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Original poster

Was I almost scammed yesterday? If so- how?

31 replies

eyeheart · 14/01/2025 08:14

[Name change, outing] I was outside Asda near Bournemouth train station last night just having put my card in the machine when a young woman quickly approached me. This gave me a shock because obviously you always have to be wary of people watching etc. at a cash machine, I just hit "cancel" and grabbed my card.

She seemed stressed and asked me if I knew how to activate a bank card she had in her hand. I just told her that I only knew that for my bank you make a purchase and put your card in and use the pin.

She said she didn't have a pin and showed me the card which was a Monzo one and a bit weird, it didn't seem to have the usual details embossed on the front.

Then she tried putting it in the machine, what I don't get here was that surely she must have put in a pin at this point- and showed me there was no option to activate.

I just replied that I only knew about making a purchase, said I was sorry and went in the store- unfortunately without my cash because I'd had to abruptly cancel. Also a bit shaken at being approached at the cash point.

She seemed like a nice and genuine person but obviously this has thrown me. I'm now worried about some kind of scam, but if so- what could it be? I was watching for someone approaching me while she was speaking in case it was a distraction technique but no-one did.

What now? Do I need to cancel my card?

I'm so wary of Bournemouth now, the whole train station/Asda area was just full of people on drugs. I grew up in a city so I'm not naive, it's just that Bournemouth seems to have deteriorated.

OP posts:
RockingLock · 14/01/2025 08:16

Cards have changed now for my bank, details are on the back of the card and not embossed. Can’t comment on the rest.

AuContrairePubicHair · 14/01/2025 08:16

Why would you need to cancel your card?

If anything, she was trying to activate a stolen card, but where does your card come into it?

Snowmanscarf · 14/01/2025 08:17

Was the card stolen, hence she didn’t gave a pin?

Notmyregularusrname · 14/01/2025 08:17

Possible she was genuine. Possible she was about to give you a big sob story to get money out of you. Possible she and an accomplice were going to rob you but when you cancelled the transaction she invented a cover story.

On balance I think most likely she was genuine.

Original poster
eyeheart · 14/01/2025 08:20

She did seem genuine and that's why I didn't just run into the store, but she kind of dashed towards me when I was inputting my pin which obviously startled me. Having said that, she was clearly wanting to activate that card so that could be explained away. She had a very slight accent so possibly was not local/from a country where it's OK to approach someone at a cash point?

OP posts:
Original poster
eyeheart · 14/01/2025 08:23

In case anyone thinks I'm exaggerating, that Asda/train station area is so dodgy that a couple of weeks ago I saw someone openly smoking crack at the bottom of the escalators that go into Asda! The whole area stinks of urine and clouds of weed and even inside the Asda you're aware of people off their faces on drugs, grinding their teeth etc. it's genuinely shocking.

OP posts:
Original poster
eyeheart · 14/01/2025 08:24

AuContrairePubicHair · 14/01/2025 08:16

Why would you need to cancel your card?

If anything, she was trying to activate a stolen card, but where does your card come into it?

Maybe she saw my pin or had a camera on it?

OP posts:
DaDaDoDaiDa · 14/01/2025 08:25

It might have been a 'distraction scam' - she might have been hoping you'd continue with your transaction and her interruption would fluster you and you'd leave your card in the machine or she'd be able to grab your money.

You did the right thing - if approached at a cashpoint, ignore the person and focus on getting your card back and any money put away (depending on what point you're at) and walk away.

grace2025 · 14/01/2025 08:25

Sounds awful there!! But I don't think anything likely to have happened to your own card.

dementedpixie · 14/01/2025 08:25

What use is your pin without your card?
Think you can activate monzo card using their app

TheYearOfSmallThings · 14/01/2025 08:26

I think if anything she was hoping to get £5 from you out of kindness "to get home". I find it hard to believe anyone would approach a stranger rather than googling "How activate Monzo card" - I just googled it and none of the methods involves going to a cash machine.

On the other hand she may just not have had to activate a new card before. Either way I don't see that you need to cancel your card.

Original poster
eyeheart · 14/01/2025 08:27

Thanks everyone, I'm just wracking my brains to think of any scam! And if that woman happens to be reading- I'm so sorry 😅 You seemed respectable & nice!

OP posts:
JerrySprinter · 14/01/2025 08:27

To use a new mono card, it needs to be activated with the app. The pin can be accessed via the app too.

Original poster
eyeheart · 14/01/2025 08:30

Bournemouth is absolutely shocking now, well after about 9 anyway (although the crack smoking was in broad daylight). I should go round with a hidden camera. There's some very desperate people who have obviously fallen outside the reach of state help for whatever reason, which has always been a he case in any urban area, but it's the flagrant drug use and the sheer number of them that's shocking 😔 I don't know how to convey it, just people gurning and grinding their teeth, shouting out in the street to no-one, following you and staring, wavering and stumbling around drunk or high. Just on that one walk from the station I passed through a massive choking cloud of weed on the railway bridge, went to Asda passing some drunk people, this happened outside, I passed more drunk/high people as I came out, a drunk man smashed a beer bottle on the main road which I had to dodge, then a man followed me as I was walking in the seafront direction. That just 20 minutes' worth- sadly I could go on and on.

OP posts:
PrincessAnne4Eva · 14/01/2025 08:34

eyeheart · 14/01/2025 08:27

Thanks everyone, I'm just wracking my brains to think of any scam! And if that woman happens to be reading- I'm so sorry 😅 You seemed respectable & nice!

As Tom Baker's Doctor once said, criminals don't get very far without honest faces!

She was very likely trying to get money out of a stolen card or trying to distract you for pickpocketing.

DogInATent · 14/01/2025 08:41

Unless there was a skimmer on the card machine, I don't see an obvious scam there. Unless the follow-up was a simple begging approach for cash because, "her card isn't activated and she needs to get home".

RedHelenB · 14/01/2025 08:48

You're over reacting OP. No need to be so anxious.

Original poster
eyeheart · 14/01/2025 08:50

I don't think I am overreacting at all, I've never been approached while using a cash point. Everyone knows you just don't do that and if someone does, they are likely about to try and take your money.

OP posts:
INeedAnotherName · 14/01/2025 08:53

I agree with pp, it was either a distraction scam or you would end up "loaning" her some rent/food money and she would pay you back (not). Of course she will look nice with an honest face - you wouldn't have stayed talking otherwise.

Chuchoter · 14/01/2025 08:56

'GET THE FUCK AWAY FROM ME' is a useful phrase in these situations. Said with menace and hard cold stare.

Lemon1111 · 14/01/2025 08:58

You aren’t wrong about Bournemouth I live 15 mins away and it was amazing when I was a teenager, I hardly ever go there now but when I do I come away feeling really sad

Original poster
eyeheart · 14/01/2025 09:02

Lemon1111 · 14/01/2025 08:58

You aren’t wrong about Bournemouth I live 15 mins away and it was amazing when I was a teenager, I hardly ever go there now but when I do I come away feeling really sad

What happened? 😔 I don't live in Bournemouth but in the region so I haven't followed what's happened and why.

What's absolutely shocking is that the area also has some of the wealthiest people in the country, too.

OP posts:
TeenLifeMum · 14/01/2025 09:03

My NatWest card isn’t embossed on the front. Sounds like she needs to use the app to activate. Digital literacy is a real issue. But I understand why you felt nervous. I don’t think you were scammed on this occasion but good to be cautious.

Lurkingandlearning · 14/01/2025 09:04

When you say camera are you referring to when scammers actually install a “box” onto the ATM that looks part of the ATM but has a camera inside that records card details and key strokes for the PIN number so they can clone cards? (Although I’m not sure how that works???)

There are so many scams now, I think I would report my card lost if I was ever suspicious. The downside to that is not being able to access the account until the replacement card arrives. If possible, having another account with emergency money in would solve that problem.

Lemon1111 · 14/01/2025 09:14

eyeheart · 14/01/2025 09:02

What happened? 😔 I don't live in Bournemouth but in the region so I haven't followed what's happened and why.

What's absolutely shocking is that the area also has some of the wealthiest people in the country, too.

Show quote history

I guess that’s part of the problem, the divide between rich and poor is so great now. The house/rent in the area is insane.

My partner was living in a grotty house share before he moved in with me and was paying £650 for a room in a house with no communal space apart from the kitchen; this was to save money and was 5 years ago now, so god knows how much the same room costs now…

It makes me sick that landlords are creating 5 bed HMO’s and taking so much money for a basic room.

The wages in the area don’t reflect the cost of living there and a lot of people retire to the area which obviously has an effect on the amount of housing available.

I work in housing and there is just no social housing left and the waiting list is huge. I think if I had to live on the streets it would be hugely tempting to take something that makes me happier, even if it was for a small amount of time and there lies the problem :(

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