Paranoid Card Payment no. 132

[dave_c]

Last Friday, I had one of those paranoid moments, I was in an Takeaway and I used my debit card to pay, what made me raise my eyebrow was the way the guy handled my transaction in an unusual way, he didn't put the chip in the machine nor did he swipe the strip, what he did was type the number of the card into his computer as well as that other number at the back he then asked for my billing address, I hesitated for a few seconds then for some reason he said that he didn't need it. The reason why I was hesitant was that I never needed ask for my billing address until now, but they also do internet orders and assumed that he was doing the transaction on the internet.

My question is, is this common place with some outlets?

We live in a day and age where fraud occurs quite frequently, where (personally speaking) you could quite easily be scare-mongered/paranoid to trust your fellow person with good faith but equally be an actual victim of fraud.

[Postdog]

I had a similar thing with the AA when I bought a battery - he did it all online in the van and had my card all the time. Dunno if he checked the security code but he probably did.

Best thing if you are worried is have a word with the issuer

[Josh111]

I certainly don't want to increase your worry on this but I after reading this, I recalled something that happened to my parents about 3 years ago.

Almost the same thing happened at a takeaway and then three weeks later the barclaycard fraud dept. rang my parents to ask them if they had bought 2,500 pounds work of electrical (and nautical?!) equipment in Pakistan. Needless to say, they hadn't.

I agree with Postdog, ring the card people and double-check. Better safe than sorry.

[Uzoma]

I hate to make you feel paranoid but I would suggest that you keep an eye on your statements just in case. If you really feel concerned, there's no harm (that I know of anyway) in cancelling your card and having a new one issued. There's a BBC programme called 'The Real Hustle' who were able to snatch people's details off of their cards. I don't think that is what has happened to you based on your description but if in doubt, better safe than sorry.

[Whoever]

I've not come across this method of payment before but I would report the issue to the Trading Standards Department of your local council. If they think there is something dodgy about it they can then investigate.

[Man in Black]

I use the Internet (Worldpay) to charge for items bought from my Mail-Order Business and, I was told, need extra info. because "card not present" - start AND expiry date, telephone No. OR e-mail address and of course the security code. As the bulk of his credit-card business in a takeaway it may well be that he had to conform to a similar type of security.

However, I have undertaken to conduct my credit-card sales on a STRICTLY card-not-present basis. I am not allowed to actually handle a card and can only use info given over telephone or by post . With a food takeaway they probably need a more flexible scheme but I think you are right to be cautious.

[dave_c]

Man in Black asides from being cautious, I had the benefit of doubt that that made me hesitate, I also assume they take telephone orders that way with the customer quoting their card numbers on the phone if it's that payment method, I did that with my local council once on the phone to pay a parking fine, though I don't know if it's true in this case.
What personally made me shudder was one of those cold telesales calls from the Sub-Continent I answered the other day, it's not uncommon for my home phone number, but what was suspicious was that they were going to send something this week but I needed to confirm my address. Could be just coincidence.

[Ethel]

I rang my credit card issuer just a few weeks ago because a transaction just didn't feel right.

They weren't the least bit bothered and said it costs money to issue a new card and they weren't prepared to do that until or unless there was a problem with the account.

Needless to say, I cancelled the account straight away.

[Pimpernel]

Hello Ethel,

Is it with the Tesco credit card that you came acroos this pbm?
I'm thinking of applying either for their card or the Barclaycard (I am putting a flat for sale abroad and might have to buy a plane ticket at very short notice in order to sign the pre-sale contract), and I want good customer service. I would probably be paying off the balance in full at the beginning of the next month, so I'm not too bothered about the interest rate they charge.

thanks in advance.