tonrob

Hmmm... sounds like a right Mickey Mouse outfit. Time for OP to get a credit card from a proper bank?

Weeze

I find it pretty good. Like I said before, when we have had any problems they have stopped the transactions with no problems and limited effort from me. They even started phoning on the mobile to ask if ones were us that they thought might be strange. As long as you don't attempt to talk to India that is. Otherwise you will find yourself staring at disbelief at the phone in your hand. Are others any better?
Mind you, I compare everything to the hell that is dealing with Santander, so I probably have low banking standards.

jackattack

Sorry to hear that you have to go through this. Not something that anyone needs to brighten up your day.

I wanted to add that I have a husband who sounds very similar to your regarding billing, paperwork etc.

One of the things that I do when I have to organise something of his is call when he is around (or conference him in to the call when he is at work). He then speaks to the person on the other end of the phone and gives all his security details so they know it's him. Then he says "I am going to let my wife deal with this" and I get on the phone and organize everything and then hand it back to him and he says "yeah, I agree. Just do everything she said". This combined with Power of Attorney forms for most things seem to do the trick.

I know it sounds simple in practice but might be harder for you since you posted that your husband is at work. It's doubly frustrating having to deal with this stuff combined with the time difference. Hope that you get to sort it out.

MsElui

I am actually amazed at how often people will let me sort out my husbands stuff over here without reference to him. Not everyone - but ten times more than i used to be able to do in the UK. I have learnt from experience too - if possible set things up like utilities in joint names or my names even if he is paying. It means that i can deal with them on the phone without hassle.

E3only

Not been my experience. First will ask me security questions starting with my name and then usual address / ssn / phone blah blah.

If you are allowed to access anyone else account then they could sue the company Unless of course you are authorized person on the account which you may well be.

Deutschmaster

Somebody managed to take out a Debenhams store card in my name. They had used my bank account account and sort code to set up a direct debit to pay the card from my account.

They didn't have my address because there were no letters, forms etc from the card company. I'm guessing that they could have got the numbers from something such as a cheque.The first I knew about it was when money had been deducted from my bank account using a direct debit.

I called my bank to query the direct debit. They gave me the number for GE finance who were useless. They gave me advice such as 'could a member of your household have applied for it?' Even if they had that's still fraud isn't it?

Anyway, I called my bank back. They reversed the direct debit for me and I got my money back. I also wrote a letter to GE disputing ownership of the card. I never heard from them again.

tonrob

You calling GE finance was one step too far. If your bank releases money without your consent they better bloody well put it back PDQ. Any further research is their business!

GeoffM

I've had that happen with HSBC. The first time it was picked up before any money had been taken. A "fraud alert" was set up on my account. But... the second time somebody managed to set up three mobile phone DDs on the same day, and took money via all three. I only noticed this when I checked my DDs. I then asked for a different account number, which they did. They transferred the genuine DDs over along with a dummy entry saying "Do not set up direct debits without verbal authorisation from customer" (or words to that effect). A couple of months later, guess what? It happened again - and they'd used my *old* account details to set up a DD, and HSBC cleverly said, "ah, he must have meant the new account number" and promptly authorised the DD. The ombudsmen wasn't interested as I'd got my money back; only the Daily Mail ran a small article. And me? Closed my account as that was the only way to break the internal linkages between the accounts.

Muppets.

Shame really, as HSBC would have been useful internationally.

gatsbygirl8

Just and update. DH finally rang Tesco this morning and got the card cancelled. Supposedly they'll be removing the charges too.

I don't want to jump to too many conclusions, but it's looking like the new tennant/s in our old UK house could be behind this. My husband called Tesco back in April with our new USA address, but it seems they didn't update it. A new card was sent to the old house on Dec. 18 and the fradulent charges began appearing last week. Obviously, it could be a coincidence as thieves can get your card details hundreds of ways these days. Still, I'm betting it's the new tennants. I've informed our old landlord of the issue. I tried to be discreet about it (don't want to go accusing potentially innocent people) but I still thought she ought to be aware of the situation.

Thanks very much to all of your for your help and advice. I'm still new to this site, but so far I've been really impressed at how wonderful and helpful everyone seems to be. Ta!

Deutschmaster

My flatmate in London had problems, he'd moved, told the bank but they didn't update the details and sent a cheque book and debit card to his old place. Somebody started using them. We knew who they were, the new tenants. The muppets had paid the landlord with one of my mate's cheques

Michael

For those of you that don't know, in the US credit cards are safer to use than debit cards. Therefore if you are purchasing something over the internet or even locally, it is better to use a credit card.

First you can dispute a purchase (eg. wrong product, used product, etc.) when the purchase is made with a credit card but you can't dispute a purchase with a debit card being used as a credit card.

When unauthorized purchases are made with a credit card, you can only be charged a maximum of $50 (usually $0 if reported in a timely fashion). When unauthorized purchases are made with a debit card, you can be charged $500 if the unauthorized activity is not reported within 2 days and can be charged the full amount if the unauthorized charges are not reported within 60 days of receiving your statement.

E3only

Hahaha, frogging idiots

E3only

+1

It's that very reason I will always use a credit card even if I run down to local mart to get a gallon of milk. Even if I have cash or debit card, I will go credit card. The rewards on debit card don't attract me..too much down side

tonrob

The main reason I use credit cards for everything is they keep me in cheap business class flights to Europe each year for the foreseeable future!

gatsbygirl8

How? I don't understand. Is this through your rewards program?