Be on your guard

[Anmer]

I'm sharing this as a warning to others.

Got a call this morning from someone claiming to be from my credit card issuer, querying a recent transaction.

I asked how could I be sure the caller was genuine?  I was given my postcode and told only a bank would know it.  I said that wasn't good enough and what else could they do to reassure me.

They said they'd call back using the telephone number on the back of my card.  When I said that too could be scammed I was told to "eff off".  And the caller put down the phone.

Normally I tell them where to go. 

Next I called my bank's fraud team.  They hadn't called me but had just declined an attempt to add my card to Google Wallet.  They thought the call was an attempt to get more info such as my CVV number so they could add the card.  With that the bank decided to cancel my card and issue a new one.  I wonder if they would have done that had I not called?

So, for the second time in three months I'm getting a new card and all the hassle that goes with it.  My guess is an online retailer's had its data compromised.

The caller knew my name, phone and card numbers and post code.  This wasn't a random phishing call.

So be on your guard.  These fraudsters are getting smarter by the day.  And the banks are not interested in tracking them down.

[Ospreyv22]

Well done for being on your guard with that one and out witting them.
It is unbelievable,
Thanks for the heads up.

[rikgale]

Nice pick up there! Really got to be on your guard, which you clearly were.

Had 'my bank' text me the other day. The text came up with the name of my bank as the texters name and it looked very genuine. Stated that my account with them had not been used in a while a it was being moved to the Dormant Account scheme and to contact them to 're-activate' my account. Two phone numbers given... one was 1 digit different from my banks contact number and the other, on googling, was a known scam number. Clever way to push the unwary into calling the scammer number.

[Anmer]

Had 'my bank' text me the other day. The text came up with the name of my bank as the texters name and it looked very genuine. Stated that my account with them had not been used in a while a it was being moved to the Dormant Account scheme and to contact them to 're-activate' my account. Two phone numbers given... one was 1 digit different from my banks contact number and the other, on googling, was a known scam number. Clever way to push the unwary into calling the scammer number.

There's no telling what they'll do next.  They're not as dumb as one might expect.  And I'm told the naive younger set falls for their scams too.