....

The best and most effective security is at the retailer end. Sadly something many are guilty of not providing.

chattychappy

Well, yes they can cover their loss. It might be there was no loss by the retailer if the goods were never actually shipped.

But it (should) never be the OP's risk. The OP sounded like the CC was doing him/her a favour.

Any

chattychappy wrote: »

Well, yes they can cover their loss. It might be there was no loss by the retailer if the goods were never actually shipped.

But it (should) never be the OP's risk. The OP sounded like the CC was doing him/her a favour.

I also read it like that...
And they only sent him a letter!! It had happened to me with M&S and Tesco, and they immediately rung me...

Though it us change from people coming and complaining that credit card company left them hanging when they wanted to use it but company stopped it for fraud..

dalesrider

Any wrote: »

And they only sent him a letter!! It had happened to me with M&S and Tesco, and they immediately rung me...

Though it us change from people coming and complaining that credit card company left them hanging when they wanted to use it but company stopped it for fraud..

But the OP was overseas... So may not have had a mobile, or not had one listed with them.
So contact letter is the next option.

Funny, but most people are happy when a security system kicks in and stops fraud. Only the odd one ever kicks off.

chattychappy

dalesrider wrote: »

Funny, but most people are happy when a security system kicks in and stops fraud. Only the odd one ever kicks off.

I think alot of people (including me) are just sick and tired with the scum of the earth getting away with crime so don't really mind cards being blocked even on a false alarm. Plus whose ever liability it is, it can be a hassle disputing unrecognised transactions so it's a relief when the CC spots the problem first.

Regulars will know that most of my transactions are foreign as I spend long periods overseas, usually in exactly the same places. I reckon I now know the "blocking" pattern of my card providers better than they know my "spending" behaviour. So I always have backups and it's not an issue if a card gets blocked. But the systems do have a long way to go IMHO.

dalesrider

chattychappy wrote: »

I now know the "blocking" pattern of my card providers better than they know my "spending" behaviour. So I always have backups and it's not an issue if a card gets blocked. But the systems do have a long way to go IMHO.

In that case you will know that security systems DO NOT MONITOR YOUR SPENDING PATTERN. They check for fraudlent spending patterns.

If you think how many people top up a PAYG phone everyday. Then you can understand there is no way to stop this.

The issue is that retailers do not take enough security to protect peoples card details. To work in a bank you are fully checked out. Do retailers do the same with staff that have access to customer information? or call center staff that take card details?

Newly_retired

Any wrote: »

I also read it like that...
And they only sent him a letter!! It had happened to me with M&S and Tesco, and they immediately rung me...

Though it us change from people coming and complaining that credit card company left them hanging when they wanted to use it but company stopped it for fraud..

NB.They did try to ring me but unable to contact my current mobile.
I'm just glad I didn't have the hassle of trying to get refunds on any of the spending on my card. Even the two tester amounts to 02.