any negative comments abt shopping from http://www.bhphotovideo.com/

[powerbookg4]

I am not having a pleasant experience now. Currently in USA, and I order a Nikon 70-200mm plus B+W filter. Anyways thats not the problem, the goods have not arrive yet. But I received an email requesting for the same thing, a photocopy of my credit card, front and back before they will send the goods. I also checked with my credit card company and they have confirmed that the charges have gone through. That means I have paid for something that they will not send to me unless I give them a photocopy of my card.

For those that have agreed and done so, I arge you not to do that again. For those that havent please dont do it. Thats not the correct procedure. The security code on the card is there to safe guard consumers and service providers in cases of fraud. By photocopying your card, you lose all that security safe guard the card companies have built for you. For whatever reasons, there was a employee of B&H who is trying his luck and uses your details. Not forgetting that you have submitted your billing address (1st security feature), your contact number linked to the credit card (2nd security feature) and all your card details. He/she can go shopping. Who pays the bill? YOU.

Correct me if I am wrong, the service provider should not be able to see the full credit card number and security code. So it safes guard the customer. Agreeing to this then credit cards will be the most dangerous thing to use online in future.

So I replied them, that I will not be sending them my photocopied card. They can check for validity or whatever with the card company.

Slight OT. The irony is, I used an American Express Card in America, and also to purchase this item. Do you know that although the shops you patronize here pastes the American Express Card "Blue Logo". Some of them look at you like you trying to use a false card. And they call the bank to verify. And if you think having AMEX card, you can survive in America, I suggest bringing a guitar along. You can play guitar on the road side to collect lose change. Is like being declined using a HSBC card in Hong Kong. I dont know whether i should laugh to death or break the credit card.

 

[psdcrdsc]

yup, agree with powerbookg4 this way of security verification is really stone age and dumb, esp in the internet world these days. the companies can easily or at least have ways to verify with the relevant banks or credit bureaus backend

anyway, fyi, the way we submit the card photos/scan, i think is through their web application. i believe they have the audit trail function back end to verify who accessed what info, hopefully. i just wanna get my stuff and thus proceed with bearing my own risks :bsmilie:

 

[Trash]

Just bear in mind that you will have
1. Add 7% GST and shipment cost to the price
2. No warranty (most products sold in US are on local terms, do check carefully)
3. Suffer a loss of 7% GST (IRAS is not going to refund you when you ship it back), shipment fees and credit card exchange rate difference if you decide to return the product for whatever reasons (e.g. poor QC, faulty product).

You decide if these "hidden" cost are worth the price difference.

 

[powerbookg4]

Well I am in USA right now, so i thought the hidden cost is significantly reduced. Little did I know that they have such practises. The last time i did something like that as in credit card information, my credit card company called me late at night and informed me that there was authorized transactions going on with my account. They are terminating my card immediately and a new one will be issued and delivered within 2 working days. Thats how dangerous it is, so I am very cautions about such requests.

it may not be the company themselves, but someone in between the processes. Now my hidden costs have surfaced, a USD20 phone bill to Singapore and the local based Credit Card offices hahaa. And i also realised that the Credit Card company cannot freeze that transaction. Ie I am screwed.

 

[powerbookg4]

The article below shows and support why you shouldnt photocopy your credit card.

Thieves leave her with $17k bill
By Lim Wei Chean, Correspondent
HER credit cards, stolen without her knowledge, funded somebody's shopping spree, which included three Rolex watches worth $5,700 each.

The goods and thieves are gone. All card holder Tan Shock Ling, 39, is left with is a $17,100 bill.

The banks are insisting she pay up, because the transactions took place before she reported the loss of the cards.

Read the full report in Monday's edition of The Straits Times.

 

[Rashkae]

The article below shows and support why you shouldnt photocopy your credit card.

Thieves leave her with $17k bill
By Lim Wei Chean, Correspondent
HER credit cards, stolen without her knowledge, funded somebody's shopping spree, which included three Rolex watches worth $5,700 each.

The goods and thieves are gone. All card holder Tan Shock Ling, 39, is left with is a $17,100 bill.

The banks are insisting she pay up, because the transactions took place before she reported the loss of the cards.

Read the full report in Monday's edition of The Straits Times.

It never said she photocopied her cards. FYI, most credit card theft comes from hackers breaking into a Bank's database, not from photocopied verification requests. Do don't link her case to your quest against B&H.