Being scammed

I only use a debit card. I no longer use a credit card since I retired.
I try to be very careful, and always think twice about any messages, emails, texts that I receive. I use PayPal for online purchases, and I have not had any problems with that.

I was very nearly caught up in a bank scam a few years ago. Luckily, I told the person that I had to look up something, and could not do it while he was on the line. Those few minutes gave me time to think. I ignored the phone when he called a minute or two later. I checked with the bank the next day.

On contacting my RBS fraud people they stated that they never phone customers about a fraud. I had a chap get through our call guardian by saying he was from RBS . We never get scam calls normally because our calls are screened. This chap did not have the usual Indian accent but sounded Scottish and told me there was unusual entries on my current account . when I asked him how he could prove his was a genuine call he wanted me to give him my mobile number so I could check the call was coming from RBS. I thought about it and said " tell you what I will phone you " He then just disconected the call .

I'm sure everyone has been told that they should not use the same password for different applications. If, for example, you have an account with Sainsbury's and Sainsbury's data base is hacked and your password isolated, if you use the same password for Tesco Online, your Tesco account also becomes vulnerable.

Trying to come up with different passwords is a pain but you would be better off writing them down somewhere safe than taking a risk by using the same password many times.

These scams are truly awful and can have a devastating effect on those who fall victim to them, but it’s difficult to know what more can be done to warn people.

Banks have whole sections detailing just how the most common ones work. There have been many tv programmes and newspapers ( or at least ours) are always stressing the importance of being vigilant, and again, explaining just how these scammers work to draw us in if we are not careful.

I guess it just comes down to us all being aware that if we are contacted out of the blue and asked to to do anything with our money it will most definitely be a scam.

Hello there, you have all my sympathy. On Thursday I received a text from my bank to contact them ASAP as there was unusual activity on my account. I called and went through the security stuff. Eventually I managed to reset my details etc. and I’m now waiting for a refund for the fraud, my new bank card and a new pin. I think my card may have been cloned from an online website. Fortunately I can access van account with a different card.

It’s all so upsetting. I hope yours is sorted out as soon as possible as well. All the best

I’m with GSM and always use my credit card - my debit card is always left at home, unless I plan to use an ATM (always in bank, not hole in the wall).
My bank gives me a healthy overdraft, which I’ve never needed, but I suspect scammers would take that, as well as clearing out the account.

Scamming happens often nowadays. I think it's important to note that nobody is truly safe, no matter how they prepare.

Do not feel as if you're daft if you get scammed, it's likely your money will be returned by the bank - ours has always been returned to us.

We never answer intrusive bank questions, we quite rarely use debit cards, and we've been scammed countless times - I pride myself on my sense to numbers and banking - stuff happens.

BlueBelle

But I should add I don’t have that much money in my debit account enough for daily use

However little you might have in the account, would you want to lose it? And have scammers know the details of your account? As I said, I absolutely never use my debit card. Never have, never will.

I also recommend Scam Interceptors. I watched it on my DS's recommendation just after he had extricated me from exactly the same scam as as the one featured on the programme. I was horrified that I had so nearly been caught out - angry and embarrassed. How could I have been so nearly fooled? It answer is 'all too easily.
You can find the programme on i-Player: Scam Interceptors, Series2, Cutdowns: Episode 9

Seems as though there are cyber shanigans going on right now. Sainsburys and tesco. Ds said that many companies are held to ransome but none admit to it as it frightens customers. Imagine all the cyber details being held by those two supermarkets

BlueBelle

I ve only ever used a debit card !!!
What thread was there another poster scammed ? I didn’t see that

On Friday's Good Morning thread, two posts from a regular.

yes that is what we were told at an actionfraud talk. I only ever use a credit card now. Have a look at the actionfraud site, it is run by the police, lots of good info on there

My landline got a lot of scam calls, I no longer have a landline. I have kaspersky and vod on a mobile and it is very rare for a scam call to get through

My ds works for a bank, IT and auditing and they have a meeting every month about scams. He rests easy about me, knows that I never click on an e mail link etc At the actionfraud meeting we were told that scammers often start by making a friend of you and then suck you in, very siilar to romance fraud. He said that they will be in craft groups, churches, hobby groups of allsorts

But I should add I don’t have that much money in my debit account enough for daily use

I ve only ever used a debit card !!!
What thread was there another poster scammed ? I didn’t see that

I always try to pay for online stuff with a credit card because the company is jointly liable with the seller. Then if you are scammed or have an unsatisfactory purchase its much easier to do a chargeback or get your money back.

I just looked in the spam folder for one of my email addresses and according to the stuff that was swooshed straight into the junkmail I have won several holidays, TVs, ninja air fryers, etc. Ive also missed a whole load of packages that various companies were trying to deliver to me.

Yeah, right.

I know what packages I am expecting.

Germanshepherdsmum

They give direct access to your bank account. A credit card doesn’t.

Yes, what GSM said. ^^

?? Why did I never learn to write in a concise manner?

Desdemona

What makes debit cards particularly vulnerable?

With a debit card the money debits out directly, when using a credit card you are using your credit at the bank and the bank are somewhat responsible for how that transaction transpires.

Easier: use a debit card and money is gone as cash.

They give direct access to your bank account. A credit card doesn’t.

What makes debit cards particularly vulnerable?

Oh dear - I used my debit card today - forgot to tak my credit
Card - always changing purses - that’s my problem !

Thank goodness you checked with your bank Sar53

This is why I never use my debit card Sar, only my credit card.

I recommend watching Scam Interceptors BBC1 @20.30 WEDNESDAYS.
I have learned a lot from this programme. This includes every detail of the scam that defrauded grandMattie recently. Forewarned, forearmed.

First our bank branches close so we are forced encouraged to do online or phone banking and have to remember a myriad of passwords

Then the shops close so more and more is only available on-line

If you want to speak to a human, you can't and have to answer some silly bot

Next you are trying to do something online but you are interrupted by someone asking for the long number on your card. You give it to them and then.... you instantly regret it and phone your bank fraud dept who tell you you will be issued with a new card.
New passwords to learn....
You never asked for any of this

How horrid for you ! That is so distressing.
It’s so hard to know what messages are genuine nowadays as it’s like living under constant attack every time you answer the phone. We leave the answerphone on almost all the time now as we have in the past had one call after another from scammers. If I had a pound for every call I’m supposed to have received from Microsoft about a computer virus or Amazon Prime being charged, or £600 being spent on my Visa card ( when I don’t even own a computer/ shop at Amazon/ or have a credit card ) - I’d be a very very rich old lady !