Go to bed Zed

I hate to quit so soon, but I think I’m going to have an early night.  Things started poorly this morning, when I had an automated call from the bank doing a security check.  I tapped in my details while running around barefoot calling for the Sage, but he hadn’t heard me by the time I was due to authorise, or not, the cheque that I hadn’t written but he probably had – anyway, by the time it was all sorted out, I had confirmation that it is all right for the other person on a joint account to put in my details.  So next time, he can do it.

Between us, we’ve got rather a lot of bank accounts.  There’s mine, his, ours, his but it’s a joint account in case he wants me to use it, and probably a few others I’ve forgotten about.  Not different accounts with the same bank, each with a different bank.  I’m not sure why we do this.  At least, if ever we were to have a disagreement with one bank, we’d just stop using it and not have the big annoying changeover.

Most of the morning was spent on the phone, which wasn’t my doing as all calls were received and, unusually, all for me.  Unwisely, I made one call myself at the end of the morning, to register my receipt of a new Barclaycard.  This was done in moments, but then the woman with a strident voice gave me a long spiel, which turned out to be a sales pitch for protection against computer fraud.  I let her go on for a silly amount of time, until she mentioned the cost, *only* £79.99 … what?  I’d have to examine my current legal liabilities carefully, bearing in mind that I don’t use computer banking, use PayPal where available, remember my PINs and passwords rather than write them down  and, although I recognise that anyone’s account can be hacked into, I am as cautious as I feel I can be – and she was way over-pushy.  When I refused her service, she tried to sell me a £40 one.  Hm.  I gave her a lesser-used email address to send me the stuff – which I haven’t received – and went to take paracetamol.  I felt that she was behaving rather worse than the regular cold-caller, and it wasn’t what I’d expect from Barclaycard.

Tomorrow, the Finance committee meeting.  Better be good, I’m missing a Nadfas lecture for it, one I wanted to go to.  It’s the meeting when we go through the budget for the next year, I can’t miss it.  Rather amazingly, we’ve got a budget that balances, which a lot of schools haven’t this year.  I know we’ll also discuss Academy status again, preparatory to a decision by the governors in ten days.  The Head and I met Union reps today.  It’s not altogether surprising that I’m tired out, although it is good to know that the staff do trust the Head and governors.  Anyhoo.  I’m off to bed.  The Sage is already asleep, laptop on lap – it’s like a teddy bear to him, really.

10 comments on “Go to bed Zed

  1. Z

    Interestingly, I finally got around to reading the Saturday Times last night after writing this, and in response to a complaint about card insurance, their ‘troubleshooter’ says that banks are obliged to refund any fraud on customers’ credit cards, irrespective of whether or not they have insurance. That was my understanding, but the woman on the phone (who gave her name at the start but, thinking I was just registering my card, I didn’t write it down) categorically said that I would not be covered for fraud.

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  2. Roses

    I have the anti-fraud service from Lloyds and it’s a complete pain-in-the-arse. They stop transactions randomly and treat me like a 3 year old. It’s for my own protection.

    However, I did have a win when I rang up to complain. They were forced to conceed that the time I had to spend sorting it out was unacceptable. I had my stroppy knickers on that day. I might put them on again…

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  3. Z

    It’s for their protection, Roses, not yours, because they would have to pay you anyway if you were a fraud victim, with or without the insurance.

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  4. Z

    The woman was thoroughly scaremongering. She told me that to have any chance of getting my money back, I’d have to go to court and pay a lot in legal fees. I didn’t believe her and it’s just as well.

    What could be useful is registering to get your cards cancelled if they are stolen – but there again, if anyone is trying to get you to take out insurance they tell you that you will have to cancel each individually. That is not true either. Some years ago, my handbag was stolen. I phoned the credit card company (I knew my card number) and they offered to cancel every one of my cards, whoever they were with.

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  5. Blue Witch

    Ha – you got to the truth about this before I could help out!

    Given that Barclaycard (say that they) record all calls, you could easily put in a complaint about that… to stop someone else, less aware, being taken for a ride. But I don’t think you’re as much of a consumer chamption as me. And, last time I looked, Barclaycard used 0844 numbers, so calls cost dearly.

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  6. Z

    I was pretty sure of the banks’ obligations, but everything I said, she contradicted. I did ask for the website though, saying that I’d want to read the details first, which she gave me – cpp.co.uk. I haven’t looked it up yet, but I will.

    The thing about complaining after a phone call is that, although I know she was misleading, I cannot be completely sure that she told lies. I didn’t know, when I made the call, that I’d be given a hard sell or I’d have been ready to take notes. The call was an 0800 number, but it was specifically to register a new card. As you say, the customer service number is 0844.

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  7. Z

    Interestingly, the cover she wanted to charge me just on £80 for is selling on the website at £5.99 a month, which is appreciably less.

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  8. Blue Witch

    Ah, identity theft cover, then.

    Best way to get that for nothing is to get a Capital One card, and it’s included (fee free). You don’t even need to use the card regularly, currently (I’m sure that will change, give it time). With this you also get Experian updates for free – ie you can see if someone is applying for credit in your name as you get an email every time your file changes (every time a credit check is done,or changes are made to existing agreements), or every month if it doesn’t, just so you know they are still working behind the scenes and haven’t forgotten you.

    Identity theft takes a long, long time to sort out. But, from what I’ve heard/read, these services aren’t worth the money they charge. But, if one is the sort of person who might fall for scams, and/or not be able to deal with big companies to get matters sorted, then it’s probably something one might feel one needed to pay for. Which, I guess, is why they’re programmed to give people the hard sell.

    Egg cards have just been bought out by Barclaycard, so I shall enjoy dealing with this situation in June when I get my replacement Egg/Barclaycard. Thanks for the pre-warning 🙂

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  9. Z

    I received new debit and another Barclay credit card, plus a different credit card near the end of last year and wasn’t put through this malarkey. I have kept the Times piece to quote if I get it again. And I know she quoted £79.-something, either .95 or .99, maybe the extra is her commission!

    Reply

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