neil

I was in the UK for one weekend a few weeks ago, and used my mastercard once on that trip in an Indian restaurant near Goodge Street (I used cash everywhere else except the hotel and for that I used a different card).

A week and a half later the credit card company calls to say they've refused a charge with Aegean Airlines. So, they cancel my card and get me a new one. All other purchases on that card have been in the US for well over a year, and are the usual places, plus Aegean only appear to operate in Europe, so I have a pretty good reason to suspect this restaurant.

Yesterday my wife got a strange call trying to verify my phone number in relation to a website I apparently registered. It turns out another charge was refused by a company that registered a domain for "me". The website was pretending to be helping orphans and trying to get donations. That company were pretty good and took the website down as soon as I called them, but what a hassle.

I'm guessing they saw my US card as an easy target because all the UK cards are chip and pin. :curse:

Englishtart

I have heard that restaurants are the worst place for 'stealing' credit card details, we have started using cash only in restaurants, because of this.
Hope everything gets sorted, at least the bank questioned the charges!

snowbunny

Even with C&P they can grab the details with specialised scanners and if they have an approval they can have a mate buy something simultaneously.

There was an excellent Panorama on this.

Deedee13

i check my account online every couple of days, Bloody thieving buggers.

Bluegrass Lass

This just confirms my plans to pretty much only use cash for everything for our upcoming trip to South Africa. The last thing we want is identify theft problems and having to fight charges from international companies.

neil

Me too, although in this case the credit card company refused the charges. I was more concerned over the fact I was the registered owner of a website that looked as though it was set up to fraudulently solicit donations.

It's also worrying that when all they have is my credit card number and name they could somehow set this web page up using my actual address. I do wonder where they got that from.

Octang Frye

You did of course report this establishment to the local police and whatever passes for the Better Business Bureau in the UK?
You might also want to anonymously notify the Inland Revenue that a certain business is failing to pay taxes.
In the same vein, there are heath and safety violations you have personally witnessed in the kitchen.
Not to mention the fact that you have called the credit card companies to report this thievery. You never know, they may have other complaints on file regarding this business; perhaps you could be the straw that broke the camel's back and have their credit card handling ability rescinded?

Deedee13

here is something to think about. A few months ago I went to the doctors. When I was checking out there were a few people in the receptionist area

I walked out with a set of keys in my hand which i thought were mine. I put them in my pocket and walked to my car, reached into my pocket and pulled out my keys opened the car door and realised that I had an extra pair of keys in my pocket and thought I had picked up my hubbys spare keys threw them on the seat and drove away. The next day my husband was looking for his keys and i retrieved those in the car gave them to him and realised they were not his! His were in another jacket pocket. On the keys he saw a cvs card, and other rewards cards. As we didnt know who these keys were or even where they came from he went to cvs and purchased a small item used the cvs card and got the receipt with the name of the owner of the CVS card it was printed out on the receipt. He came home looked in the phone book and let his fingers do the walking. Found out who the keys belonged to and the address. Here is was sitting at home with the house keys, car keys of someone he didnt know, and the address. If he was some crook what a bloody find! He called the woman and she came over and picked up the keys, realised it was me who took them at the docs office. Since that day i never ever ever have any store card on my key chain. I carry them on a seperate key chain in my bag.

neil

But then you'd never get your keys back if someone else took them from the doctor's office.

I don't keep anything on my key chain except my car key and front door key.

neil

The Metropolitan Police have a handy online reporting facility.

Octang Frye

That's it? I'd also call the credit card companies. You play far too nice, Neil.
If someone crosses me, I go after them.

Islandgurl

You're liable up to what $50?

I travel a lot and never use cash...even in so called tourist hot spots...

snowbunny

You coulda been me.... I had a porn website in my name and using my InterNIC contact information! (credit card stolen)

cindyabs

I always knew you were a hot mama!!

Octang Frye

'Been to her site. Sorry, albino midget pony play isn't me bag.

Allegedly.