Credit Card Hacked and Bank

GillyFlower

We are in our 80's and my email address was hacked. That led to Banks and Credit Card hacked. It has been horrible and a long tale. (No debts & Credit Card just used for 'JL vouchers' and protection if buying a large purchase but always paid balance each month.)

We are now registered with CIFAS and EXPERIAN and thought that was to protect us.

We learnt having several bank accounts is not a good idea and I have closed one down. Thought just open a Post Office Account to keep a little money in there in case anything happened and could not get to a Bank for Cash, etc. (We have no mortgage and owe no money.)

I thought I would try and keep things simple. Completed a Post Office online Savings Account application and received a letter today stating based on the registrations they can not offer us a Savings Account product.

Maybe I am naive but it was such a shock. No debts, home owner and no mortgage just wanted what I thought would be a simple Savings Account.

molerat

We learnt having several bank accounts is not a good idea

Where did you learn that ? Having more than one bank account, along with more than one credit card, is the most sensible and safest approach.

We are now registered with CIFAS and EXPERIAN and thought that was to protect us.

CIFAS protective registration is to prevent accounts being opened without further checks. It worked, it is just that the organisation you tried does not want the hassle.

GillyFlower

Thank you for your thoughts. For me having several bank accounts means that when hacked it becomes a nightmare as you have so many to deal with.

I just did not expect the Post Office to make the decision they did. It felt like I was being treating as the person who was not trustworthy.

sourcrates

"I just did not expect the Post Office to make the decision they did. It felt like I was being treating as the person who was not trustworthy."

The decision making process is mostly automated these days, computer says no kind of thing, nothing to do with anything you may be feeling, simply a business decision based on what they know about you, no more or less than that.

GillyFlower

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82099034#Comment_82099034

I learnt that having all banks, savings, etc hacked meant so much paperwork and so stressful dealing with each one that was hacked. So thought keeping it simple, in case it happened again, to reduce the phone calls and so much paperwork to bring things to a closure..

dumpster_fire2025

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82111435#Comment_82111435

I can understand the thought process but the other side of the coin is what if your only bank account and credit card are accessed? If they cancel the cards and reissue them then it's going to be trips to the bank to withdraw cash until they arrive.

I've had a few fraudulent card transactions pop up over the years and I've never found the process particularly onerous. I'd rather have to deal with the fraud team in multiple banks than potentially lose (easy) access to my money for days.

GillyFlower

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82111623#Comment_82111623

Yes - I do understand what you mean. But I think the shock was the John Lewis Card being linked to other Credit Cards. I naively thought it was a stand alone product. So - investigation goes deeper when it happens.

1. if I go for the Nationwide Credit Card - if it happened again I wonder what other Credit companies are linked to that? As I said I see others have 'perks' eg. Tesco. But we do not have one locally.

2. Is it safer to go for a Credit Card not linked to a high street bank that you bank with I wonder?

eskbanker

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82112896#Comment_82112896

What do you actually mean by the John Lewis card being "linked to" other credit cards?

Their cards are provided by NewDay Ltd, like those of other non-financial retailers, but that's not linking cards as such…

GillyFlower

What I mean is when I phoned to see if my JL Card was OK -I was told it was not. They said they also deal with Marbles and Zopa and credit cards accounts were now opened up in our name for these.

Barkin

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82113016#Comment_82113016

I asked the same question in an (almost) identical thread started by the OP on 20th in the credit cards section.

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6680395/credit-card-was-hacked-is-it-worth-getting-another

I'm still none the wiser..

eskbanker

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82113538#Comment_82113538

As well as providing the cards branded as JL, NewDay are also behind Marbles, but Zopa is separate to the best of my knowledge. However, being supplied by the same company doesn't really mean that the cards are linked as such, and it sounds like the fraudsters obtained enough of your personal data to open other accounts in your name - the fact that one of these was via the same provider who issues JL cards is more likely to be a coincidence than a 'link', i.e. the latter is a standalone product…