Bloody Scammers.

[Canary42]

I just had a telephone call purporting to be from my bank asking if I had authorised a payment of £1,200 on my credit card. The guy then asked me several questions as a "security check" so I responded accordingly until he asked for the payment authorisation number on the back of my card. I then smelled a rat so refused, saying I thought he was a fraud. He then said he couldn't go ahead and block my card as I hadn't answered all his security questions, so the bank couldn't take any responsibility for any fraudulent payments made.

I then hung up and called my bank using the card report number, and surprise surprise they knew nothing about it. So I told them to lock my card immediately and send me a new one.

But I am very annoyed because this will be the second replacement in the last few weeks. I asked the (genuine) guy what I could do to identify how my details were getting leaked but he said that was not possible (which didn't surprise me).

But what I am concerned about is that someone I'm doing online business with is siphoning off this information, so I have no guarantee against it happening again.

Online payment is suddenly feeling very insecure.

End of rant, but still bloody annoyed.

[sandyRoe]

Would it be safer if you used a credit card rather than your debit card?

[Canary42]

It is a Credit Card Sandy.

[JimF]

What details of your card, if any, did the scammer already know?

[DTCwordfan]

Agree, I had it happen a few months back and the language very non-banking-like when rumbled more like replace the b of banker with a w.

[Canary42]

I can't remember JimF he rambled on so much I'm now not sure - I think it may have been just the last four numbers (which on reflection is a bit suspicious too).

Another feature which, in retrospect, seems suspicious is that the caller ID was missing.

I just wish the genuine guy could have been more helpful about how to prevent recurrence, but I guess that's a cat they don't want to let out of the bag as it would help any scammer.

[Xeronema]

Canary, my advice would be to call your bank and ask them to set up a memorable word on your account. The memorable word will be one that they have to provide you before you are willing to give out any personal information. They will tell you the memorable word as soon as you confirm your name, nothing more. This is information that the scammers will not have, and you'll be safe from them pretending to be your bank again.

Any personal information you gave the scammers will likely have been added to a database and sold to other scammers. I'm not trying to frighten you, just letting you know that is what tends to happen.

[Canary42]

DTC he didn't react at all differently when I rumbled him, just used the "the bank would be unable to cover fraud unless I answered all the security checks" threat.

He rang back when I hung up but I killed the call without answering.

[bobbinwales]

Sometimes they get this info from the Royal Mail/courier delivery scams where you pay say £2 and then once they have your card number they ring up saying "we'er your credit card provider and we think someone is trying to scam you after you fell for a scam".
If you havent given those details then maybe there is someone working for a company you bought online from whose downloaded customer data onto maybe there phone and sold it on

[Canary42]

Xeronema, thanks for that, I'll give it a try.

[JimF]

That's why I asked. Bank security staff will never ask you for any information which they should already know. Furthermore, they will confirm who they are by texting a security code to your mobile.

I've had a couple of similar calls over the last few months. I usually just make up a card number, which they inevitably confirm as being correct.

[bobbinwales]

Often when you go back over the conversation you realise there pretty clever and if they catch you off gaurd and can use terms like (your mastercard)... or they could take a punt and say Halifax or santander knowing that maybe 1in3 have a halifax/santander card somewhere

[Xeronema]

Another thing to watch out for is scammers spoofing numbers - this is where they will call from the bank's number, in an attempt to look more legit.

Most scammers will get irritated very quickly if you're not complying. Any real bank would be fine if you responded with, "I don't trust this call, I'm going to give the bank a call". You know something is up if they start threatening you at that point.

[Canary42]

Thank you all for your tips and suggestions, I'm annoyed with myself that I didn't twig the scammer earlier, so your help has been very useful.

[Peter Pedant]

my fren' asks - who do you think you are ringing?
what is the account you are talking about ?

and as soon as they say - er-er-er or yours!
you know it is a scam

One time feeling frisky he said - fine what is the securriy code you have just send me?

(er for the slower AB readers: there wasnt one)

[Peter Pedant]

one wag on AB quipped:

you know it is a scam if the "bank" is being helpful !

haw haw haw

so true so true etc

[Peter Pedant]

you cant always be canny, canary

My sister came in from Xmas shopping and got a phone call saying she had been cloned
eek - narrow squeak there !

[Peter Pedant]

I had a ring back - who opened with
" you are the rudest man I know"
and I said. I didnt ring you: you rang me

[rowanwitch]

Set up a reverse password with your bank. Any phone calls from them can be checked. Or ask them for one of your direct debits, or what day of the month one goes out, your bank will know a scammer won't.

[rowanwitch]

Make sure you ask for one they can't guess, so if you have an odd subscription, they wouldn't know . Or ask for one that doesn't exist... I've had scammers try to guess when an imaginary magazine subscription goes out.

[Xeronema]

Thanks for the best answer Canary :)

Rowanwitch, any legit bank won't tell you that information (direct debit) unless you pass through security, however you make a good point, if the scammer does try to guess one, that alone will prove that the caller is not from the bank.

The password system isn't something that the bank or other businesses (the majority anyway) like to advertise, which to me is ridiculous. I think that all banks and other businesses should have such a password system. It's a perfect way to increase security and most systems, if not all, would allow for it.

My OH and I are scam baiters; everything from telephone calls, emails and text message scam baiting. There's nothing nicer than wasting a scammers time.