Apart From Debit/credir Cards, Can Anything Else Be Scammed/cloned?

[AndiFlatland]

I recently had my debit card scammed or cloned. But because I always trust my online account, I rarely look at it to check that everything's OK. As long as it looks roughly right, that's always been good enough for me. Until I looked at it a couple of weeks ago, and found dozens of small purchases which were clearly not mine, from mid-October on. I immediately reported the situation to my bank, and their security team spent a long time on the phone with me, checking through it all.
It appeared that somebody had got my card details, and had a couple of months of freebies on my account, to the tune of almost £600. It coould have been worse, as there was a lot of credit in my account, due to having received a large sum from the sale of my late mother's bungalow.
The fraudulent charges were refunded to me, and the bank is now investigating.
During my enquiries, I learned that the person responsible was careful to make only smaller purchases, with only a handful above £20, which could have sounded alarms if much greater amounts had been spent.
What occurred to me is that about 80% of the charges were from TfL for regular train or tube travel. I am on pension credit, and have a freedom pass - so I was wondering if that card could have been scammed or cloned as well, and whether it would be worth having it withdrawn and a new card issued?

[fender62]

never do win this now on websites, never give out details, never give email address to similar sites, never click on emails that say from..bank building society tax man dhss, never ring numbers from emails...some even go as far as, there they know your first and last name, even address...scam...change all your passwords on websites, and always different ones, make a note of them, never offer information. always deny...also block dubious sites, never reply to emails, dont even click on the links...never, the internet is a great thing, but like anything...beware.

[derek-33]

if you have informed your bank they will cancel your card and send a new one and take note of the previous answer

[Jonathan-Joe]

It would seem that your cloned card has been used for "contactless travel" on TfL. Ask TfL about your concerns here
https://tfl.gov.uk/help-and-contact/contact-us-about-contactless
as the scammers may have set up an account using your details.

[derek-33]

buy a pack of these keep your card in them it stops anyone with a scanner getting at it. i've used these for years
Amazon.co.uk User Recommendation

[wolf63]

You can clone Sheep but I am not sure if that fact is going to get you out of your predicament.

[TonyV]

Just ordered.

[AndiFlatland]

Thanks all, for your time in answering over the new year break!
Firstly, fender62: Thanks, I knew all those thiings, and I've never allowed myself to be taken in by any of these scams. My approach has always been to view all messages as possible traps - read them carefully, note anything which doesn't look right, and delete where appropriate. The ones purporting to be from PayPal are the worst, but they're easy to spot - full of typos and spelling errors, poor layout, and garbage that you know PayPal would never do. Just copy and send them to [email protected], and they'll always sort it out.

derek-33: I did inform my bank, and they were very helpful, even though it was an absolute pain to have no card and no way of making online purchases all through Christmas. Then to have to re-enter card details on all the sites I usually use (although most of them use PayPal anyway, so it's not so bad).

And as for your second message, I'd thought of that, and bought a pack of these on Amazon as soon as my new card arrived:
Amazon.co.uk User Recommendation
The card doesn't fit inside them, as they're not a pocket like the ones you suggested. You just place them next to the card inside your wallet. I thought a pocket-type would be a little inconvenient, as I'm often carrying a large amount of stuff, as well as a cat in a shoulder carrier, and it can be hard enough getting the wallet out of my jacket pocket to place the freedom pass on the barrier reader, without having to fiddle around with extricating a small sheath from the card holder!

Jonathan-Joe: I'll definitely get on to TfL and ask them about that, just as soon as the work schedule gets back to normal after the 2-week holiday! It seems you may be correct about having set up an account using my details, as there were further TfL debits to my account after the bank had stopped my card.

wolf63: You thought of your answer just on the strength of reading the question title, didn't you!! Every night, when I go to bed, I always tell the cat 'I'm going to sheep now'. Seems appropriate!

Thanks again, everybody.

Terry (and Sindy Flagtail)

[jennyjoan]

Know that you aren't complaining re contactless cards but I wouldn't have them about me.

[AndiFlatland]

jennyjoan:
I know what you mean. I've used my freedom pass on the barrier reader at the local tube station, and again on the return journey - ands then found, when I looked at my bank statement, that the journeys had been charged to my debit card, 3 pockets away from the freedom pass, and with other thick cards in the pockets between.
This has happened 3 times, but I made a real fuss with TfL, and they refunded the charges - automatically on the second and third occasions (they obviously had me on record as having a freedom pass).
I just do not trust contactless, and never use it in shops if asked - but I have no choice, as the debit cards my bank issues have the symbol as standard in one corner. I don't think one has the option to refuse to have it.

Anybody know if that's an option?

[derek-33]

"without having to fiddle around with extricating a small sheath from the card holder!"
then you cant be helped if thats your only problem ,, god help the cat

[bhg481]

All my card suppliers bar one have replaced my contactless cards, both credit and debit, with normal ones. The only exception was Metro Bank but they supply protective sleeves free.

[BAKERS DOZEN]

I have the contactless sign on my cards but have never used them as such. I believe you have to activate them the first time you wish to use them as contactless by putting in your PIN and this I will never do.

[Peter Pedant]

sounz as though you neef cifas registration
see here
https://www.cifas.org.uk/services/identity-protection/protective-registration

I always use a protective card sleeve- I didn't realise they worked ! basically you need a faraday cage and I dont think there is any copper in the sleeve

[bhg481]

Baker's Dozen - unless things have changed you don't have to register contactless before you use them. I had no intention of ever using contactless but I inadvertantly made a contactless payment with one of my cards when I went towards the machine with my card and the assistant said "Job Done". That's when I contacted all my card suppliers and asked for the contactless cards to be replaced.

[derek-33]

Peter Pedant you can easily check it out. try scanning your contactless card at the checkout "it wont work" if it in the case .up to you if you dont want to use it

[BAKERS DOZEN]

Thanks for that bhg. Will check with my bank and get them changed if that is the case.

[jennyjoan]

I'm with Santander - I sent my contactless card back and was replaced with a "non" contactless one. Not on your nelly will I have one

[Maydup]

An interesting thread, with some useful tips although I wonder what risks do contactless cards present for someone outside of London with no public transport.