Unusual £800+ Debit Transaction – Fraud, Impulse Spending, or System Error?

born_again

CindyCindy443 said:

kah22 said:

I’m hoping to get some advice about a  situation I’ve never come across before. It involves my friend, who has a serious mental health condition that sometimes leads her to engage in uncontrolled shopping sprees. Recently, she discovered a debit card statement showing a payment of over £800 from a company that, as far as I can tell, is no longer trading. Given that she lives in a small community, it seems unlikely she could have spent that much money if she were fully in control of her actions.

All her income comes from benefits (including PIP), and while she’s an excellent saver when she’s stable, she can blow it all while on a high. I understand that, since this was a debit card transaction, it won’t be covered for loss. However, this large, unusual transaction makes me wonder—do banks flag this type of purchase as potential fraud or system error?

I’m accompanying her to our local Ulster Bank branch (where everyone knows her and even her pet dog gets a warm welcome in the manager’s office) tomorrow. I’d appreciate any advice on what questions I should ask. Should I be treating this as a potential case of fraud, or is it more likely just an error?

Im trying to encourage her to ask what the bank can offer to customers in situations like hers where safeguarding against wild overspending. For instance, are there measures in place such as limits on one off direct payments, alerts for high-value transactions, or automatic notifications when an account balance drops below a certain amount?  Her bank is the Ulster Bank§§

Thanks in advance for your help,

Hi, did you ever get a resolution to this? Something extremely similar has just happened my Dad to the sum of +£400 with the same company listed on the bank statement. 

He wasn’t even in that location during the time of the transaction, had his card in his possession and no one but him knows the pin. Bank are not very helpful in assisting, have reported to anti fraud crime dept but trying are best to get to the bottom of it ourselves too and any insight would be really helpful. 

Who is the payment to?
How was it made? Bank can tell you that. 
Location on statement is not always where it was made, could be terminal not updated to location or payment via head office address.

CindyCindy443

born_again said:

CindyCindy443 said:

kah22 said:

I’m hoping to get some advice about a  situation I’ve never come across before. It involves my friend, who has a serious mental health condition that sometimes leads her to engage in uncontrolled shopping sprees. Recently, she discovered a debit card statement showing a payment of over £800 from a company that, as far as I can tell, is no longer trading. Given that she lives in a small community, it seems unlikely she could have spent that much money if she were fully in control of her actions.

All her income comes from benefits (including PIP), and while she’s an excellent saver when she’s stable, she can blow it all while on a high. I understand that, since this was a debit card transaction, it won’t be covered for loss. However, this large, unusual transaction makes me wonder—do banks flag this type of purchase as potential fraud or system error?

I’m accompanying her to our local Ulster Bank branch (where everyone knows her and even her pet dog gets a warm welcome in the manager’s office) tomorrow. I’d appreciate any advice on what questions I should ask. Should I be treating this as a potential case of fraud, or is it more likely just an error?

Im trying to encourage her to ask what the bank can offer to customers in situations like hers where safeguarding against wild overspending. For instance, are there measures in place such as limits on one off direct payments, alerts for high-value transactions, or automatic notifications when an account balance drops below a certain amount?  Her bank is the Ulster Bank§§

Thanks in advance for your help,

Hi, did you ever get a resolution to this? Something extremely similar has just happened my Dad to the sum of +£400 with the same company listed on the bank statement. 

He wasn’t even in that location during the time of the transaction, had his card in his possession and no one but him knows the pin. Bank are not very helpful in assisting, have reported to anti fraud crime dept but trying are best to get to the bottom of it ourselves too and any insight would be really helpful. 

Who is the payment to?
How was it made? Bank can tell you that. 
Location on statement is not always where it was made, could be terminal not updated to location or payment via head office address.

The payment was to the same company. According to the bank, it looks like it was made by card & chip and pin but the card was in my Dad’s possession (and therefore in a different city) the whole time so we think the card was replicated. 

The location of the transaction appears to be a residential house. 

born_again

CindyCindy443 said:

born_again said:

CindyCindy443 said:

kah22 said:

I’m hoping to get some advice about a  situation I’ve never come across before. It involves my friend, who has a serious mental health condition that sometimes leads her to engage in uncontrolled shopping sprees. Recently, she discovered a debit card statement showing a payment of over £800 from a company that, as far as I can tell, is no longer trading. Given that she lives in a small community, it seems unlikely she could have spent that much money if she were fully in control of her actions.

All her income comes from benefits (including PIP), and while she’s an excellent saver when she’s stable, she can blow it all while on a high. I understand that, since this was a debit card transaction, it won’t be covered for loss. However, this large, unusual transaction makes me wonder—do banks flag this type of purchase as potential fraud or system error?

I’m accompanying her to our local Ulster Bank branch (where everyone knows her and even her pet dog gets a warm welcome in the manager’s office) tomorrow. I’d appreciate any advice on what questions I should ask. Should I be treating this as a potential case of fraud, or is it more likely just an error?

Im trying to encourage her to ask what the bank can offer to customers in situations like hers where safeguarding against wild overspending. For instance, are there measures in place such as limits on one off direct payments, alerts for high-value transactions, or automatic notifications when an account balance drops below a certain amount?  Her bank is the Ulster Bank§§

Thanks in advance for your help,

Hi, did you ever get a resolution to this? Something extremely similar has just happened my Dad to the sum of +£400 with the same company listed on the bank statement. 

He wasn’t even in that location during the time of the transaction, had his card in his possession and no one but him knows the pin. Bank are not very helpful in assisting, have reported to anti fraud crime dept but trying are best to get to the bottom of it ourselves too and any insight would be really helpful. 

Who is the payment to?
How was it made? Bank can tell you that. 
Location on statement is not always where it was made, could be terminal not updated to location or payment via head office address.

The payment was to the same company. According to the bank, it looks like it was made by card & chip and pin but the card was in my Dad’s possession (and therefore in a different city) the whole time so we think the card was replicated. 

The location of the transaction appears to be a residential house. 

Bank will be able to tell exactly how the payment was made. So looks like is no good to prove anything.
Many retailer process payments in a different location to where it was actually made.
Cloned Chip & Pin cards are a rarity in UK. Never heard or seen of one in our dept in all the years working there. Always a logical reason to the transaction.
Who is the retailer?

user1977

CindyCindy443 said:

born_again said:

CindyCindy443 said:

kah22 said:

I’m hoping to get some advice about a  situation I’ve never come across before. It involves my friend, who has a serious mental health condition that sometimes leads her to engage in uncontrolled shopping sprees. Recently, she discovered a debit card statement showing a payment of over £800 from a company that, as far as I can tell, is no longer trading. Given that she lives in a small community, it seems unlikely she could have spent that much money if she were fully in control of her actions.

All her income comes from benefits (including PIP), and while she’s an excellent saver when she’s stable, she can blow it all while on a high. I understand that, since this was a debit card transaction, it won’t be covered for loss. However, this large, unusual transaction makes me wonder—do banks flag this type of purchase as potential fraud or system error?

I’m accompanying her to our local Ulster Bank branch (where everyone knows her and even her pet dog gets a warm welcome in the manager’s office) tomorrow. I’d appreciate any advice on what questions I should ask. Should I be treating this as a potential case of fraud, or is it more likely just an error?

Im trying to encourage her to ask what the bank can offer to customers in situations like hers where safeguarding against wild overspending. For instance, are there measures in place such as limits on one off direct payments, alerts for high-value transactions, or automatic notifications when an account balance drops below a certain amount?  Her bank is the Ulster Bank§§

Thanks in advance for your help,

Hi, did you ever get a resolution to this? Something extremely similar has just happened my Dad to the sum of +£400 with the same company listed on the bank statement. 

He wasn’t even in that location during the time of the transaction, had his card in his possession and no one but him knows the pin. Bank are not very helpful in assisting, have reported to anti fraud crime dept but trying are best to get to the bottom of it ourselves too and any insight would be really helpful. 

Who is the payment to?
How was it made? Bank can tell you that. 
Location on statement is not always where it was made, could be terminal not updated to location or payment via head office address.

it looks like it was made by card & chip and pin but the card was in my Dad’s possession (and therefore in a different city) the whole time  

And he definitely wasn't making a similarly-sized transaction with somebody around the same time? The merchant's name and location often don't resemble their trading name.

marcia_

 I have made payments to stall holders at festivals, markets concerts etc where by the retailer shows on my statement as being in another city and random names. Could he have made a payments like that locally 

CindyCindy443

Thanks all. The retailer is the same business as the initial post on this chain refers to, that’s how this post came to my attention. 

Definitely not made a similar transaction at the time, this transaction took place in the country we live in, he was on holidays during the transaction. It’s all very strange and very difficult to understand. 

visidigi

Does this sound like a skimming and pin videoing type scam to anyone else? It might explain the delay/conflict in the event happening. Somewhere its used, skimmed and video of the pin captured.....then re-imaged and rerun, to the powers that be it would look like a genuine pin and chip transaction no?

user1977

visidigi said:

Does this sound like a skimming and pin videoing type scam to anyone else? It might explain the delay/conflict in the event happening. Somewhere its used, skimmed and video of the pin captured.....then re-imaged and rerun, to the powers that be it would look like a genuine pin and chip transaction no?

If it's fraud it seems odd that the merchant has the name of an apparently legit and established company (and that it's a Northern Irish one when that's also where the OP is).

born_again

visidigi said:

Does this sound like a skimming and pin videoing type scam to anyone else? It might explain the delay/conflict in the event happening. Somewhere its used, skimmed and video of the pin captured.....then re-imaged and rerun, to the powers that be it would look like a genuine pin and chip transaction no?

No because they would need to produce a card with a chip in (never see any in all my time) Systems show when a chip is read. Which is how counterfeit cards are picked up.


 The retailer is the same business as the initial post on this chain refers to

Which was questioned as to was it correct. So please confirm who it is.

If a company goes bust, then any terminal's go back to supplier. They are supposed to be wiped clear of details, but has been know for them not to & transactions show under old details, although it is a genuine transaction to another retailer.

visidigi

born_again said:

visidigi said:

Does this sound like a skimming and pin videoing type scam to anyone else? It might explain the delay/conflict in the event happening. Somewhere its used, skimmed and video of the pin captured.....then re-imaged and rerun, to the powers that be it would look like a genuine pin and chip transaction no?

No because they would need to produce a card with a chip in (never see any in all my time) Systems show when a chip is read. Which is how counterfeit cards are picked up.


 The retailer is the same business as the initial post on this chain refers to

Which was questioned as to was it correct. So please confirm who it is.

If a company goes bust, then any terminal's go back to supplier. They are supposed to be wiped clear of details, but has been know for them not to & transactions show under old details, although it is a genuine transaction to another retailer.

Does the system differentiate between card chip read and swiped transaction?