Purchasing From Overseas Via Internet

[Bbbananas]

I tried yesterday purchasing extra copies of wedding photographs from the photographic studio in Cyprus. I sent an email detailing the copies I wanted and instructions how to pay. The reply was to give my full debit card no & sort code. Which, stupidly, I did.
BT 'blocked' the message from sending as they "detected suspicious activity". Thankfully no money went from my acccount and I changed my password.

The question still remains though - how do I make payment to the offical photography site without compromising security? Or would it be better to make payment by good old airmail with a postal order?

[EDDIE51]

Paypal ?

[Sqad]

salla....good morning my love............?Have you got married?

[Old_Geezer]

Absent card payments usually use card number and security code. If you don't trust them ask if they use PayPal.

[Old_Geezer]

I can't stand how unbelievably slow these "smart" phones are, especially typing replies. Are Android tablets equally useless ?

[EDDIE51]

They can not cash a UK postal order in Cyprus.
Get their bank details and do a bank transfer from your bank, you can do it via online banking . Or as I said use PayPal

[Bbbananas]

I was just wondering why BT (mailerDaemon whatever that is) suspected suspicious activity and blocked it from sending.
I am wary of them now, but have no particular reason to be, other than the email block.

Sqad - no. My daughter did. I gave her away and did the most splendid speech ;-)

[EDDIE51]

If they do any international business they will have PayPal, just ask and use that.

[Bbbananas]

Thanks guys.

Bank transfer should have been obvious to me... ;-)

[sandyRoe]

Paypal?

[rccatnap]

When they asked for your card details, was it done via an https prefix in their address heading? Look at the top of this page and you'll see just http. If they didn't then that might be the reason it was 'blocked', because it's always unwise to give those details in an open email. The other thing that struck as odd was that they asked for your sort code, or did you really mean the three number security code on the back of your card?

[EDDIE51]

If you had given them your card number and the security no, they can use that information to take cash from your account any time they care to.
If you think that is possible you need to cancel the card !

[jomifl]

Abank transfer will cost you ...possibly £20 use paypal.

[EDDIE51]

^^Should not cost anything if you use online banking. It is to another bank in the EU. I have transferred money to France for free.

[EDDIE51]

Overseas cash transfer details here
http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/banking/foreign-currency-exchange#freebank

[Bbbananas]

I'm daft, but not that....

No, I didn't give my 3-digit security number off the back. That would have made me highly suss. And stupid ;-)

I have emailed the original address and will offer to pay by bank transfer or Paypal.

[jomifl]

Eddie, when I last used online banking(about 3 years ago) for a credit transfer from one currency to another though both accounts were mine there was a charge of about £15.

[Prudie]

I'm always giving my card number and 3 digit code online to a variety of companies. It's standard, never had a problem touch wood.

[EDDIE51]

jomfil read the link, some banks have associated banks in the EU and offer free transfers, others make a charge. I'm with Barclays and have transferred money to France and Spain free, you do have to pay a conversion charge sometimes but in my case the actual transfer was free.
Also note that an online 'diy' transfer can be a lot cheaper than asking the bank to do it for you. (£4 v £20)

[Buenchico]

I'm assuming here that you're dealing with a company that's known to, presumably because they took your wedding photographs - or those of a friend or relative - at a ceremony in Cyprus.

You shouldn't need to give your sort code. However, just as with an debit card payment in the UK, the studio will need the long card number, the expiry date (and possibly the start date) and the three digit security code on the back.

Sending such details by email can be risky, as email messages can be intercepted by fraudsters. (If you must do it, put the information in a Word document and send that as an attachment. Then automated software won't spot that there are bank details in the message, in the same way that BT's software did).

The easiest way, by far, to get round the problem is simply to call them and give them the details over the phone. (As long as you know it's a reputable company, there's no greater risk doing that for a purchase from Cyprus than for one from a UK company).

[jomifl]

Eddie, I'm just speaking from my experience, which seems more expensive than yours. :-)