Except that I didn't. Buy cards in Teignmouth, that is. On 23rd December.
But that's what my bank statement says. It tells me I spent £9.98 on cards in Teignmouth. Does the bank think I've nothing better to do than traipse down to Teignmouth to buy cards, just before Christmas, when Devizes has more card shops than anywhere else in the country (or so it seems)?
So someone, somewhere (Teignmouth, presumably) is using my card, or it's identical twin, to buy cards. Odd, that. I never think of fraudsters, even minor ones, as bothering to send people cards.
Will they strike again? Watch this space.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Did you buy something in Devizes that day? Sometimes a bank statement will show the name and location of the original store that has later opened branches in other towns.
ReplyDeleteA very strange thing to have happen, indeed. I'll be watching this space for more developments!
K
My husband had a problem with people apparently using his card to buy sandwiches. It was a scam and he got refunded but it seemed so odd anyone would bother for such small sums.
ReplyDeleteThis happened to us, and people bought stuff in Sainsbury's with our card. Sainsbury's? Please, Waitrose at LEAST!
ReplyDeleteAt least they didn't use it in Tesco!
DeleteThe usual thing with cloned cards and stolen details is to buy a few small things (often on the internet though) like bus tickets which do not require the number from the back of the card and then try it for a big thing on the internet. Having had my Amex and Paypal identities stolen (with no loss to me at the end of the day) I have found the banks very good at detecting these things.
ReplyDeleteGood job you go through your bank statements carefully, Frances. Ever since my sister once had a wrong booking (not by fraud, but due to a mistake by her bank) from her account many years ago, I have been very thorough in checking my statements, too.
ReplyDeleteIt is possible that you bought some stationary (not necessarily cards) at branch of the Teignmouth shop, as Kay suggested above, or it is as Graham says and this was just a small tryout before they use your card details for something bigger.
Someone used my card to try to buy a £500 airline ticket. I should be so lucky, I told the security man who phoned from the bank to check it out.
ReplyDeleteSomehow it seems that whenever there is an attempt to use my card number in a fraudulent way - and sometimes when it's really me using it a bit too much - I get a call from a burly sounding man with a very serious voice, checking it all out.
Someone tried using my husband's card number to buy from a catalogue. They managed to get a toaster, but were blocked when they immediately attempted to buy a computer as well.
As Librarian has said, they do often try a small purchase first before getting greedy.
It is a worrying business all this card cloning and fraud. But as Kay said, it sometimes looks different on the statement. Good luck - I hope it gets sorted out x
ReplyDeleteThanks for all those comments and suggestions. Problem now solved. I phoned the only card shop in Devizes that I might have visited and was cheerily informed that yes. Devizes and Teignmouth often got confused at their checkout. So that's ok. I think.
ReplyDeleteDevizes....Teignmouth....yes. Very similar. Silly me.
Coming in late, so I'm very glad you found out the reason, Frances - even if it's a slightly strange one!
ReplyDeleteIt's good to know you haven't got a long lost twin sister, Frances using your card to buy cards to send you trouble. :-)
ReplyDeleteVery similar...so easy to confuse the two names when processing transactions! :) Thank goodness it wasn't a real fraud - we once had around R30,000 on our card in TWO days!! Luckily we notified the bank quickly and the card was cancelled and the charges reversed.
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year to you and your readers - hope 2013 is a great year for all!
Using cards and using the internet instead of pounds shillings and pence (how that ages me!)is so often a fraught experience.....glad your problem was resolved.
ReplyDeleteAh, the hustle and bustle of Christmas...with the dire effects on memory!
ReplyDeleteThanks again, everyone. I shall make sure from now on to ensure that I don't confuse Teignmouth with Devizes (or rather, that I accept that basically they're pretty well the same...)
ReplyDeleteAlls well that ends well I suppose but it was still a hassle.
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year Frances, what a palava.
ReplyDeletehi
ReplyDeleteGlad it wasn't a fraudulent transaction after all.
ReplyDelete