SWMBO took money out of a cash machine in the local supermarket yesterday.
Today she receives a call on the house phone from Visa Verify asking if she has bought anything recently from Argos (not the supermarket).
After a lot of hedging, ducking and diving and finally being asked to establish who she is the female caller changes tack and suggested the O/H contacted the card company and cancel the card.
We take the tel. number off the back of the card and report the conversation and the fact that there was a guy standing a bit too close to her at the cash machine. When O/H turned towards him he said, unchallenged, "It's OK I'm not trying to look over your shoulder" and moved away. There was also a female standing quite close.

Long story short we report it all to the card company, Police and supermarket itself.

So the nagging questions are:-
1) were the guy standing too close and the Visa Verify calls related?
2) was it an attempt to obtain details over the phone - if so how did they obtain our house tel no if related to 1)?
3) were they able to divert our call to the credit card company and we really didn't speak to the card company?

O/H currently on her way to the Bank to transfer her balance and close the Debit card.

Be careful out there - there are a lot of evil people around.
Cheers, Pewe10

Don't you just report your card as compromised? There's no need to withdraw money, as soon as it's been flagged then it's up to the bank to keep hold of the money. If any transactions happen after that point they are liable.

I would guess the two things are coincidence, as you say how did they get your phone number if it was related?

Slimy^^ in theory you're correct but IIRC there is a way of diverting your call to the Card company by the fraudsters not hanging up and knowing you're going to call the Card Company immediately - or am I just being paranoid?
We'll see when the O/H comes back from the Bank.
Cheers, Pewe10

What information did your other half disclose when they 'called the credit card company"?

The not hanging up is a well known trick.

If you just lift the phone and don't listen for a dialing tone you can just be pressing numbers without dialing as you are still connected to the fraudsters!

They might even play a dialing tone.

[Edited on 19/5/14 by minitici]

All sorted.
O/H transferred her funds out of harm's way, even received a hug from the manager (I told her that's OK as long as it wasn't a Rolf - made her smile for the first time this afternoon!).
They also cancelled the Debit card to be replaced by a new one.
Cheers, Pewe10

glad it,s sorted,i normally get my cash out by doing a cashback at the till of the shop i,m in

Easiest way to avoid the not hanging up bit is to call from a different phone. Just make sure you properly hang up and not just repeating the details to both phones!!

After a lot of hedging, ducking and diving and finally being asked to establish who she is the female caller changes tack and suggested the O/H contacted the card company and cancel the card.

I believe this is used by fraudsters quite often. If they feel they are ''losing you' they tell you to simply call the number on your card to verify what hey are saying is true. However they don't hang up, when they hear you re dial they play a recording of a ring tone and then someone else in th scam office answers and you think you are talking to the real bank....

You think you dialled, but you didn't, because the original scam call they made never ended.

[Edited on 19/5/14 by swanny]

I understand what you are saying ^^ but in fact it was the Bank we spoke to.
Having asked them for the account balance they gave us the correct figure straight away.
There was however a call straight after the first scam one with apparently no-one at the other end!
Cheers, Pewe10

One precaution against the not hanging up scam would be to try calling a friend, relative or your own mobile first which should verify that the line is clear.

quote:

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Originally posted by chris-g
One precaution against the not hanging up scam would be to try calling a friend, relative or your own mobile first which should verify that the line is clear.

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Hi Pewe,
Glad as was resolved well with no fraud occurring. Banks can be very funny once money has left the account, certainly if they think a PIN has not been kept secure.
Out of interest, where was this in Reading? My folks are plagued with dodgy calls, the last thing my stepmom (sic) needs is someone over her shoulder at a cashpoint.
Thanks.

Mds167 ^^ yes Reading.
She should really report it to the special unit which the Police have set up nationally to counter card fraud.
That's on 0300 1232040 or on-line Action Fraud.
They are keen to take your report in order to build up cases to pursue.
Also helps us all.
Cheers, Pewe10