Just had a call from my bank. Someone tried a fraudulent transaction on my debit card at Dixon’s web site yesterday (I’m not in the market to part with £699.99 for some electronic tat at the moment). They don’t know the SecureCard password, but have obviously got other details.

The card has been stopped. I have to destroy my debit card and a new one will be issued, with a new number, expiry date etc.. I didn’t lose any money, which is good, but the inconvenience is a PITA - it may not turn up until next week, which buggers up the weekend a bit. Depends on how quickly the bank can turn this around

I was told that this kind of thing is getting very common now. Maybe a better security system is needed, though I have to say that this one has done its job today.

I got a letter from the bank concerning my credit card - they may well ring in future as I've updated the details with them.

Got the replacement card this morning.

This kind of thing gives me the jitters for a day or two, but it is reassuring that they do catch things. In my case, it seemed someone tried to use the card details, but it failed to go through and was flagged and stopped. What's a trifle worrying is how the card info slipped out. I'm very careful about it.

Other people may not be so careful.
These stories about laptops being left about the place with hundreds of thousands of user details on them, and then there's web facing servers with customer details on it being published.
It's not just you that has to be careful with the details.

Mark

So true. Provided it gets caught before too much happens it's a risk I have to accept.

My bank have a second password for use online. So if I buy something online it might come up with a second identity verification. As I have a password manager I have randomly generated passwords for everything. So my bank cards have different verification numbers. My paypal account has a rolling PIN dongle as well so I have layers of protection. It is better to be safe than sorry. Also when I get a new card I collect it from the local branch. It is much safer, because they know me there.

I wish they'd use those online chip and pin card readers as an additional form of security. I can never remember my correct Verified By Visa password.

PayPal send me a PIN number by text when I log in. My HSBC business account has a little number generator which I need when I log on. Personal banking seems less well protected and relies on me remembering a long number.

When I brought the GF iphone over the phone with 02 both my cards were blocked but within a couple of seconds the credit card company phoned me to check I was making the transaction. So I advised them it was me and the transaction went through. At first I was a bit pissed off but after they explained 90% of frauds on high value electrical goods I understood plus I don’t use my cards that often so it triggered the alarm bells…..

My CC company responded well when mine was done several years back.

Like HK aludes to though, we have it drummed in time and time again that we have to keep our data secure. The trouble is all of the companies and banks that have data stolen/lost or just leave printouts of it in black bins on the streets.

I think they're getting better now, for online purchases or some other payments many banks and credit cards actually text a code to you to confirm the transaction.

It would be nice though if the businesses that people bought from where harassed about data protection as much as individuals are.

Mind you there are some people out there who happily put out almost all of their lives on the internet, IIRC there was a (Dutch?) webiste that used information from social networks etc to create a list of people who they could guarantee would be out of their house and could be burgled.

I would like a pin generator for my current account. My oldest daughter has one that has a slot for the card to be inserted so that it actually verifies the card at the same time. It is a Swedish bank so that explains why it is not here.

I can check my account details and move money between my own accounts using just password protection, but for anything more "risky" I need to use the card reader they sent me.

I had my ccard cloned once but the company spotted it and stopped it straight away.

Pretty sure it was cloned from the Shell Garage near me so I always pay cash for my petrol now.

Replacement card arrived today. That was pretty quick.