Fraud on my Barclaycard Avios Mastercard

[marshy11]

I’ve had my new Barclaycard about 3 weeks and am progressing through my spend. Logged onto the app this morning to see that some kind soul has helped me trigger the bonus by spending £996 at a Mayfair restaurant last night! I live in Cornwall.

The info on the app directed me to a *call direct* button to connect to the fraud team and dispute the charge. Unfortunately it took me to a call centre who were shut for the weekend. Googled the number and rang to be greeted by someone (wfh?) who dropped his headset and started swearing – obviously didn’t realise I heard him but when he asked for all my details there was something in his manner that felt entirely wrong so I disconnected without giving any – partly fearing I had been misdirected by a dodgy Google link!

Checked the number and it was fine, so called again and got a Far East call centre. They were very efficient. The account has been closed and I am told I will get a new card in 2 days and they will text me within 7 days to give me the result of the fraud enquiry. I am surprised they can investigate so quickly.

Being a new card, I do wonder how they know my established spending pattern. Of course I wonder more how someone could have used my card – presumably in person to spend £996.

I am the sole account holder and the card is the first and only one issued. The only spends I had done were day-to-day food shopping, house insurance (established UK company) until two weeks ago when I went to London to watch the England V India ODI. Everything was contactless so no chance of a PIN being harvested at the ground. Only time I recall using a PIN was at a fuel station on the A303 on the way home but one that we’ve used before.

I guess I will never find out how they harvested my details and charged nearly £1k to a card.

[can]

Was the envelope ripped when the card arrived?

I got the card when it was first released. It arrived late with a partially ripped envelope. I am a bit nervous since then actually.

[marshy11]

No, it was exactly as it should be.

[0 post]

I’ve been given this number as a 24/7 line to the fraud team ( Am about to make a reasonably large payment and thought they might be interested in being forwarded (apparently not).

0800 318 665

Might be useful for future reference

[Lula]

@can how odd – mine also arrived in a ripped envelope. My husband’s supplementary card has not turned up at all!

[ChrisC]

How ripped are these envelopes?

Ripped enough that someone could have extracted the card or something more minor? Things do get caught up in the mail sorting process.

[Tom2]

Mine also arrived ripped. Rip was large enough that the card numbers could have been exposed (was also unglued to letter it was supposed to be attached to). I cancelled the card and requested a new one.

[Lula]

Mine was ripped all the way along the long edge. I wonder if the card they use on the envelopes isn’t very resistant to tears as I haven’t had any issues with my card.

[slidey]

P2 card arrived in a royal mail plastic bag as the side of the envelope was ripped. They probably need to revise the packaging cos this many ripped letters is nonsense.

[FazzyBear]

Petrol station could be the cause. I used to visit one opposite my house and a few years back it had one dodgy staff member duplicates cards for a whole weekend.

He was long gone by the time he started committing the fraud on the multiple amount of cards he had duplicated. The card company narrowed it down to this particular Petrol station as multiple people were victims of this fraud.

• This reply was modified 54 years, 4 months ago by .

[can]

FazzyBear wrote:

Petrol station could be the cause. I used to visit one opposite my house and a few years back it had one dodgy staff member duplicates cards for a whole weekend.

He was long gone by the time he started committing the fraud on the multiple amount of cards he had duplicated. The card company narrowed it down to this particular Petrol station as multiple people were victims of this fraud.

How can he duplicate the cards? Does he have the physical cards?

[can]

ChrisC wrote:

How ripped are these envelopes?

Ripped enough that someone could have extracted the card or something more minor? Things do get caught up in the mail sorting process.

Mine was ripped enough to figure out there was a card inside. The rest is just to steam the long edge flap…

[CarpalTravel]

FazzyBear wrote:

Petrol station could be the cause. I used to visit one opposite my house and a few years back it had one dodgy staff member duplicates cards for a whole weekend.

He was long gone by the time he started committing the fraud on the multiple amount of cards he had duplicated. The card company narrowed it down to this particular Petrol station as multiple people were victims of this fraud.

I had the exact same, I know the station it happened at too and could describe the guy as I only went there once. Card company wasn’t particularly interested, guessing they already knew enough.

As for this card arriving damaged, mine appeared all sliced open and it was clearly the automated machine that processed the packing of the envelope. It arrived the very morning I called them to chase (it had been over 4 weeks) and they had cancelled it. It looked like it had been dragged along a floor, so I was not massively upset to wait another week for a fresh one.

They absolutely should not be charging their monthly fee though until the primary card is activated, I made quite a fuss about their wanting to charge me £20 for a service they had not provided me with.

[marshy11]

We’ve used the petrol station before – not often but once or twice on the journey up/back. This time it was a time I needed to input the PIN rather than tap and go so I did wonder if he could have viewed the CCTV after we’d gone (very early on a Sunday morning) to to see what ‘shape’ our PIN was…? Not sure if then he had access to the card number from the transaction or what.

Will Barclays let me know anything or will I just get the text to say investigation closed? Part of me is now worrying that with the investigation being so quick they could decide it was me that spent it. I have my neighbours on standby as an alibi as we had a BBQ around theirs on the night the money was spent!!!

Another option my husband has decided on is that the restaurant (or staff member there) is in on it too and the £996 was actually put through and pocketed in real cash.

All it bit beyond my imagination to be honest.

[PeteM]

I really wouldn’t stress about it, @marshy11. It’s extremely unlikely you’d be asked to pay this.

[NorthernLass]

The first tranche of cards mostly arrived in torn envelopes, anyone could have taken the cards out and recorded the details. I think most people got them replaced. Sounds like this is still an issue!

[marshy11]

PeteM wrote:

I really wouldn’t stress about it, @marshy11. It’s extremely unlikely you’d be asked to pay this.

Thanks, I know it’s clearly not me that has spent it but it is only the second time I have ever been defrauded, the first was about 30 years ago. I think more of me wants to know exactly what happened so I can avoid that scenario in the future.

[can]

Now all curious about the petrol station? Can you at least mention which area / city it is located?

[marshy11]

It’s on the A303 near Sherborne.

[CarpalTravel]

Mine was on the A5 near Luton.

Definitely don’t stress, card fraud is rife and they usually put any charge on hold pending an investigation. They must deal with it hundreds of times a week.

[marshy11]

Super service from Barclays as the new card was waiting for me when I came home this evening. Same PIN and loaded onto Apple Wallet straight away.

Charge is still on the account, not showing as investigated – as the chap on Saturday advised – so I called again and spoke with an UK call centre. He couldn’t see the dispute at first but then found it. He advised that it’s 14 days for a result. I guess I just ignore it in a few days when the statement comes.

[marshy11]

Text today to tell me that the dispute has been ‘looked at’ and the transaction has been debited to my account (not held or pended but charged). If I want to dispute further I should fill out the form that will arrive in the post.

Unimpressed today.

Checked the new card and the transaction shows as ‘signature checked’.

Too many questions. How did they check and verify (presumably) my signature? I don’t recall ever giving my signature to Barclaycard.

Suddenly I fear I may be in for a battle to prove against this.

[JDB]

marshy11 wrote:

Text today to tell me that the dispute has been ‘looked at’ and the transaction has been debited to my account (not held or pended but charged). If I want to dispute further I should fill out the form that will arrive in the post.

Unimpressed today.

Checked the new card and the transaction shows as ‘signature checked’.

Too many questions. How did they check and verify (presumably) my signature? I don’t recall ever giving my signature to Barclaycard.

Suddenly I fear I may be in for a battle to prove against this.

If I were you I would tell Barclays that since they clearly aren’t dealing with this seriously, i.e. by immediately suspending the charge, you will contact the Police to do their job for them. It’s a grand; that’s a lot of money to most people. It’s probably the wrong thing to do, but I would also contact the restaurant to advise them of the fraud and suggest it may be in house fraud or otherwise for them immediately to pin that transaction to a table and or booking and preserve CCTV etc. before it’s too late.

[marshy11]

JDB wrote:

marshy11 wrote:

Text today to tell me that the dispute has been ‘looked at’ and the transaction has been debited to my account (not held or pended but charged). If I want to dispute further I should fill out the form that will arrive in the post.

Unimpressed today.

Checked the new card and the transaction shows as ‘signature checked’.

Too many questions. How did they check and verify (presumably) my signature? I don’t recall ever giving my signature to Barclaycard.

Suddenly I fear I may be in for a battle to prove against this.

If I were you I would tell Barclays that since they clearly aren’t dealing with this seriously, i.e. by immediately suspending the charge, you will contact the Police to do their job for them. It’s a grand; that’s a lot of money to most people. It’s probably the wrong thing to do, but I would also contact the restaurant to advise them of the fraud and suggest it may be in house fraud or otherwise for them immediately to pin that transaction to a table and or booking and preserve CCTV etc. before it’s too late.

I have reported it online to the local police (online). I now have a reference number and will do the same with Action Fraud.

I am surprised they haven’t isolated the transaction and removed it from my statement but it is still there and I shall see what the statement actually asks me to pay when it processes in a few days. I will not be paying the £996….

• This reply was modified 54 years, 4 months ago by .

[CarpalTravel]

Well, this is a depressing turn of events to read about. I guess as they were initially unable even to arrange for a product that relates to their sole existence (a credit card) to be put in the post, perhaps I shouldn’t be surprised.

Maybe they are once again in competition with Clydesdale for the Golden Turd award and this year, they’re absolutely determined to win.

I hope you manage to get it sorted and quickly.