Credit card fraud and identity theft

In the last two days, this has happened to two people I know!

My aunt and uncle have been getting mail addressed to someone with their last name at their address about various bank loans, etc. They finally went to the police about it yesterday after getting nowhere at the bank, and the police are looking into it as serious identity theft!!

Then this morning, my BF called me to say that he'd had a phone call from his credit card company regarding unusual activity on his account. Apparently, someone charged £3,500 to an online gambling site to his card!

My new debit card was stolen in the post last year.  Someone used it w/a signature to charge up £106 in a Tesco in Essex.  Where I've never been in my entire life.  They did it during a weekday, whilst I was at work in Edinburgh.  I had to have my boss sign a letter and two of my work collegues to prove they saw me in Edinburgh, not Essex, on that day.

B*stards!

someone stole my AMEX card number and used it in Kobe Japan last June..and before then the only place I had used it was in London when we went in May.......

They charged about £500 worth on it........


so now it has been suspended

I've only ever had anything like this happen in the US (Touch Wood) Each time I got a call from the CC company that there had been unusual activity or attempts that were declined.  Each time I had not made the purchase.  It's so scary to think people can do this!  In the US though you are not liable and they will only charge you up to $50 some do not charge at all.

I think with the chip and pin active now it will be a lot harder here in the UK, at least I hope it will be.