Take heed!!

[blackburn_stevie]

"er indoors was going over our bank account online over the weekend and she found 3 transactions that she didn't recognise. They were all in relation to Direct Debits being paid to mobile phone companies, to be specific, O2, Vodafone and Orange. What got her attention is that we don't have phones with contracts. Our mobiles are on PAYG.

So I phoned the bank this morning and got through to the Fraud people who had a look at our account, cancelled the bogus D/Ds and did a refund. Because we have online banking, she asked us to keep eyes open for similar D/Ds and to notify them if we found any. She also said that our details may have been cloned when we went for petrol.

So, if you use online banking, have a quick look for any unauthorised D/Ds from mobile phone companies and if you find any get on the phone to your bank.

We are with Nat West but I guess that most banks have a similar method of dealing with this type of thing.

If you don't have online banking, make an appointment to see somebody at your bank and ask for a list of D/Ds so that you can check them there and then.

[mustard-tree]

Im with NatWest too Steve, and have online banking.

I check mine every day.

With direct debits, the amount is held in limbo for a couple of days before it is sent to the recipient, so you can cancel it online before it is paid.

During this time, the amount is deducted from your balance, but is put back after you cancel.

[5129frederick]

Don't think for a second I'm crowing, because I most certainly am not, but I steadfasly refuse to participate in any form of online banking.  Some of the biggest crimes going involve no more than the click of a mouse.  The stress it causes when things go wrong, whether it be for £20.00 or for £2000.00 is equal.  That is why every payday, every penny comes straight out of my account and is held in cash.  As each d/d date approaches, sufficient money is then put in.  I have no credit cards, and we don't pay anything by cheque.  Like many people of the aging generation, I distrust banks intensely.  You have £1000.00 in the bank, the bank, this twisted Government and scores of other people know about it.:_| 

[bankhaunter]

Many people rarely if ever check their bank statements and don't notice relatively small amounts going out at regular intervals.

[geographically*challenged]

I always check my statementand if there is anythng questionable I go straight to my bank and ask them to check and they are always good and sort anything out if it needs sorting out.

[10phizz]

I check mine since Nat West paid an annual payment monthly which took me overdrawn and the wanted to charge me for it.

[dillon-in-bayern]

Good job you keep your eyes open Steve.

Geo-Challenged - that's exactly what you should look out for.

I'll never forget when I had to make a business trip to Venezuela, I needed to be able to contact my head office back in Germany but due to costs nobody in Venezuela was willing to let me use their telephone so I had to rent a mobile locally.

When I returned to Germany I received a call from my (company) credit card company regarding some unusual charges and asking if the bill they'd just recieved for €2700 for a mobile telephone was genuine for my 5 day stay in Caracas.

Sadly it was all perfectly true.

[Anonymous]

watched a BBC 1 programme the other night, be aware of WONGA loans, they  take money from accounts even if you don't have a loan with them.

[5129frederick]

Now that's REALLY WONG!:^O