Stolen phone - now credit card fraud!

Just over a month ago, I had my phone stolen from a pub.  My own fault - I left it on the table whilst we allowed ourselves to be 'distracted' by a couple of blokes (don't want to be racist, but they were from north of the Wirral!).  Dave and I had met for a pint after work in a pub (not naming the pub, as it was nothing to do with them), two blokes joined us at our table, which was a bit odd, as there was no one else in the room at the time, so plenty of room for them somewhere else, they then started to criticise everything, the pub being cold, etc etc, we politely told them that we had just called in for a quiet pint after work and didn't want to join in with their negative comments about the world in general.  They then launched into a tirade about if we wanted to be 'on our own' then we should buy our own pub!  After 10 mins or so, we decided to move tables, and in the ensuing move, I left my mobile phone on the pub table, went to the loo, and joined Dave on a different table.  By the time I returned from the loo, the two blokes had disappeared.  I commented to Dave that this was a bit quick, as they'd only just got new drinks from the bar when I went to the loo.  Hang on - where's my phone!!!  No wonder they'd downed their drinks and scarpered - they'd taken my mobile with them!  Phone calls to Vodafone and the police followed, with all the hassle that that involves.  The annoying thing about this is that I'd let it happen, by leaving my phone on the table (something I never do) and to allow myself to be distracted.  I wasn't that worried about lost phone numbers at this point, as I had recently backed up all my contacts to my computer - or so I thought!  When I (eventually) got a new phone, I confidently plugged it in to the computer and went through the motions of 'restoring' my contacts, I discovered that there were only 15 no. contacts backed up - there should have been at least 115!  So, that's the worse thing about having my phone stolen - all my phone numbers which I'd accumulated over the years have now gone.  As I said, I thought I had been backing up my contacts from the mobile to the computer - I went through the required prompts, then "back up complete" appeared, I went in to the programme & checked the first few - yep - as the machine said "back up complete", only it wasn't! 

Now on to the credit card.  I had a phone call from HSBC bank 2 days ago, to ask if I had purchased a Virgin Atlantic ticket to the tune of £2,200.  No!!!! I hadn't.  "Has anyone else had access to your credit card over the last few days?" No. Definitely not. (Although it did get me thinking ...... but Dave's passport has expired so I knew he wasn't planning an escape route).  This transaction obviously created alarm bells, as there's nothing outstanding on my credit card.  After being passed to three different departments, and explaining my predicament each time (they phoned me!) I was getting increasingly exasperated with trying to understand what 'Sharon' and 'Steve' somewhere in India were saying - and on a mobile signal - it was impossible.  Eventually I was told to check my credit card statement, and IF this transaction appeared on it, then to phone another number and explain.  I'm afraid I couldn't understand a word they were saying, so I pulled a blinder, and phoned the Welsh speaking HSBC number.  Ha!  No - I don't speak Welsh - but all the HSBC Welsh operators speak English, be it with a Welsh accent.  Within a few minutes it was all sorted.  No - I wasn't liable for this transaction.  No - it does not appear on my statement. My card has been cancelled and I was to cut it up immediately. All sorted with nothing to worry about, and sorry for the inconvenience.  It has however stopped my on line shopping idea - to buy everything on line and have it sent direct to the recipient! I now have to go back to my Mum's in Chirk to retrieve my newly issued credit card.


Welsh does have it's advantages after all.  That's two - I hope there isn't a third 'episode'.