Hats off to HSBC

[st4]

The card companies are very good and this is one element of the "big brother culture" that in this context I won't critisise.

But I will ask the question, who here thinks its a tad scary that a company knows your shopping trends and what is likely to be a "rogue" purchase based on how you normally spend.

I therefore stick to cash, it comes out of a machine, and I can spend it without a) the risk of fraud unless I am robbed b) the lovely feeling that I am the only one who knows my spending habits.

 

[Dieselman]

But I will ask the question, who here thinks its a tad scary that a company knows your shopping trends and what is likely to be a "rogue" purchase based on how you normally spend.

I therefore stick to cash, it comes out of a machine, and I can spend it without a) the risk of fraud unless I am robbed

Unless your card is skimmed at a machine..

Regarding ones spending habits when using plastic, one has to remember it is their plastic one is using, so they have a right to see where it's being used, but they can't see what on..

this is one element of the "big brother culture" that in this context I won't critisise.

Cough, cough...nearly spat my tea out..

 

[stevesey]

But I will ask the question, who here thinks its a tad scary that a company knows your shopping trends and what is likely to be a "rogue" purchase based on how you normally spend.

Think about it a bit more - the bank/card company has all of these details anyway - it's called a statement. All they are doing is profiling the data so they can spot something unusual.

More scary is the fact that they also profile your IP address, browser details, resolution etc each time you log onto internet banking. Logon using a different OS/browser/ISP combination to normal and your risk score will increase, then try to empty the account or do an out of the norm transaction and the alarms will really sound.

 

[Dieselman]

Sounds like a plan.....

 

[glojo]

But I will ask the question, who here thinks its a tad scary that a company knows your shopping trends and what is likely to be a "rogue" purchase based on how you normally spend..

The card has been used once in two months; I don't think it scary that we were contacted, I have NO problem with your 'Big Brother' issues, in fact I contacted the bank and thanked them for what they did.

We cannot cherry pick these issues and say it is alright if it does me favours, but not alright if it catches me misbehaving, or it is too big brother-ish. Going waaay off topic, I would suggest that the CCTV footage of that unconcious person being robbed by those ladies was brilliant. Without the footage then when those 'charming' young ladies went to court, they would be smartly dressed, apologetic and no doubt crying, claiming how all this was a one off, but the CCTV shows the women as being worse than Afican Hunting Dogs. There was no hiding place and no words could hide what they did.

Back to my topic
I will be writing a letter to the fraud department requesting as much detail as possible regarding any ongoing investigation and also requesting they involve the police.

regards
John

 

[st4]

Unless your card is skimmed at a machine..

Absolutely, if you feel really inclined you can queue at the bank. I don't but you've given me food for thought.

Regarding ones spending habits when using plastic, one has to remember it is their plastic one is using, so they have a right to see where it's being used, but they can't see what on..

Absolutely correct if its a credit card but what if its a debit card? I prefer to take out the cash I need for the month and it helps me budget, but whatever floats others boats...

And with credit cards as its their money I shall back down/stand corrected re that being a big brother issue...but if its a debit card then...

Cough, cough...nearly spat my tea out..

I am glad I amuse you :bannana:

Think about it a bit more - the bank/card company has all of these details anyway - it's called a statement. All they are doing is profiling the data so they can spot something unusual.do an out of the norm transaction and the alarms will really sound.

They do, but a statement doesn't show how you've spent your cash, only the withdrawls from the ATM which tell them diddly squat.

More scary is the fact that they also profile your IP address, browser details, resolution etc each time you log onto internet banking. Logon using a different OS/browser/ISP combination to normal and your risk score will increase, then try to empty the account or do an out of the norm transaction and the alarms will really sound.

Internet banking is optional, and there is a simple solution to that aspect of big brotherness. But I agree thats scary, what if I use an internet cafe or a mates PC to do some web based banking?

We cannot cherry pick these issues and say it is alright if it does me favours, but not alright if it catches me misbehaving, or it is too big brother-ish. Going waaay off topic, I would suggest that the CCTV footage of that unconcious person being robbed by those ladies was brilliant. Without the footage then when those 'charming' young ladies went to court, they would be smartly dressed, apologetic and no doubt crying, claiming how all this was a one off, but the CCTV shows the women as being worse than Afican Hunting Dogs. There was no hiding place and no words could hide what they did.

Its been used to secure a conviction but surely it would have been better not to have happened in the first place. An indication of a society in decline when we have to snoop on the population IMO.

A better solution would have been a beat copper who saw this and stopped it before it happenned.

Back to my topic
I will be writing a letter to the fraud department requesting as much detail as possible regarding any ongoing investigation and also requesting they involve the police.

regards
John

Good luck

 

[st13phil]

I will be writing a letter to the fraud department requesting as much detail as possible regarding any ongoing investigation and also requesting they involve the police.

John, if my experience with fraudulent transactions is anything to go by (I've had two on two different cards in the last 5 years) they won't share any of the details with you - which is not that surprising when you think about it. They also won't tell you whether or not the police are or will be involved.

Just trying to save you some potential frustration and the price of a stamp

 

[Corrado]

I therefore stick to cash, it comes out of a machine, and I can spend it without a) the risk of fraud unless I am robbed b) the lovely feeling that I am the only one who knows my spending habits.

Your choice, of course, and I understand why, but you may be throwing away the level of protection afforded you by credit card purchases if the retailer goes to the wall. Perhaps out of the frying pan....

More worrying to me are the 'privacy' policies of on-line reailers and the likes of G 0 0 gle & subsidiaries who harvest not only the data you give them but other that they find and match as they're slurping the forums. Remember, they're out to get you...

 

[Dieselman]

Best not to log onto forums then if bothered about Big Brother..

 

[st4]

Your choice, of course, and I understand why, but you may be throwing away the level of protection afforded you by credit card purchases if the retailer goes to the wall. Perhaps out of the frying pan....

More worrying to me are the 'privacy' policies of on-line reailers and the likes of G 0 0 gle & subsidiaries who harvest not only the data you give them but other that they find and match as they're slurping the forums. Remember, they're out to get you...

I don't really buy much, and don't shop online these days.

As for forums, there is no personal data exchanged, and going out with CCTV in pubs etc is at least as big brother as online car forums.

 

[stevesey]

John, if my experience with fraudulent transactions is anything to go by (I've had two on two different cards in the last 5 years) they won't share any of the details with you - which is not that surprising when you think about it. They also won't tell you whether or not the police are or will be involved.

Just trying to save you some potential frustration and the price of a stamp

I've only had one occurance and got put through to a very helpful and informative chap in the fraud dept - he told me my card had been used to top-up a mobile phone and the phone number showed on their system as the reference. He said he'd try the number and get back to me.

Ten minutes later he phoned me back to say he'd spoken to a bloke at home (children in the background) who'd claimed to have recently brought the phone off a mate in the pub (!!). He'd then said he told the guy that the police would be in touch to arrange a time to make a statement. Guy sounded a bit worried at this point (but didn't hang up).

Never heard any more and my account was credited. Thing that I remember most was the enthusiastic appraoch of the chap I spoke to and the way he enjoyed the prospect of being able to follow up a lead there and then.

 

[stevesey]

Internet banking is optional, and there is a simple solution to that aspect of big brotherness. But I agree thats scary, what if I use an internet cafe or a mates PC to do some web based banking?

If you regularly use different PCs the system will get used to it. Unlikely to block you there and then, but might raise a flag for investigation if it's too out of the norm.

 

[glojo]

Its been used to secure a conviction but surely it would have been better not to have happened in the first place. An indication of a society in decline when we have to snoop on the population IMO.

A better solution would have been a beat copper who saw this and stopped it before it happenned.

Utopia would be a nice place to live but unfortunately the world in which we all live in is not that nice. Think back a few weeks to the disturbances in Manchester that involved so called Glasgow supporters. They were attacking your police that were on every corner, but at least with CCTV footage we can expect prosecutions which would not have occurred if there was no video footage. Totally agree though our society is probably in decline

John, if my experience with fraudulent transactions is anything to go by (I've had two on two different cards in the last 5 years) they won't share any of the details with you - which is not that surprising when you think about it. They also won't tell you whether or not the police are or will be involved.

Just trying to save you some potential frustration and the price of a stamp

Hi Phil,
Thanks very much indeed for the post and it's taken in the spirit it was posted in, mind you we all know what I'm like

 

[Dieselman]

A better solution would have been a beat copper who saw this and stopped it before it happenned.

But they might be too busy nicking someone for not wearing their seatbelt..
and imagine all the extra tax to pay their wages...

 

[Carrotchomper]

But they might be too busy nicking someone for not wearing their seatbelt..
and imagine all the extra tax to pay their wages...

Exactly. The little buggers would only be hiding behind a bush on a dual carriageway. I know, I saw it on the Internet

 

[st13phil]

Thing that I remember most was the enthusiastic appraoch of the chap I spoke to and the way he enjoyed the prospect of being able to follow up a lead there and then.

Both my encounters with the fraud dept's of my card providers (as a victim!) were very professional and I have no complaints at all about the service they provided, but they outright refused to give any indication as to how my card details had come to be used fraudulently. Maybe the instances I had were part of bigger, ongoing, investigations?

 

[Dieselman]

Both my encounters with the fraud dept's of my card providers (as a victim!)

And what about the encounters as a perp.?..

 

[lil.smartie]

Shame HSBC can't cope with mine & Paul's business cards being in the US and Jamies still here in the UK, even when we have called and informed them...

TSB also cancelled mine even after a call before I left when I was told there was no need for the call!

Kate

 

[st4]

But they might be too busy nicking someone for not wearing their seatbelt..
and imagine all the extra tax to pay their wages...

Extra tax may be needed, but if we got something decent for my 20% I'd feel a bit better.

 

[Benzowner]

It is interesting when a thread of this nature begins, how many posters have been "caught" by fraudsters. But as usual, there must be millions whose card have never been cloned. On that point, what is the combination of numbers on a card and can those numbers be duplicated. After all, most banks start with what appears to be their sequence, many years ago Barclaycard began with 4929 for example, so you are only running the risk of duplicating the next twelve. Just a thought