Yet Another Scam.

[Moonrakers]

First off, should anybody feel the need to let me know just what fools my wife and I have been then it will be a pointless exercise as we can see that already.

With the recession in mind, my wife and I have been re-structuring our finances to help us better weather the financial storm should we need to. One thing that we decided to do was to obtain credit cards, not so much to use but more for a rainy day.

My wife had two applications accepted. One from Bangkok Bank which she applied for at the bank in person, and another from HSBC which was applied for via an online agency............. No doubt some of you are tutting already.

So, the HSBC card has still not arrived after 3 weeks and my wife has been calling them regularly to check up on where it is. Today we receive a call from HSBC: There is a problem, we still have not received the card yet and it has been used. Apparently the card was delivered to an address which is unkown to us, clearly the 'agency' altered the application form before submitting it.

Of course HSBC have been told that under no circumstances will we be paying a single bill from that card, thankfull they seem to acknowledge and accept that we simply are not liable. It is now a case of contacting every credit card company that we can think of to be sure that any other cards applied for are cancelled immediately.

As naive as we may have been we are now a little wiser. Just a heads up like.

[MJo]

And how much you paid this "agency" to ensure your application is accepted

[Moonrakers]

And how much you paid this "agency" to ensure your application is accepted

Nothing, that's not how they make there money is it?

[MJo]

Never heard of any agency handling credit card applications before, i always thought you just send your application to the bank...

[bkkjames]

sounds to me like the 'agency' makes its money on obtaining the card first and then only after a month do HSBC catch on to the charges.

[Cuban]

>....and another from HSBC which was applied for via an online agency.

Please confirm what I take this to mean, you filled out an application form for a HSBC Credit Card using a third party website?

I respect you are an established member here so this is not a troll but an unfortunate incident indeed.

Please consider that all personal information that you have typed into that web site might even now be being used to apply for credit cards around the world. There are credit referance agencies that are refered to by the CC companies - it might be wise to ask one of them if other CC companies have been checking your credit history recently - they do this when you apply for a new CC. (Even if someone else is using your identity.)

Equifax web site. There maybe a Equifax or similar in your home country.

Posting the link might not be wise - but please tell me the name of the company/web site - so I can take a look?

[dave111223]

What was the agency that you used to the file the application? Pretty pointless giving a warning without this information...

Although you said you've been "fools"; i don't really see that you did anything wrong. It's not your fault, and even the bank in not charging you anything, as it's clearly their fault for not properly verifying the information on the credit card application.

[Jimjim]

There are often third party companies that will process an application for you which they ultimately submit to a bank. Usually it's because that company will somehow give you free stuff or discounts, perks, etc. from their company or partners depending on how much you use the credit card.

Sounds like the OP was wise to stay on top of it, and everything is fine. Credit card companies are usually good to their customers in this kind of situation. Though they love if you get behind on payments so they can charge you a billion percent of interest.

[Familyonthemove]

Thanks for the warning. I got my Indian credit card via an agency working for Jetairways who offer a credit card through a well known bank. They had my details from the loyalty card. It all worked fine. But now you mention it .... I suppose there was always a risk it wouldn't arrive.

It's getting tougher every day to spot the scams.

The first time I got a mail telling me my account was being suspended as a security measure and could I send further details to reactivate it - I could have been taken in ..... if I'd had an account with that bank!

[dotcom]

Never heard of any agency handling credit card applications before, i always thought you just send your application to the bank...

Would be so much better to walk into the bank's lobby & ask for customer service.

[Moonrakers]

>....and another from HSBC which was applied for via an online agency.

Please confirm what I take this to mean, you filled out an application form for a HSBC Credit Card using a third party website?

I respect you are an established member here so this is not a troll but an unfortunate incident indeed.

Please consider that all personal information that you have typed into that web site might even now be being used to apply for credit cards around the world. There are credit referance agencies that are refered to by the CC companies - it might be wise to ask one of them if other CC companies have been checking your credit history recently - they do this when you apply for a new CC. (Even if someone else is using your identity.)

Equifax web site. There maybe a Equifax or similar in your home country.

Posting the link might not be wise - but please tell me the name of the company/web site - so I can take a look?

Thanks for the links Cuban.

On further investigation it would seem as though the word "fool" is appropriate after all, as my wife responded to the add at the bottom of this page: http://www.be2hand.com/scripts/view.php?prod_id=241787. It is simply an email address rather than a website.

Of course I have let her know where she has gone wrong and she won't do it again. And of course I shall pay more attention next time myself as I would not have allowed her to do it this way had I known. But the damage is done now and so it is a case of damage limitation from now on.

Probably quite easy to organise a sting operation here by making another application through them, but I am not sure if I would want to get involved in that.

[Moonrakers]

The silly girl (My wife) has given her personal details to a complete and anonymous stranger.

Any further advice on how to clean this mess up would be greatly appreciated.

Edited March 27, 2009 by Moonrakers

[easyride]

The silly girl (My wife) has given her personal details to a complete and anonymous stranger.

Any further advice on how to clean this mess up would be greatly appreciated.

Sounds like you're buggered until they move onto the next 'customer'

Live and learn as you did.

[mahtin]

The silly girl (My wife) has given her personal details to a complete and anonymous stranger.

Any further advice on how to clean this mess up would be greatly appreciated.

Close all bank accounts and start fresh new ones for a start.

Unfortunate, not stupid.

[Enjibenji]

The silly girl (My wife) has given her personal details to a complete and anonymous stranger.

Any further advice on how to clean this mess up would be greatly appreciated.

Close all bank accounts and start fresh new ones for a start.

Unfortunate, not stupid.

no - stupid, not unfortunate.

agree with the sentence before that though.

[mahtin]

no - stupid, not unfortunate.

agree with the sentence before that though.

He jumped from the burning plane.

Fortunately he had a parachute...

Unfortunately it did not open

Fortunately there was a haystack...

Unfortunately he missed it

[hhgz]

"The silly girl (My wife) has given her personal details to a complete and anonymous stranger. Any further advice on how to clean this mess up would be greatly appreciated..."

You should divorce her for being careless, and she should divorce you for referring to her a "a silly girl". You married her, and that doesn't reflect well on you.

[Moonrakers]

"The silly girl (My wife) has given her personal details to a complete and anonymous stranger. Any further advice on how to clean this mess up would be greatly appreciated..."

You should divorce her for being careless, and she should divorce you for referring to her a "a silly girl". You married her, and that doesn't reflect well on you.

OK, I'll bite.

My wife has done a silly thing. Yet even the smartest of people make mistakes from time to time, to err is human as they say. And me marrying my wife does not reflect on me badly at all as she is a good and bright person, get off your podium and don't try to psycho-analyze two people that you have never even met.

Small rant over.

Looks as though a whole lot of phone calls need to be made from first thing Monday, and the misses has already been in touch with a lawyer to have us covered in terms of liability. That, thankfully seems quite straightforward.

[BigSnake]

First off, should anybody feel the need to let me know just what fools my wife and I have been then it will be a pointless exercise as we can see that already.

With the recession in mind, my wife and I have been re-structuring our finances to help us better weather the financial storm should we need to. One thing that we decided to do was to obtain credit cards, not so much to use but more for a rainy day.

My wife had two applications accepted. One from Bangkok Bank which she applied for at the bank in person, and another from HSBC which was applied for via an online agency............. No doubt some of you are tutting already.

So, the HSBC card has still not arrived after 3 weeks and my wife has been calling them regularly to check up on where it is. Today we receive a call from HSBC: There is a problem, we still have not received the card yet and it has been used. Apparently the card was delivered to an address which is unkown to us, clearly the 'agency' altered the application form before submitting it.

Of course HSBC have been told that under no circumstances will we be paying a single bill from that card, thankfull they seem to acknowledge and accept that we simply are not liable. It is now a case of contacting every credit card company that we can think of to be sure that any other cards applied for are cancelled immediately.

As naive as we may have been we are now a little wiser. Just a heads up like.

Live and Learn

[chiangmaibruce]

On further investigation it would seem as though the word "fool" is appropriate after all, as my wife responded to the add at the bottom of this page: http://www.be2hand.com/scripts/view.php?prod_id=241787. It is simply an email address rather than a website.

Have you considered emailing the webmaster of the be2hand web site to let them know what happened? i.e. so they drop any further ads from this operation. a small thing but it might save a few others from the same fate

[Moonrakers]

On further investigation it would seem as though the word "fool" is appropriate after all, as my wife responded to the add at the bottom of this page: http://www.be2hand.com/scripts/view.php?prod_id=241787. It is simply an email address rather than a website.

Have you considered emailing the webmaster of the be2hand web site to let them know what happened? i.e. so they drop any further ads from this operation. a small thing but it might save a few others from the same fate

No I had not thought of that, but good call and I will make sure it is done.

Sadly though it will likely be ineffective as anybody could create a new hotmail (or whatever) account and buy a new sim card, which is what the very person that scammed us is likely to do.

Edited March 28, 2009 by Moonrakers

[mahtin]

A crime has been committed.

I realise TIT, but are you reporting it?

[Moonrakers]

A crime has been committed.

I realise TIT, but are you reporting it?

It's a case of damage limitation, which means that a police report has to be made to ensure that we are not held liable.

And so to answer your question..... Yes.

[snuggzzz]

Sorry about being scammed, check with 'Experian' as well, major card companies refer credit checks to them, to make them aware for damage limitation.