Credit card number illicitly used - query

GustyGardenGalaxy

When a credit card transaction is declined (due to illicit use of the card number by persons unknown), shouldn't the bank responsible contact the owner of the card to inform that person that someone has been trying to use their card number?

I ask as I tried to use my credit card today and it was declined - a couple of phone calls later I discovered that yesterday someone had tried to spend about £500 with O2 using my credit card number.

It's all been sorted out now (the card has been cancelled and a new one is being sent to me), but surely this isn't the way to find out about it, ie shouldn't the bank have notified me yesterday about this instead of leaving it until I tried to use the card?

I bank with NatWest.

I didn't think to ask them this when I spoke to them a while ago and I don't want to phone them now in case it just complicates matters.

bengalknights

Usually there automated systems do flag it and do a ringback but its bank dependant

dalesrider

It could have been sat in a Q waiting to be worked.

Don't know if NW is automated or is worked by humans.

It is a joint responsibility to keep a account secure.

GustyGardenGalaxy

I'm extremely careful with my credit card number and only use it on web sites (or in places) that I treust (as much as you can these days).

The guy on the NatWest fraud line commented that it was likely obtained by somebody hacking into a database of a site where I had used my card. nothing much that I can do about that really.

lea_t88

When someone tried to take my Natwest card details for £9k o jewellery they called immediately and it was a person, not a machine, that left a voicemail for me to call back. That was about 10am and the transactions had been tried that morning so very quick. Perhaps they were waiting to see if it would be tried again? Mine had been tried about 11 times that morning.