Credit card cloned

71 year old Peter Wood of Middlesex Road discovered his Alliance & Leicester card was blocked when he tried to withdraw funds from a cash machine.

When he called the building society to find out why he was told the card had been used inappropriately.

He said: "It was used in Germany - to buy something of the value of one euro. If they find they can use the card for a small amount, they go on to empty the account."

Peter uses this particular card only to make cash withdrawals, although he did make a single internet purchase with it in December, buying a DVD. When he buys petrol he always uses his Visa card.

"I don't know whether the car was cloned from the cash machine in town - if the machine had been tampered with - or if it was done when I bought the DVD. But now I want to warn other users.

"There are so many scams about now. I am alert to various scams, and what I usually do is run my finger along the cash machine slot before I put in the card, to check if the machine has been tampered with.

"Just try to take extra care if you use your card and make sure you check the machine."

"I was told what happens is they try to make a small purchase, and if that goes through then they ransack your account."