Large purchase, bank phone call follows - coincidence?

[tehguy]

Hi all, relatively new to these forums. I just made my first ever purchase from Scan - the best part of £600 on some new PC bits. Literally 10 minutes after placing the order I got a phone call from a withheld number - which I missed due to being in the kitchen and my phone being on silent. The caller left a voicemail which I listened to.

This is the exact transcript:

"Please press any key to continue. Hello, this is an important security message for Mr [my name] from Abbey's fraud department. Please contact us on 0845 3512275 as soon as possible. Thankyou."

It was clearly being read by a computer and the voice tone changed when my name and the phone number were read out (as they normally do).

Anyway I tried phoning that number and it failed all three times so I guess it's dead. I then contacted Abbey to tell them and was informed that they would never leave a voicemail asking you to phone them back for fraud related issues.

So I Googled the number it asked me to phone and this came up as the first result: [edit: forum won't let me post URL, Google for "0845 3512275", the first result should be on a domain containing "phonespamfilter"]

Which seems to confirm that it was indeed some sort of scam.

Now I am obviously worried that this happened literally within a matter of minutes within purchasing and the callers knew my phone number and full name. I thought these ordering systems were supposed to be secure.

Also I noticed the "Verified by Visa" process has changed slightly - it asked me to enter the first, second and seventh characters of my password instead of asking for my full password - is this correct?

If anyone could shed any light it would be appreciated. Thanks.

[Ph4ZeD]

After I brushed my teeth this morning, I got a paper through the door. Literally 10 minutes after. Ergo, brushing my teeth causes me to get the paper.

[Ph4ZeD]

http://www.phonespamfilter.co.uk/search.php/08453512275

Sounds to me like you have a trojan on your computer.

[jim]

The verified by Visa process has changed, that's perfectly normal.

[Ph4ZeD]

Specifically, they changed it so if you have a keylogger, you don't give your entire password right over. Anyways, it seems pretty apparent that you have been targeted by fraudsters/phishers/id stealers. It won't be anything to do with Scan. Scan is just the first website you used to make a purchase after being targeted by them, so they've instantly attempted to use that purchase to steal your information.

[bandsaw]

Had an almost word-for-word identical message from Barclaycard after spending a similar amount - was completely genuine and Barclaycard was just checking the potentially "fraudulent activity" was OK as I'd not used the card for a purchase that large for quite a while.

It was an automated system that repeated the two last or three transactions - then a brief message telling me to press a button to confirm or another button for "I've no idea what that is". Other than a date of birth, at no point did it ask for card details or other personal data.

[leepen@scan]

The messages are genuine from your bank. The fraud teams are very aware of any "unusual spending habits" ... So all those poor customers who save up their money for a system or a bulk order of components usually have to let their banks know that it's a genuine transaction.

They're just trying to look after you - don't let it get to you. This is normal procedure for banks nowadays and a site that asks for certain characters of a password is far more secure than asking for the full thing each time. This prevents phishers and scammers from acquiring your password in one sitting.

[manwithnoname]

My bank (not Abbey) have called the odd time when I've been online before, with a recorded message asking me to contact them. It's a bit rubbish of them to use a recorded message, the first call I had I did realise what was going on and didn't take the number to call, but I understand the bank cannot have 100 of people just waiting for something out of the ordinary to occur on an account and then calling the customer for a chat.

The person you spoke to some at the Abbey may not know how the fraud card department operates or misunderstood. They might not realise the fraud team would leave a voice mail or they assumed someone had left a voice mail give details of a fraud investigation (rather than the generic call us message), which someone would (should) never do.

[Bitemarks666]

natwest did this to me when ordering a new phone with carphone warehouse, well I used my mint card and they flat out declined it then I used my natwest one which was also declined but then natwest phoned and authorised it although every order with scan has gone with a hitch even my £130 cosmos and £230 5850

[EasterEEL]

I had one of these calls recently from Barclaycard. I phoned them back on their main number and they confimed it is now policy to do this.

Very poor decision in my view and I told them as much as it won't be too long before fraudsters start doing the same thing to get collateral information.

[ma9mwah2]

I had one of these calls recently from Barclaycard. I phoned them back on their main number and they confimed it is now policy to do this.

Very poor decision in my view and I told them as much as it won't be too long before fraudsters start doing the same thing to get collateral information.

Thats what i do if i think I'm getting a dodgy call. Ask for there name/number/dept and then phone them back on the companies main telephone number and ask to get put through. if there not willing to give you any info then i just hang up.

[rabbid]

Thats what i do if i think I'm getting a dodgy call. Ask for there name/number/dept and then phone them back on the companies main telephone number and ask to get put through. if there not willing to give you any info then i just hang up.

Yes thats a very good way

[rabbid]

Anyway I tried phoning that number and it failed all three times so I guess it's dead. I then contacted Abbey to tell them and was informed that they would never leave a voicemail asking you to phone them back for fraud related issues.

So I Googled the number it asked me to phone and this came up as the first result: [edit: forum won't let me post URL, Google for "0845 3512275", the first result should be on a domain containing "phonespamfilter"]
.

Probably better in reverse order to whch you tried?
Google it first, call your bank direct second then if you are curious withold your number and call the number third?

[tehguy]

Right thanks for the replies, and sorry about the lack of updates I have been very busy with work.

It seems I was wrong to have doubted the security of Scan. I got an email the day after placing the order saying the payment had failed. I phoned my bank directly to resolve it and I was informed that my card had indeed been blocked due to suspected fraud, due to the amount of medium-high value transactions that weekend followed by the £600 order from Scan. The guy read through a list of transactions on certain dates at certain places and I just had to confirm they were legitimate by telling him the approximate value - which I did all correctly and my card was unblocked.

I then contacted Scan and they re-tried the payment and it went through fine - items arrived before 12pm the next day and I am now using my new system

Needless to say I have not lost trust in Scan and I will be placing another order this week with them.

I am still slightly worried though as my bank says they will never leave an answerphone message asking you call them back with fraud related issues, and they'd never start a conversation by asking for my card number, before even my name (that was an American operator too).

Thanks again

[tocbg]

Hi tehguy,

I had a call like that yesterday. I had just placed an order for some rare albums (really should get out more!) and was phoned about 20 minutes after I placed the order from my bank (HSBC), I was a little put off by the "robot" on the other end so I hung up and rang through to the Fraud department. I gave them my details and we had a good chat about things. Turns out that like others have said they do this for high-value payments and the like, I mentioned that the recording sounded a bit "Scammy" and they said the would look into changing the voice and perhaps even the number they called to ask about the payment (I'm now set to get these messages on my mobile).

I can completely see where you are coming from on this and, like a few others before me mentioned it is a good idea to ask for the dept / number and ring them back if in any doubt about the genuineness of the call(er). One thing that I have done on a few occasions is phone the bank before I place / spend said amount of money a few days in advance, they put a little mark / note in my file to say that I'll be spending a bit on the day adn they don't ring if I give them a gernal idea of the amount I'm going to spend.

I suppose it is a bit "Big Brother" but I would prefer this to no one looking out for me and having my account compromised.

Cheers,
Harv

[t4ct1c47]

I had my card blocked last night when I placed an order order through Scan. Barclays blocked my card as I purchased a copy of Mirrors Edge with my debit card yesterday for less than £4 on Steam (get it while is hot). Because I then placed a large order with Scan Barclays fraud system kicked in as it assumed the previous small purchase was a test by a fraudster who had stolen my details. Of course no fraudster was involved as it was a legitimate purchase made by myself but I'm glad Barclays are strict enough to have such measure in place.

Anyway, I simply called Barclays up after looking up their customer service number on their homepage and one of their card fraud agents unblocked my card for me. He was even kind enough to call me back as I explained that I was low on credit and couldn't top up my phone due to my card being blocked.