Thai Girl is almost perfect but are these serious problems?

[fantom]

I recently discovered that for the last three months, monthly, on the same date an identical small amount was taken from my savings account with a major Thai bank.  The description was 'Google *UFC TV.' It goes without saying I never subscribed to this and queries to both Google and UFC TV went unanswered.

It was not until I (belatedly) checked my statement in detail that I discovered it. I of course then went to my local bank where they contacted bank central and they in turn forwarded the case to the fraud department and also cancelled my debit card and issued me a new one with a new number.

A few days ago when reading one of the quality British tabloids I discovered a letter from someone in the UK who had also discovered a similar occurrence, also an American site, on his British Bank account. This too was part of a larger scam.

My reason for writing this is to advise all to carefully examine the full banking statement and not just rely on the bank book update. I have SMS alert on my account and it is of interest it was never triggered for these three deductions. I suspect this is a wider problem than a simple skim of my card and in future I will be checking my monthly statement with much greater care.

[Orton Rd]

Did you get the money re funded?

[RichCor]

Not really a "Bank Account Scam". Just normal, run of the mill, Credit/Debit Card fraud. 

[fantom]

5 hours ago, Orton Rd said:

Did you get the money re funded?

Not yet. I am working on it.

[Pib]

OP, 

  Do you have a UFC app on your phone/computer?  I see on Google Play, assuming your use an Android device, a UFC app and the app talks in-app purchase of products from a small amount to larger amounts.   If you do have a UFC app on your phone and your debit card loaded with Google Play to pay for things maybe you clicked something in the UFC app that started the charge.   

   If you don't have a UFC app on your phone or computer, then never mind this post.

 

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.neulion.smartphone.ufc.android&hl=en

 

 

Edited November 24, 2017 by Pib

[fantom]

OP,

  Do you have a UFC app on your phone/computer?  I see on Google Play, assuming your use an Android device, a UFC app and the app talks in-app purchase of products from a s

 

No, that was the first thing I checked, the second was my google account, no link at all. I am not entirely convinced this is a simple debit / credit card fraud, It seems there are similarities with a banking hack that occurred recently in the UK.

 

Thank you for your concern and practical suggestion

[RichCor]

Then the read question might be, how was the initial and subsequent "Google *UFC TV" purchases authorized? 

If the transaction was verified with the CVV2 then you've got a real problem. If processed with just the card number and no additional card-holder fraud check, then more likely simple debit / credit card fraud.

 

Still, if you can find similar instances in the news, there may be a connection.

 

I've read 2nd-hand stories here on ThaiVisa of people supposedly having money in Thai Bank accounts and having funds charged, withdrawn or otherwise go missing. They change cards, they change accounts, and still the funds continue to go missing and the bank won't take responsibility. Scary stuff if true.

[Dan5]

A small amount? How small? What is the amount?

[helloagain]

Dan5 you want to know whats up a chickens backside or what ding dong so nosey

[fantom]

13 minutes ago, Dan5 said:

A small amount? How small? What is the amount?

Just above 300 bht each time.

At no point was authorisition made for this.

I suspect a security breach.

google 'Lloyds security breach'

 

Whatever has really happened, it is a warning to regularly check ones statements in detail.

[Dan5]

12 minutes ago, helloagain said:

Dan5 you want to know whats up a chickens backside or what ding dong so nosey

Don't be an absurd ass hole! A simple question. How much is the small amount. Amazing what idiots there are on this forum

[irwinfc]

fantom, do you use internet banking with sms notifications? if you do, i suggest you reduce the threshold for sms notifications. it may prove annoying, but you'll be able to monitor what goes out of your account.

[RichCor]

6 hours ago, fantom said:

At no point was authorisition made for this.

Fantom,

 

I think you misunderstand my post.  When a card transaction is made it can be done with just the card number or the payment processor may require a PIN (for Debit) or CVV2 (for Credit) transactions to complete. Some 'online' payment processors also require having the account holder 'billing zipcode' or 'issued to' name provided to complete the transaction.

 

Your bank should be able to tell you what verification steps were taken by the payment processor (probably none) before the reoccurring charge was accepted. This would help identify if this was a simple fraud (guessing the number) or a more serious breach of the bank's customer data.

[micmichd]

16 hours ago, RichCor said:

Then the read question might be, how was the initial and subsequent "Google *UFC TV" purchases authorized? 

If the transaction was verified with the CVV2 then you've got a real problem. If processed with just the card number and no additional card-holder fraud check, then more likely simple debit / credit card fraud.

 

Still, if you can find similar instances in the news, there may be a connection.

 

I've read 2nd-hand stories here on ThaiVisa of people supposedly having money in Thai Bank accounts and having funds charged, withdrawn or otherwise go missing. They change cards, they change accounts, and still the funds continue to go missing and the bank won't take responsibility. Scary stuff if true.

Maybe they should stay away from Mobile Banking. 

[fantom]

Rich Cor,

many thanks for your reply, I appreciate your insight and will follow it up with the bank.

[EcigAmateur]

It seems impossible that you didn't get sms alert.

You just didn't check your phone.

Edited November 25, 2017 by EcigAmateur

[fantom]

58 minutes ago, EcigAmateur said:

It seems impossible that you didn't get sms alert.

You just didn't check your phone.

I didnt

I checked

No email alert either

[fanjita]

9 hours ago, fantom said:

Just above 300 bht each time.

At no point was authorisition made for this.

I suspect a security breach.

google 'Lloyds security breach'

 

Whatever has really happened, it is a warning to regularly check ones statements in detail.

It was actually a Lloyds Amex security breach.  Have you got a Lloyds Amex card?  Important distinction in this instance.

[fantom]

good point, no

[fanjita]

Thanks for honest response, fantom.  Must be some other breach then.

 

Strange that such small sums involved.  

Edited November 25, 2017 by fanjita

[fantom]

22 minutes ago, fanjita said:

It was actually a Lloyds Amex security breach.  Have you got a Lloyds Amex card?  Important distinction in this instance.

 

3 minutes ago, fanjita said:

Thanks for honest response, fantom.  Must be some other breach then.

 

Strange that such small sums involved.  

Nothing strange about the small sums involved though. Very easy to miss, they soon add up. This was the whole thrust of my original post.

[fanjita]

Just now, fantom said:

Nothing strange about the small sums involved though. Very easy to miss, they soon add up. This was the whole thrust of my original post.

Don't get me wrong, I don't doubt that but a scammer would be looking for the quick big bucks before he's cut off.

 

Do you have any sort of Google account, i.e. connected to tablet that your wife or kid have access to?  The missus or kid inadvertently paying for in-game purchase or movie sort of thing.

[fanjita]

Many a time I have checked my statements, and I have a lot of credit cards, and have to investigate particular debits only to find something that I've totally forgotten about.  300 baht is what's aroused my suspicion of not a scam.

[Foozool]

Bank fraud usually begins with some small amounts.

you could catch it on time. 

[fanjita]

UFC seems to fit the bill with a child, if you have a child.  Seems to be some sort of fight pass to watch a cross between boxing and kick boxing.  I think that idiot Conor McGregor is their star fighter.

 

Are you sure no one in your household has inadvertently signed up for a recurring subscription?  I have just found one website with people complaining about signing up to a seven day free trial then automatically enrolled on a recurring subscription. 

 

I'll send you the link by PM if you want as not sure TV will allow me to copy here.

Edited November 25, 2017 by fanjita

[fanjita]

9 minutes ago, Foozool said:

Bank fraud usually begins with some small amounts.

you could catch it on time. 

Agreed, but not 300 baht monthly.  Too small for a scam.  Sounds like a recurring subscription and absolutely certain about this now that I've digested the thread.

[fanjita]

I should also add that I've been using debit and credit cards online for absolutely years and recall about six years ago noticing the same sort of recurring debit on one of my accounts for a few months in a row and having investigated by googling managed to get it stopped and not through my bank.  I just inadvertently signed up for this sort of nonsense.  Very easily done.

[fanjita]

1 hour ago, Foozool said:

Bank fraud usually begins with some small amounts.

you could catch it on time. 

Rather than just offer up soundbites you could, possibly, provide some practical assistance.  It's not your money so you've nothing to lose.

 

I would like to think the OP is now checking out what I've offered as practical advice.  If he can discount that then he can look at the alternative theories.

[fantom]

My account is not available to anybody else, certainly no children here.

I checked with both Google records and UFC. There is no record of me having any contact with UFC prior to the debits. I pointed this out in my original post. I am aware of the various online traps which is one reason I run linux and a VPN here in Thailand.

I do thank the various contributers and will be more assiduous checking the full statement in future.

I continue to have reservations about bank security here, there have been a number of breaches in the UK (I also hold a UK account) which have been well publicised, if the banks here suffered a security breach would they be so public I wonder.

[sandyf]

20 hours ago, fanjita said:

Thanks for honest response, fantom.  Must be some other breach then.

 

Strange that such small sums involved.  

Not really. When I was back in the UK a couple of years ago I had 2 relatively small online purchase transactions appear on my credit card. I immediately phoned the fraud dept and they removed them from the account. I asked the guy on the phone how that can happen when my card is Verified by Visa and he said that online retailers are not obliged to use the system and if they do they can set a transaction level. Under that arrangement all someone needs is your CCV. When I thought about it, I am sure that when I bought a phone the guy left the counter with my card in his hand, easy to be wise in hindsight.