About a month ago I checked my Visa card statement on the UK issuing bank's website.
I was quite shocked to find some charges made to my account in countries that I have not visited for several years. Some had been done in Singapore where I have not been for 4 years and the rest in Abu Dhabi which I last visited in 1986 They totalled over $5000.
I called the bank immediately and advised them that these charges were made fraudulently. They cancelled the card and launched an investigation.
Before this incident occurred a Visa card had been mailed to me since my previous card had expired. After 3 weeks I advised the bank that it had not arrived. They then sent me a replacement, by courier, which , after a few days, arrived safely.
It seems that somebody had stolen the card that was mailed and then passed over the details to some people in Singapore and Abu Dhabi who made purchases, giving the credit card number over the telephone. Fortunately, this cannot be done in the Philippines.
Yesterday, however my worries increased.
I called the bank in the UK to arrange a transfer to my account in the Philippines. I was told that my account was subject to security review and therefore, I needed to answer a lot of questions to satisfy them that I was the account holder, which I did. I asked to be told the
reason for this review.
Twice in April a caller had tried to gain access to my account, through the telephone banking service, by quoting the number of that missing card. The calls failed because the person could not give the password I had supplied to the bank.
Becoming suspicious I asked if the bank could arrange for me, and my wife, to listen to the tapes of the call, to see if we could recognise the voice. We were concerned that one of our domestic helpers might have found enough information in the house to make an attempt to draw money from my account. I learnt a long time ago that some of these employees cannot be trusted. About 8 years ago I saw one of them taking money from my wallet. Needless to say she was fired on the spot, and banned from the Village by the security officer.
We listened to the tapes over the phone. It was a Filipino and we did not recognise the voice. He said he was calling from the Philippines but the bank could not trace the number
I was really shocked, however, when I heard him quoting the PIN of my ATM card, not the Visa card.
I still cannot work out how he managed to know that.
Fortunately the bank in the UK has excellent security procedures. Since he did not know the password he achieved nothing. Check that your bank in any country has the same tight controls.
We need to learn some lessons from this:-
never leave your wallet or your cards somewhere when you are not with them, e.g take them with you when you go to bed, out of the house or even into another room
check your accounts regularly. The bank's website is the quickest way. If you wait for paper statements you could be too late to stop fraud.
call the bank immediately if a card is missing or a new one does not arrive quickly
keep all PINs secret. Try to memorise them. As a back up you could put them on a computer file and then password protect it
lock all cheque books away when you do not need them. They carry your account numbers.
try to get all statements from the bank by e-mail or the website. If you must have paper from the bank, either lock it away or detroy it after you have studied it. Shredding is best or read and eat! Do not toss these papers in the waste bin.
Act as if all your banking information is TOP SECRET
This blog is intended to share my information so that you become more aware of the risks.
Fortunately I have not suffered any financial loss, because I acted quickly
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