[LINK] ASIC call for extended EFT code

[stephen at melbpc.org.au]

> .. some banks now require SMS confirmations for large transfers ..

My prefs are for SMS confirmation, for EVERY non-face-to-face transaction.

And one personal example of the The Age article below. I NEVER use my card
(credit or debit) online and won't even download email but use web-mailers 

However, I recently came across an O/S 'must-have', only available online.

Entering credit-card details for the *ONE* overseas company, I soon find 
that my card is being debited, on an on-going basis, by *FOUR* companies!

Ask my bank (which bank) to stop deducations by these *specific* companies,
and told it's not possible, they will only stop ALL use of the credit card.

And, am told even if i cancel the card & apply for another, any deductions
will continue over to the new card, on a regular monthly basis. So, anyone
with my name and numbers can apply for monthly credit-card deductions, and
the bank will honour these, even if one specifically asks them not to from
the companies, and these deducations will follow to a new card. Apparently
which bank will not risk being sued for non-payment and simply keep paying
*anyone* with my details, whom subsequently asks them for my card money.

The (British) bastard-company names were not listed in full on my account,
and after stopping all payments from the card (a pain because i also have
regular legitimate deductions which cannot be made from a debit card) and
eventually with MUCH difficulty tracking down the companies myself and so
demanding that their deductions stop this nightmare seems to have stopped.

I hope .. am still awaiting last month's which bank credit card statement. 


So, i have learnt (1) anyone with my name and credit card number can ask
my bank for money, and it will be paid every month. (2) i can't stop any
specific company payments just temporarily stop all payments on the card.
(3) even if i cancel my card, and apply for another, these payments will
carry-over and continue for as long as Dodgy Bros X4 ask, and (4) during
the weeks my card was stopped, which bank did NOTHING to investigate the
situation, and, would NOT supply me with the full names of the companies
making card deductions. It was entirely up to me to arrange payment stops

The Age heading to this article today seems remarkably appropriate, imho.

--
The great credit card swindle

Conrad Walters and Nick Galvin  October 7, 2008
http://www.theage.com.au/news/technology/security/the-great-credit-card-
swindle/2008/10/06/1223145272367.html
 
Australians lost more than half a billion dollars in credit card fraud 
last year, and security experts warn that banks are not doing enough to 
protect customers online and are playing down the problem for fear of 
harming their reputations.

Last year 383,300 people lost an average of $1600 to credit card fraud, 
says the Bureau of Statistics, which acknowledges the true figure is much 
higher.

This is because the bureau's survey into personal fraud - the first of its 
kind - recorded only an individual's most recent loss, but one-third of 
victims admitted they had been bilked two or more times.

Further losses were suffered by 124,000 victims of identity theft and 
57,800 people defrauded by "phishing" - online scams that collect personal 
details.

An investigation has found hackers, computer security experts and law 
enforcement authorities agree that online crimes involving credit cards 
and other transactions are easy to commit, hard to track and that 
criminals quickly circumvent new security measures.

In spite of this, bank customers are given little information about the 
severity of the problem ...

--
Cheers people
Stephen Loosley

Btw thank you for the dozen or so sensible emails regarding my LIFE rfc 
yesterday, (most being off-list).. will continue the discussion offlist
when i have pondered your thoughts and information. And, thanks for the
info that electrons may indeed have mass, (though it does not change my
proposal) and especially to Rachel for her 'risky' Link contribution re
the Eastern ideas re creating our own universe. My sister, (a qualified
nurse) runs a major Sydney Buddist Ashram and we have fascinating talks
regarding this very matter. And, it may be a pity one mentioned Penrose,
his work is only the barest beginnings to my thought structures re this.
Although not at all related to the ideas, other than a bare springboard,
suggest Paster's book at http://www.newphysicsandthemind.net/index.html

--

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