Re: Credit card cloned :(
 

When I went to Alaska in May I called Amex and let them know that I would be traveling and using my card only in Toronto, Canada and Alaska from xxx to xxx. We have always done that when traveling so that the card company knows that the purchases are legit and from us. Will do that for next weekend also when we will be in Montreal for the long weekend.

Also had the card denied at a bed, bath and beyond because of a large purchase amount in a store I had never shopped in before. Only needed me to call them and verify that I was using the card and the rightful owner and the purchase went through.

Re: Credit card cloned :(
 

I took money out at a bank some years ago in Fort Myers, Fla using my Barclaycard. A few weeks after returning home Barclaycard ring me to inform me that someone had been arrested in Home Depot using my card. I only used that card once on that holiday and it was in the bank :blink: makes you think eh!

Barclaycard were great and just wanted to inform me what had happened.

Re: Credit card cloned :(
 

Yeah but they actually called me on my mobile and asked me if I was in Canada and it was sorted there and then. I'll remember however to tell them when I'm going on holiday next time.

Re: Credit card cloned :(
 

My SIL and her husband just spent 3 weeks with us, they informed their bank LloydsTSB that they would be in Canada and the US but the bank still put a stop on her card after she used it twice. She had to ring the Fraud Dept to sort it out.

Re: Credit card cloned :(
 

I've had my cards cloned three times in as many years in Canada.

Over ten years holding cards of various kinds in the UK, it's a problem I never ran into. The only time I had to complain about unauthorized transactions was when I had my wallet physically stolen.

I don't *think* I'm more careless here. At least the banks in question (TD and Citi) sorted the problem out quickly and without leaving me out of pocket.

Re: Credit card cloned :(
 

We still keep some of our UK credit cards going for ordering goods in the UK. When my husband was checking his Morgan Stanley card there were two items for Tesco Direct for exactly the same amount. I have never used Tesco Direct! OH queried it with me and then we thought it had been put on in error and when they tried to correct it, it again was put through as a debit. However we contacted MS and they said they would look into it and a week later got a letter from them telling us to contact their Fraud Department - who btw are not open at weekends! On contacting them we discovered it was my card on the account that had been compromised and there were many items after the Tesco ones ranging from over £100 for Levis, itunes, lots of other over £100 items also. Anyway they cancelled my card and sent me a new one and all the wrong items were removed from our account. Hopefully as there were only three companies I used the card for they would be able to trace the quilty person fairly easily. :)

Re: Credit card cloned :(
 

When I advised Nationwide that we were going to be spending sometime in Canada they didnt want to know and told me that we need not advise them in future of going away.

Re: Credit card cloned :(
 

My UK (Smile) bank card was cloned in a cash point machine in a grocer's in Earls Court - that was the only time I've ever used one in a dodgy shop and will certainly not be doing it again.

No money was taken - my bank just said the Met Police had found my card details somwehere (probably in a raid) and I had to get a new card.

I ALWAYS take money from a bank ATM now and make sure my card is put in a machine that I CAN SEE.

Re: Credit card cloned :(
 

One of the most common places in the UK where card skimming takes place is at petrol stations run by Sri Lankans. I don't blame the people in the petrol station as it's likely they have been threatened by the Tamil Tigers to carry this out "or else" Since they generally have relatives living in Sri Lanka it is easy for the TT's to get leverage. My advice is to pay cash if you shop at Sri Lankan run grocery shops or petrol stations. The card does't need to be out of your sight since the machine they use to charge the card will have been doctored. It is a growing problem throughout the UK and probably Canada before too much longer. One thing that does surprise me in Canada. They have the facility to do "chip and pin" yet I have never been asked to enter my pin. They also hand the card back and almost never bother to check the signature.

Re: Credit card cloned :(
 

Also, beware of Muslim, Irish, or Basque-run garages for the same reason.

Re: Credit card cloned :(
 

Prior to our reccie in July/August I had similar experience with Lloyds. They advised that although I had notified them with the dates we were travelling to Canada it would make no difference! Transactions on my account may or may not be flagged up by their Security Department and a hold put on them. They gave me a telephone number to contact should I encounter any problems.

On the other hand HSBC wanted to know when we were travelling, how long we were going to be away and where we were going.

Have to say I didn't encounter any problems with Lloyds whilst we were away. With HSBC found that my normal switch card wasn't accepted in stores (Atlantic Superstore, Sobeys, Canadian Tire, Zellers all refused) but they accepted my HSBC mastercard.

Lynne

Re: Credit card cloned :(
 

I have - once - in an optician. Luckily I remembered the number even though I'd never used it, so I didn't make a spectacle of myself.:p

Re: Credit card cloned :(
 

Weve just had a statement that said that we had bought two tickets to Minnesota for $675 on the 9th of july. Who would want to go there. funny though, we had bought tickets for florida for two days later.
Mastercard are fighting this for us, but I think the problem lies with expedia, who keep records of your card numbers. Who knows has access to them.:mad:

Re: Credit card cloned :(
 

I'm sure somebody will correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't believe there's any chip and PIN in Canada as yet. It's coming. The PIN pads you see in stores are for Interac, which is a separate system (for debit cards only) that uses a magnetic stripe and PIN.

You're quite right about the signature checking, though. It's lax to nonexistent. Not that it was *much* better in the UK, though.

Re: Credit card cloned :(
 

Good advice but very impratical over here. I am happy to have a card with a minimal limit and take my chances.