Fraud Check - personal details required in public place

Woodlark10

I was checking out at a supermarket where I shop regularly for an average spend when my credit card was blocked.SMS from card provider advised me to telephone NewDay to verify card details re a fraud alert.  In a queue with a full trolley and many people and staff around me I had to give my name, address, postcode, date of birth so all could hear.  It was embarrassing and distressing.  I have had fraud checks before but not instantaneous as this was.  Has happened previously  with unusual spend or when abroad.  I have checked with friends, family and other stores and no one else has experienced this.   Completely understand the need for fraud checks but is this normal these days?  If so, card holder should be advised to move to a quiet place?

cymruchris

Woodlark10 said:

I was checking out at a supermarket where I shop regularly for an average spend when my credit card was blocked.SMS from card provider advised me to telephone NewDay to verify card details re a fraud alert.  In a queue with a full trolley and many people and staff around me I had to give my name, address, postcode, date of birth so all could hear.  It was embarrassing and distressing.  I have had fraud checks before but not instantaneous as this was.  Has happened previously  with unusual spend or when abroad.  I have checked with friends, family and other stores and no one else has experienced this.   Completely understand the need for fraud checks but is this normal these days?  If so, card holder should be advised to move to a quiet place?

To be fair you could also have said to the call handler 'Let me just move to somewhere quieter' - as much as you were in the supermarket queue - they weren't to know that - to them it would have been a transaction on a screen that needed verifying. It's hard to say what triggered the check - was it outside of your normal pattern on that card? A higher then usual amount you'd usually spend? A location far from home?

It's all a bit of guesswork really - but if it had been fraud, and someone was using your card, you'd be thankful they checked. I can't for a moment imagine that anyone in the checkout queue was paying any/much attention and by the time they'd have gotten home they'd have completely forgotten about anything that had happened at the supermarket, so I wouldn't worry about what others were thinking. I'd feel happier that my account was safe, and it was only my money being spent.

elsien

Do you really need to be told to move to a quieter place if you’re concerned about other people hearing the details?
There is a little bit of an element of personal responsibility, is there not?

MorningcoffeeIV

Woodlark10 said:

It was embarrassing and distressing.  I have had fraud checks before but not instantaneous as this was.  Has happened previously  with unusual spend or when abroad. 

I have checked with friends, family and other stores and no one else has experienced this...

If so, card holder should be advised to move to a quiet place?

If it was 'embarrassing and distressing' you would have moved to a quieter place.

Especially as you're familiar with the process .
.

DullGreyGuy

Woodlark10 said:

I was checking out at a supermarket where I shop regularly for an average spend when my credit card was blocked.SMS from card provider advised me to telephone NewDay to verify card details re a fraud alert.  In a queue with a full trolley and many people and staff around me I had to give my name, address, postcode, date of birth so all could hear.  It was embarrassing and distressing.  I have had fraud checks before but not instantaneous as this was.  Has happened previously  with unusual spend or when abroad.  I have checked with friends, family and other stores and no one else has experienced this.   Completely understand the need for fraud checks but is this normal these days?  If so, card holder should be advised to move to a quiet place?

So you'd rather they clear any fraud concerns without them checking that the caller is the account holder?

The choice was 100% yours, you could do the call then to try and clear the problem and buy your shopping, use another card to buy the shopping and sort it later, walk away without your shopping or apologies to the cashier and step away momentarily. 

I've certainly had it happen before, simply paid with a different card and dealt with my bank when I got back home. 

MEM62

Woodlark10 said:

It was embarrassing and distressing. 

But less distressing than having your card used fraudulently and having to deal with that.

Woodlark10 said:

I have checked with friends, family and other stores and no one else has experienced this. 

Lots of people have experienced it.  It is a daily occurrence.  

Woodlark10 said:

Completely understand the need for fraud checks but is this normal these days?  

For some card companies, yes.  

Woodlark10 said:

If so, card holder should be advised to move to a quiet place?

It would be difficult for the call handler to know your situation or where you are standing.  Also, if you are in a queue, it may be even more awkward to try and leave it with purchases incomplete.  The positive thing is that nobody in that queue is going to remember your details and you will probably never see any of them again.      
 

born_again

Woodlark10 said:

I was checking out at a supermarket where I shop regularly for an average spend when my credit card was blocked.SMS from card provider advised me to telephone NewDay to verify card details re a fraud alert.  In a queue with a full trolley and many people and staff around me I had to give my name, address, postcode, date of birth so all could hear.  It was embarrassing and distressing.  I have had fraud checks before but not instantaneous as this was.  Has happened previously  with unusual spend or when abroad.  I have checked with friends, family and other stores and no one else has experienced this.   Completely understand the need for fraud checks but is this normal these days?  If so, card holder should be advised to move to a quiet place?

It's a regularity requirement...

eskbanker

born_again said:

Woodlark10 said:

I was checking out at a supermarket where I shop regularly for an average spend when my credit card was blocked.SMS from card provider advised me to telephone NewDay to verify card details re a fraud alert.  In a queue with a full trolley and many people and staff around me I had to give my name, address, postcode, date of birth so all could hear.  It was embarrassing and distressing.  I have had fraud checks before but not instantaneous as this was.  Has happened previously  with unusual spend or when abroad.  I have checked with friends, family and other stores and no one else has experienced this.   Completely understand the need for fraud checks but is this normal these days?  If so, card holder should be advised to move to a quiet place?

It's a regularity requirement...

Checks are made according to how regularly you use the card?

retiredbanker1

Did you also not have another card to pay ''just in case'' then phone back?

born_again

eskbanker said:

born_again said:

Woodlark10 said:

I was checking out at a supermarket where I shop regularly for an average spend when my credit card was blocked.SMS from card provider advised me to telephone NewDay to verify card details re a fraud alert.  In a queue with a full trolley and many people and staff around me I had to give my name, address, postcode, date of birth so all could hear.  It was embarrassing and distressing.  I have had fraud checks before but not instantaneous as this was.  Has happened previously  with unusual spend or when abroad.  I have checked with friends, family and other stores and no one else has experienced this.   Completely understand the need for fraud checks but is this normal these days?  If so, card holder should be advised to move to a quiet place?

It's a regularity requirement...

Checks are made according to how regularly you use the card?

Spell check 🤬 Thanks..

Lets try again.
👍
It's part of the financial regulations 

Woodlark10

Thanks for comments.  I explained to caller I was in a crowded store.  Supermarket I was in hadn't come across this instant block before - I checked with manager, neither have friends, family or other shops I have asked at. Fraud checks not unusual but previously I have had alerts by text or phone call advising to ring fraud dept but not this instant block.   Nothing abnormal about spend, use, usual supermarket and profile.  Fraud operator gave me details of my husbands recent spends on his separate account instead of from mine which wasnt helpful either!   Old age didn't help situation re distress - but well done Waitrose kind staff who rescued me and looked after the unpaid shopping while I had to leave the store to sort.  In future will take another card with me.