NZFF

Last night my partner and I attended a six-course tasting menu dinner at Ara (Polytech) here in Christchurch, to showcase a graduating Chef's course.
It was a wonderful evening, but a little long for an old fart like me.
Anyway, this morning we were discussing the evening and we both thought the drinks bill was a little light, so I went online and checked my balance ........Bloody hell

It appears that between paying for pre-dinner drinks, and the final bill, somebody or something had skimmed $700.00 from my account.
4 lots of $150.00 and one of $100.00, showing as pending on the statement....instant panic....rang the bank.... 1hour and 10 minutes on hold, I gave up and called the (after going to google) "I've been ripped off" number. (BNZ)

Got through straight away, and unloaded my stress to a lovely kid named Tai. Card canceled on the spot after all the security checks. Turns out, the place trying to take my money is called Bayton.... a legit online casino site ..that I have never subscribed to...I don't gamble.

Working back through my banking details, she agreed, that something wasn't right. I can't point the finger at anyone,(I want to) but I won't....but you don't have to be a trained detective to see ...... well, I won't say anymore.

I just need that money back in my account...really, really, angry about this. I've been told to call again on Monday, and BNZ will "commence proceedings" ... in the meantime, I have 17cents in the bank..... WTH

Scary stuff, that, Marty!

I lead a very solitary life with very few folks, (no friends!), around me, like my family, and it would be very scary to discover "someone" had access to my Bank details!
I NEVER use the internet for my banking transactions, and always pop into my local Bank Branch if I need to.
It's difficult to figure out how someone could get access to my Credit/Debit Card and Bank details!!
...all my payments are carried out using only my Debit Card.
(Credit Card never used, which always annoys my Bank!!)... ...!

I hope it all works out for you Marty, and you get your money back again!

Paul... .... ...!

That's a real downer SP. The number of low life individuals around.
I hope your bank plays ball and that pay day is not too far away!.

Thanks gents. I really thought the banks had more power than they actually do. The withdrawals are still sitting there as pending. If the casino place is onto it, they will notice something odd, and drop the pending thing.
However, if this is a little more sophisticated, the money will go and the bank cant stop it. The bank has notified the police, but I think they have better things to do.
So here I sit ...on holiday, waiting to be stolen from or not ...joy. I should be refunded and the bank will dispute the whole thing with this Bayton crowd, but the refund will take up to 10 days.

I keep an ASB credit card with a $500 limit for anything online. It limits my exposure to just that amount. And I had to practically *beg* the bank to make the limit that low!
I just need to train (re-train; often) my wife not to use the main card; if that got hit we'd be right royally screwed.

Be interested to hear the outcome... years ago, my VISA card was skimmed and used to buy KFC and petrol and other stuff which was clearly outside my usual spending pattern and location.
I told the bank, they cancelled the card immediately and that was the last I heard, apart from a new card later in the mail.
I later enquired whether they had followed up, and the answer was Nope! the losses are built into the overall business model.

I'm back from limbo land ..thank goodness. All the money was unfrozen and released to my account yesterday morning.
The Bank was very thrifty with details, except to say that their fraud team was a little excited, other than that nothing. A new card arrived in the mail yesterday afternoon.

Call that a win, and you may have even saved money this week:)
Happy Easter!

They have to look after CC customers, because they are the Fatted Calf.
Time is running out, many vendors charge you for the pleasure.
And in truth the reason for having a CC isn't all that clear anymore.