Attack of the clones
My enjoyment of the Mark Steel thing on Saturday was slightly marred by being unable to get any money from cashpoint machines, as "your card issuer has not authorised this transaction". Despite my having a perfectly healthy balance in my account, as was shown on screen. I was a little alarmed about this.
On Sunday morning, I rang Abbey, and was reassured there was no problem - just "something wrong with the ATMs last night". Still got same message when I tried.
Today I tried at my local branch, got same message. So I went inside, and they discovered; "oh yes, there is a 'referral' on your card". Got sent to talk to an "advisor", who dialled someone on her phone, didn't even make eye contact with me as I waited anxiously. Eventually I was put through to person on other end of phone, who told me that the police had found out that my card had been "compromised" by being used at an ATM where a cloning device had been used, and I was going to be issued with a new card. No-one had spent anything on my card - score one for my paranoia in covering up the numbers I type for my PIN.
Now, thinking about it, they were acting in my interest here. But there was no sympathy evinced by anyone I spoke to, and if anything I found myself feeling guilty, as if I must have done something wrong, while waiting for them to sort out what was happening. It wouldn't have taken much effort to explain, or even to assume until proven otherwise that I was the victim and not a fraudster. I felt wretched on Saturday night, being turned away from cashpoints and having to apologise to Pete for not paying for my ticket because I had no money.
That's the thing with crime. It's not just the stealing, the contemptible "take from honest working people out of sheer selfishness" - it's the petty, small ways it affects the victims.
I'm off to dress up as a bat and beat up muggers, now...
[X posted to vigilance_com
On Sunday morning, I rang Abbey, and was reassured there was no problem - just "something wrong with the ATMs last night". Still got same message when I tried.
Today I tried at my local branch, got same message. So I went inside, and they discovered; "oh yes, there is a 'referral' on your card". Got sent to talk to an "advisor", who dialled someone on her phone, didn't even make eye contact with me as I waited anxiously. Eventually I was put through to person on other end of phone, who told me that the police had found out that my card had been "compromised" by being used at an ATM where a cloning device had been used, and I was going to be issued with a new card. No-one had spent anything on my card - score one for my paranoia in covering up the numbers I type for my PIN.
Now, thinking about it, they were acting in my interest here. But there was no sympathy evinced by anyone I spoke to, and if anything I found myself feeling guilty, as if I must have done something wrong, while waiting for them to sort out what was happening. It wouldn't have taken much effort to explain, or even to assume until proven otherwise that I was the victim and not a fraudster. I felt wretched on Saturday night, being turned away from cashpoints and having to apologise to Pete for not paying for my ticket because I had no money.
That's the thing with crime. It's not just the stealing, the contemptible "take from honest working people out of sheer selfishness" - it's the petty, small ways it affects the victims.
I'm off to dress up as a bat and beat up muggers, now...
[X posted to vigilance_com