Credit Card Fraud

[colin(bridgend)]

Beware folks - I recently ordered a new lap top computer from a well known company which only supply by telephone/computer orders. I telephoned my order through on an 0870 number and spent over 30 minutes through to a foreign call centre. Give my credit card number over the phone to a foreign person and thought as the company has a "good" reputation no more of it. A few days later had a telephone call to say the computer would be delivered on Monday and fair enough true to their word it arrived on the day.

Later in the day I opened my e-mails only to find that my credit card had been used to supply another computer to an address in U.S.A. for $699.99. the payment being made by Paypal. I have never ever given my card details over the computer and never ever used Paypal. In future I will not even be giving my card details over the phone. Today I have received another e-mail from Paypal requesting my details as other goods have been ordered in a similar way. I have informed my credit card company and they have said that they will put a stop to any payment used in this way. So much for foreign call centres - any company who uses these centres in future can stick their business right where the sun does NOT shine. If they want my business they do it my way.

 

[LMH]

Blimey Colin, that's terrible. It's rife now in this country and I think the fact that a lot of organisations use overseas call centres doesn't help.

I hope you don't suffer financially for this.

I make sure I shred all unwanted mail etc now rather than rip things up and put them in the bin.

Lisa

 

[Lord Braykewynde]

Colin another way to try and resolve this is to contact ComputerActive. I'm sure they would be interested in your story and also they have someone who will try to sort it out for you.

Email them at ... consumeractive@computeractive.co.uk

.... include your phone # and address.

I see in the latest edition more people will be financially worse off if they have placed an order with Watford Electronics or their online store, Savastore. Ironically it was Watford who took over the Tiny and Time names when they went under, now they've gone too.I bought a new computer at Christmas online from Mesh and thankfully with one hiccup all went well. I had problems with delivery and somehow them saying I had cancelled my order (which I hadn't). Their factory is in London and after making numerous calls I didn't speak to one person with an English accent.

If you want a new computer without buying online theres not much choice apart from PC World or Comet and neither of these could offer me the same spec machine unless I paid

 

[Oldfogey]

Unfortunately the biggest case last year of card numbers being misused relating to a call centre was from a centre in Scotland.

Furthermore, even if you are speaking to someone in the UK, the data may still be held overseas.

Sad to see Watford go - I used to deal with them when they were a little corner shop and a backroom, specialising in the BBC Micro.

Best way to buy a computer is to find a local specialist store that will build one to you requirements. They are not complex, and a lot of the time the big builders are using whichever parts they can get cheap, not necessarily the best for you. Also you do not need the latest hot machine unless you are a dedicated cutting edge games player or do lots of heavy video work.

Doesn't work for laptops though, you're pretty much stuck with the manufacturers.

 

[Fubar]

good thing you used your Visa card, as you say your credit card company have put a stop to it - I used to work for Visa and their regulations regarding no-receipt of goods are very robust.

this situation could also easily occur if it had been a call centre or retailer in this country, the main thing if you use a Visa card you have the back up of the organisation. the recent trouble with Farepack proved that.

hopefully you will have no further probs. M (",)

 

[ThePlotter]

Colin sorry to hear of your problem but you say that you had email from Paypal and you gave them your details .I hope you dont mean credit card details as it is fairly common for emails purporting to come from Paypal that are a con and if you pass details to them wait for the big fraud to hit.

 

[DeliDave]

Visa were very good with me bought video camera

 

[sunnybunny]

Like Colin says "Beware folks". This has just happened to me and it would appear to be on the increase. We were lucky as we bank online and discovered the fraud within 2 days of our card details being used abroad to withdraw cash.

Regards Colin (Orpington Kent)

 

[colin(bridgend)]

I know it is a little while but in answer to previous postings I have not given any information to any company over the internet and intend never to. Had an e-mail yesterday from Citybank asking me to confirm my credit details. Never ever dealt with a company of this name and as soon as I read it I forwarded it to the recycle bin.

To date the supposed sales have not shown up on my credit card details. I was contacted by Dell and told that no-one could get into their system to access my card details and there is no such firm as Dell/PayPal. If no-one has access to Dell business files how did my name and credit card become associated with this company (Dell/PayPal) as I have only once dealt with Dell and that was by telephone and not the internet?