From behind the normally silent walls of the Imperial Palace, came a noise that the Japanese had never heard before.

It was a cry from the Crown princess, and she was not happy. OK not literally. But the message emerged - and it hasn’t been contradicted - that she was frustrated, depressed even. Here was a modern woman trapped by unrealistic expectations dating from a bygone era.

More striking still is that in Japan, she appears not to be alone. Women are growing increasingly restive, no longer prepared to tolerate the submissive role that tradition dictates. They are rejecting duty and motherhood in their millions; the birth-rate is plummeting and the masters, the men, don’t know what to do.

Jonathan Head reported.

JONATHAN HEAD:
Junko Tameda is taking her first steps in flamenco. Like most of the other students here, she is a professional in her 30s, and she’s single. There is a boom in Latin dance as women seek an escape from the stifling formality of everyday life. Japan is going through a social revolution, driven by women like Junko, who are turning their backs on marriage and stamping out their own lives, free of the burden of motherhood. At the age of 32, Junko still lives with her parents. So many unmarried men and women are doing this in Japan, they have coined the term “parasite single” to describe them. Junko doesn’t see herself as a parasite, though - just a young woman choosing to spend her time and money on the finer things in life. Over lunch, the family discuss her most recent holiday in New York. She loves travelling.

JUNKO TAMEDA:
[TRANSLATION]

I have worked hard to build up my freelance business as a graphic designer. I see myself as a success, so why should I be dissatisfied? I never had a strong desire to be married in my 20s, and I feel exactly the same way now.

HEAD:
Junko’s parents once dreamed of a wedding and a handsome husband. Now they seem resigned to having their eldest child living with them indefinitely.

SHIGEKO TAMEDA:
[TRANSLATION]

I was very young when I got married, because that’s what women were expected to do back then. My parents were conservative and they wanted to see me married by a certain age. That was my upbringing, but Junko has chosen to focus on her career and I can see it gives her great fulfilment.

KIYOSHI TAMEDA:
[TRANSLATION]

Marriage is a natural thing, in my view. If she meets someone suitable, she may still get married. If she finds a boyfriend, and perhaps six months or a year later it works out, well of course I will be happy.

HEAD:
There has been no shortage of interest from men, but Junko says none was prepared to allow her the freedoms she now enjoys. It’s been three years since her last relationship.

JUNKO TAMEDA:
[TRANSLATION]

Dating a man was fun, but when I was really keen on this one guy, and we thought about marriage, he started trying to restrict me from doing all the things I love doing. Eventually, I turned him down, and I am sure I made the right decision.

HEAD:
What’s wrong with Japanese men? Why is it so hard to find a good partner?

JUNKO TAMEDA:
[TRANSLATION]

Women these days are doing far more men’s work, that men don’t want to do anything that’s considered a woman’s role. That’s why we find it so hard to relate to each other. I can’t accept that man expects a woman to make housework a priority over her career.

HEAD:
It’s Sunday afternoon and Hiroe Shibata is snatching a few precious hours of relaxation in the fashionable neighbourhood where she lives, Tokyo’s equivalent of Notting Hill. Hiroe’s life is a hectic one. She is a marketing manager for a drugs company and she is doing a post-graduate MBA. She too is in her 30s and single. In Japan, unmarried, childless women like her have been called “loser dogs”. She lives on her own in a tiny two-room apartment with no space even for a sofa. Her way of life is now the subject of intensive research by Japanese academics and advertisers trying to understand the lucrative single women’s market. She sees herself as a winner, not a loser.

HIROE SHIBATA:
I don’t think we are losers. We win the career. I have a career and I study for myself and that’s going to help my future, so I don’t think I am going to be a loser.

HEAD:
Does it make you angry when you hear that?

SHIBATA:
Not angry, but people think different ways. It’s a different kind of thinking. They think having a baby or getting married is a lifetime goal, but it’s not my goal. It may be a new kind of thinking but I don’t want to be tied up in the kind of traditionals. I want to be what I want to be. If it’s not necessary, I don’t want to get married.

HEAD:
The old spirit of self-sacrifice, which kept their mothers at home, has gone, replaced by a hunger for self-satisfaction. The habits of single women now support a huge market for luxury goods. Brands like Prada and Louis Vuitton run more shops here than in any other country. There are also more dogs today in Japan than children. This one is called Bebe. There is no longer any shame in living without a husband or children. Japan’s birth rate has now fallen to one of the lowest in the world. Its population is ageing and shrinking.

KEIKO AOKI:
[TRANSLATION]

When I talk to this dog, I feel like I am the mother of Bebe. When I go out, I always ask, “Do you want to come with mum?” This is my child. I think the number of women who want to have a child, but not a husband, has increased. A dog is a substitute for a child.

HEAD:
The estrangement of men and women is the subject of endless humour on the morning TV chat shows. Here a frustrated wife despairs of her worthless husband. For half a century, Japan built the world’s most successful industrial society on the back of a relentless work ethic which rigidly separated the roles of men and women. Women were tied to looking after the home and children. But the Japanese salaryman was expected to devote every waking hour to his company, even if that meant being a stranger to his own family. It’s a formula which is now being rejected by younger women in their millions, leaving the more traditionally minded men bewildered and confused. In desperation, these young men have formed a group calling themselves The Cherry Boys. A throwback to a bygone age of chivalry, they have taken a vow of chastity until they find the woman of their dreams. They are seeking solace in the romantic plot of the Puccini opera Manon Lescaut.

SHINKICHI WATANABE:
[TRANSLATION]

Women are much more forward these days. There was a time when they used to walk one step behind men. That still happened when my parents were young, but now they are racing ahead and we can’t keep up with them.

HEAD:
Why is it so difficult for guys like you to meet suitable women today in Japan?

KOICHIRO HIROTA:
[TRANSLATION]

It’s difficult. I often wonder about that myself. Perhaps I am a bit distanced from women.

TOMOYA KUMAGAI:
[TRANSLATION]

We can survive even if we don’t have girlfriends. There are a lot of alternatives available now, like the internet. In the old days, people made a real effort for love. But love just isn’t special any more.

HEAD:
There is a very different ideal of a woman which still has a pervasive hold on the mind of Japanese men. Ichimiyo is a maiko, a trainee geisha, one of a few hundred who still work in the city of Kyoto. Today she is joined by Sumie, who has come to watch her prepare for an evening serving and entertaining men. The two 16-year-olds swap make-up tips. As trainees, they live away from their families and receive only their board and lodging. A professional dresser arrives to help complete Ichimiyo’s transformation from giggling teenager to an ornamented male fantasy. In five years, she will be able to charge powerful clients thousands of pounds for just a few hours in the world of old-style deference the geishas offer. Their own view of their profession, though, is surprisingly hard-headed.

ICHIMIYO, MAIKO:
[TRANSLATION]

When I told my friends out of the blue that I was going to become a maiko, they said, “What are you talking about? Are you crazy?”

SUMIE, TRAINEE GEISHA:
[TRANSLATION]

At first, my friend, my parents and my teachers were against it, but now they are all behind me.

ICHIMIYO:
[TRANSLATION]

Our job is not just to say “yes, yes, yes”. That’s boring. Our job is to make the customers feel comfortable. I think the image of us as submissive is a wrong one.

HEAD:
Marriage seems to be going out of fashion here in Japan. Is that true of other girls your age?

ICHIMIYO:
[TRANSLATION]

I don’t know why. Do you know?

SUMIE:
[TRANSLATION]

People just want to do their own thing these days.

ICHIMIYO:
[TRANSLATION]

I think maybe women are stronger now.

HEAD:
Geishas for many men still embody perfect feminine qualities of grace and compliance. No wonder so many male politicians then can’t work out why modern women are rejecting marriage. The government has several action plans promoting childcare, paternity leave and shorter working hours, but they are not taken seriously by a public which has heard a former prime minister tell women to stay at home and breed.

HIROKO MIZUSHIMA MP
DEMOCRATIC PARTY:
They still think that if mothers stay home, they can make more babies. I think actually they are not so interested in this issue. Well, suddenly they are shocked by the birth rate, and they think Japanese people will diminish or disappear, and suddenly they get panicked, but usually they are not interested in those things.

HEAD:
That view is shared by millions of Japanese. On this issue, the government has a serious credibility problem.

TAKUMI NEMOTO MP
COUNCIL FOR BIRTHRATE DECLINE:
[TRANSLATION]

We know the declining birth rate is very serious. I have been working on it for ten years, so it’s a pity if people misunderstand what the government is trying to do. I think our policies have got better over the years, but it’s important that we present them more clearly to the public.

HEAD:
The toughest challenge will be changing Japan’s working culture. These men have given years of loyal service to their companies. Now they are trying to make the difficult adjustment from office to home. Recently retired salarymen are called “fallen wet leaves” by their wives because they are so useless at home. Divorce rates are rising faster in this age group than any other.

TOSHIMITSU HONDA:
[TRANSLATION]

You see, if you only say, “Dinner, bath and bed” after you come home from work, your wife will run away from you.

HEAD:
Is your wife very pleased that you are learning to cook?

NOBORU MOCHIZUKI:
Yes, and she respects me because she thinks independence is important for the future life.

HEAD:
The yawning gulf that exists between modern Japanese women and old-fashioned male values is being mirrored by an extraordinary drama being played out here at the Imperial Palace. Behind these fortress-like walls, an independent-minded Crown Princess is battling against the Royal household’s very traditional expectations of her as a woman. She was married into the Royal Family to produce an heir, and she has. The trouble is only men can occupy this antiquated throne and Princess Masako has been under intense pressure from the Palace to have a son. The Oxford and Harvard-educated diplomat is said to be isolated and suffering from depression. The government has now been forced to think the unthinkable - the possibility of allowing a woman to succeed the throne. Japan’s women are better educated than they have ever been. They want more from a society that’s one of the wealthiest in the world. They want fun, they want freedom, and they want to avoid the kinds of marriages their mothers had. No room for marriage right now?

SHIBATA:
No.

HEAD:
Or children?

SHIBATA:
No.

HEAD:
Traditions are being challenged here like never before. Women are leading the way, and waiting for the men to catch up.

WATANABE:
[TRANSLATION]

I live on my own, so I have learned how to cook. I like cleaning my home. It may sound a bit arrogant, but I think I would make a good husband!

HEAD:
Unless there’s a meeting of minds between Japanese women and men over how they live and bring up a family together, the population will age, and it will fall. Japan’s hard-won economic achievements could also be lost.

This transcript was produced from the teletext subtitles that are generated live for Newsnight. It has been checked against the programme as broadcast, however Newsnight can accept no responsibility for any factual inaccuracies. We will be happy to correct serious errors.

Read source of it on the page

The British are creatures of habit, if the way they typically spend their time each week is anything to go by.

The nation spends hours watching TV, shopping, gambling, dating and surfing the net, according to the Great British Time Survey, commissioned by Community Service (CSV) and conducted by ICM.

Younger people’s free time revolves around and the computer. Dates take up at least two hours a week for 42% of 18-24 year olds, while more than half surf the net for at least an hour a day, and a quarter play computer games for at least one hour a week.

WHAT WE DO 87% of women shop for more than one hour a week 49% of men spend at least two hours a week doing DIY 69% of men spend at least one hour a day reading a paper 55% of people spend two hours a week gardening

For the over-65s, tea breaks take up more than an hour a week for 79% of them, while 11% gamble for more than an hour a week.

But what few find time for is volunteering, according to the CSV. People often think they have nothing to offer, when actually they spend a lot of time doing activities that could help others. Its annual Make A Difference Day on 29 October aims to get people involved.

We asked celebrity life coach Gladeana McMahon to give her top tips for helping others, without changing what you do.

Tea drinkers could organise community tea parties. If you settle down every afternoon for a cup of tea and a scone, why not make it a social event and invite round the neighbours. If you’re making one cup then making another three or four isn’t any more hassle.

I’m always happy when a task that I do has more than one purpose. Something as simple as making tea can have lots of benefits apart from just quenching your thirst.

It is all about looking at what you do and working out how it can help. A tea party will strengthen community relations, as well as make you some new friends.

Shopaholics could help a disabled person with their retail needs. In my experience nothing feels better than knowing you have made a difference - it’s a feeling money can’t buy.

Shop for others

If you love shopping then use your passion to benefit others. If you spend a lot of time in the shops you will know where the best ones are, what they stock and where to get a bargain.

For someone who can’t get out the house or finds shopping hard, your knowledge and experience will be a real benefit. Not only will you be getting them what they need, but at the best possible price.

Those who enjoy a flutter could help children with mathematical skills. Gambling is all about the law of and that is taught in schools.

Often the reason children struggle with maths is because they find the subject boring, but if you make it more exciting then you get their attention.

It is about transferring your skills. If you can work out the odds of a horse race, then you have good numerical ability. Why not use it to help others?

TV addicts could use tips they learn from makeover shows to renovate a community centre. The TV is often something people use to switch off after a busy day, but we learn a lot from programmes.

Pick up skills from the box

We absorb and get ideas all the time. What we see can also be inspiring. If we see people achieve something on the TV, it might spur us on to do the same. Using the knowledge we acquire to help others also help us turn what is a sedentary pastime into an activity.

Getting involved in activities is also a way to meet new people and perhaps even meet Mr or Miss Right. And in addition to finding love, the community gets a facelift.

Read more on

He has advised would-be stars to appear on reality TV shows, date celebrities or Royal Family members, or steal the limelight from a relative.

People could also fail abysmally on TV talent contests or make the most of being attractive, the PR guru advised in a show for digital channel Fame TV.

Being in the right place at the right time was also a good option, Mr Clifford said.

“There’s no set route or set of rules to achieving fame. Nowadays it’s possible for people to become famous literally overnight,” he advised.

“Talent doesn’t even really come into being famous any more - it helps, obviously, but most of it is just about being seen and with the right people, and then really knowing how to capitalise on it.”

‘No limits’

Examples have been given of people who have gained fame as a result of the methods which Mr Clifford has highlighted.

Appearing on a reality TV show worked for Chantelle Houghton, who, ironically, became a star after appearing as the token unknown on this year’s Celebrity Big Brother.

MAX 10 TIPS 1. Appear on a reality series 2. Enter a talent contest 3. Be abysmal on a talent show 4. Gain fame by association 5. Date a celebrity 6. Flaunt your body 7. Date a Royal Family member 8. Make a home sex video 9. Be a success on MySpace 10. Be in the right place at the right time Source: Fame TV

Doing well on TV talent contests put Will Young, Lemar and Shayne Ward in the public eye - whereas performing poorly in these programmes helped the Cheeky Girls and Darius Danesh.

Paris Hilton, Peaches Geldof and Bianca Gascoigne are among those said to have gained exposure by coming from a famous family.

Coleen and Kevin Federline are cited as people who have become famous by dating a celebrity.

And when it came to being pictured in the right place at the right time, the examples included Liz Hurley and Kelly Brook.

Mr Clifford, 63, said there were ” no limits” about what people would do nowadays “if they think it will achieve their dreams of fame”.

Original article ‘’

The system, known as datesense, could help to prevent women disappearing or being attacked on blind dates.

Daters log their details and check-in afterwards. If they cannot be traced in 72 hours the police are notified.

Dating agency Viva-City.com developed the system after a survey suggested a third of women do not tell anyone where they are going on a first date.

More than 1,000 people were questioned in the survey and over half said they would consider going on a blind date.

Too many people go through life thinking ‘it’ll never happen to me’ Lizzie Lyell Suzy Lamplugh Trust

But one-in-three women and 50% of men said they would not tell even their closest friends where they were going.

Most women said this is because they want to be independent, but many said they would feel embarrassed.

Viva-City consulted the Police and personal safety charity the Suzy Lamplugh Trust while the service.

New risks

William McMullan, founder of Viva-City, said: “The safety of our registered users on a first date is something we take very seriously.

“We have developed datesense with the of the Metropolitan Police and in addition we feature safety tips and advice on the site.”

The Suzy Lamplugh Trust believes the rising of internet dating and a willingness to meet with strangers brings new risks.

Lizzie Lyell, spokeswoman for the trust, warned that personal safety has to be a priority.

She said: “A lot of personal safety precautions are common sense, but sadly common sense is not always common practice, and too many people go through life
thinking ‘it’ll never happen to me’.

“If you are going on a date with someone, especially if you have never met
them before, then it is really important to think about the risks and what
you can do to reduce them.”

Datesense will be available to Viva-City members from Monday.

Originaly from: page

“It’s been opportunity for us to fulfil some of our aspirations as Muslims and learn some new things that are going on with our religion,” said Abdul Fatai Adisa, a delegate from Merrillville, Indiana.

Many of the sessions touched on issues related to women in Islam and in American society. On the eve of the convention, Ingrid Mattson, a Canadian convert to Islam, was elected as Isna’s new president, making her the first woman to hold the role.

“The election has huge symbolic importance,” said Edina Lekovic, a delegate based in Los Angeles with the Muslim Public Affairs Council.

“It opens doors for communities who would otherwise not consider having women in leadership positions and I think it sends an important message to those more elements within the American Muslim community.

“It’s a signal to the establishment.”

Focus on the media

On the first day of the convention, Ms Mattson held a news conference in which she criticised President George W Bush’s use of the term “Islamic fascism” when describing the enemy in the “war on terror”.

We don’t value the idea of communicating properly Firas Ahmad Islamica magazine

“This is a term that had very bad resonance in the Muslim majority world and makes us feel uncomfortable,” she said. “We’re hoping there can be some adjustment to this language.”

It was not just the who came under scrutiny.

The criticism of the way in which Muslims are portrayed in the American media was also an important theme at the convention.

“Media Islam is the result of a one-sided understanding of Islam that is represented to us in a solitary, cliched and vicious way,” said former Iranian President Mohammed Khatami in a keynote speech.

And some delegates agreed.

“I think the media portrayal of the crises around the world, many of which are dominated by Muslims, usually tends to accentuate the negative,” said Dr Hesham Hassaballa, a columnist and author.

“If it bleeds, it leads. And so, a Muslim woman holding a candle praying for peace is not as newsworthy as a Muslim driving a truck bomb into a building.”

‘Sheer curiosity’

Dr Hassaballa also said that as the five-year anniversary of the 11 September attacks approached, Muslims in the US had to grapple more than ever with campaigns of misinformation against them.

“There are websites and pundits and commentators which disseminate misinformation about Islam, and they’re becoming very sophisticated and very savvy and they give an air of credibility that they don’t deserve,” he said.

Khatami’s visit has upset Jewish groups and some lawmakers

But Firas Ahmad, senior editor with the Islamic magazine, Islamica, said the Muslim community also needed do better at selling itself to the US public.

“We don’t value the idea of communicating properly,” he said.

“We have stories to tell that can connect with mainstream Americans. If they knew them, we’d become a little more human instead of the effect of terrorism.

“We need to tell our story in a way that is compelling and only when we do that will these perceptions of the Muslim communities be diminished and a more accurate portrayal be available.”

But not everyone was downbeat.

Ann Siddique from Albany, New York, had a more optimistic take on things. The 25-year-old converted to Islam a few years ago after becoming interested in the religion.

“The main things I get from non-Muslim people are questions,” she said.

“Just sheer curiosity, and so it’s fortunate that a lot of people want to learn and are willing to ask questions - and seek the truth.”

Originaly from:

Bookshops may not have to open at midnight - Harry Potter style - to cope with demand when Speeches 1997-2006 is published in September.

But publishers Bloomsbury hope the involvement of their biggest selling author JK Rowling will boost sales.

The boy wizard’s creator is writing a foreword for one of the sections.

The Ms Rowling is known to be a friend of the Browns and has been a guest at 11 Downing Street.

Other well-known names signed up to write for the 30, 500 page book include Nelson Mandela, former US Vice-President Al Gore, former head of the US Federal Reserve Alan Greenspan and Chief Rabbi Jonathon Sacks.

‘Formidable intellect’

Mr Mandela writes: “I am pleased that Gordon Brown’s speeches have been collected for publication. Reading them gives an insight into the man behind the politician, and the values behind the policies.”

FINANCIAL WIZARDRY? Prudence - Long-running love interest, now little seen Stability - incantation best chanted at Budget time Boom and Bust - Evil twins to which there must be no return Golden rule - Ancient law none may tamper with (unless they wrote it) Neo classical endogenous growth theory - Most mysterious spell of all…

The commentators will head-up sections on Britishness and fairness, the economy and public services, child poverty and the environment. A Bloomsbury spokesman would not confirm which section Ms Rowling would introduce.

In its blurb, the publisher hails Mr Brown’s “formidable and intellect trained in the analytical skills of the historian but also - and far more importantly inspired by a vision of what the political process can achieve for our society and for our nation”.

Among the greatest hits collected in the book, are speeches on subjects ranging from poverty in Africa to patriotism, in which Mr Brown calls for a British equivalent of a “flag in every” garden seen in America.

‘General readership’

But the mid 1990s speech in which the chancellor used the phrase “neo classical endogenous growth theory” - mocked by Michael Heseltine as being “not Brown’s but Balls’” (a reference to Mr Brown’s right hand man Ed Balls) - is not included.

A second book, Moving Britain Forward: Selected Speeches 1997-2006, will contain 10 of Mr Brown’s speeches, aiming to “distil the essence of his political vision for Britain in an age of globalization”.

The 256-page paperback is aimed at a more “general readership”, Bloomsbury said, adding that it will “interest anyone who wants to discover what motivates Gordon Brown, and what his vision is for a modern, forward-looking Britain”.

The books are to be published on the first day of the Labour Party Conference in September - a date tipped by some commentators as the moment Tony Blair could announce he is standing down as Prime Minister. Mr Blair released a similar collection - New Britain: My Vision of a Young Country - in 1996, a year before becoming Prime Minister.

Both books will be edited by Wilf Stevenson, director of the Smith Institute, and all royalties are being donated to the Jennifer Brown Research Laboratory within the University of Research Institute for Medical Cell Biology.

Source:

The rise of chip and pin technology has seen “card-not-present” fraud rise 64% in the first six months of 2005. The UK increase was only 29%.

The Association for Payment Clearing Services (Apacs) said that while 53% of people in Scotland shopped online, few were aware of the basic pitfalls.

Other areas of card fraud saw a major reduction over the same period.

Detective Chief Inspector Derek Robertson, of Strathclyde Police’s fraud squad, said: “Chip and pin cards have helped to reduce fraud dramatically, however the fraudster has now migrated to the card-not-present fraud.”

COMMON MISTAKES 25% have inputted their personal financial details but not checked the website’s security standards 21% have left their computer unsupervised for a time and then come back to continue shopping 15% have not logged out at the end of a transaction 42% admit to letting their credit/debit card out of their sight when paying for a meal or running a tab at a bar 37% are not aware of online fraud scams such as ‘phishing’

Phil Worms, of internet service provider Iomart, said “phishing” for information was a major problem.

He said: “The real issue is where people have gone in via links or via e-mails to sites which they believe are genuine, but are actually not.”

Apacs has urged people to be more vigilant about keeping account details safe, as the majority of internet fraud involved criminals who obtained card details through other means and then used them to shop online.

They also said online shoppers should make sure a website was secure before entering their card details by looking for a locked padlock or unbroken key symbols at the bottom of their screen.

Chip and pin cards have cut other areas of fraud

Apacs spokesman Mark Bowerman said: “The figures are showing that fraud on the internet, fraud on telephone and mail order has gone up form 2.2m to 3.6m in the first six months of the year in Scotland, so there’s obviously quite a few people that need to make sure they are taking these precautions.”

Overall, UK plastic card fraud totalled 219.4m during the six months to the end of June, down from 252.6m during the same period in the previous year.

Counterfeit card fraud fell by 31%, fraud on lost or stolen cards dropped by 27%, losses on cards that went missing in the mail was 37% lower, identity theft on payment cards was down by 16%, with card-no-present the only area showing an increase.

Here are some of your experiences of fraud.

With regard to online purchases, wouldn’t it be possible to have another line of defence against the fraudsters if every time a person makes a purchase online, even if their personal information is already known to the seller, a link will be made to the credit card issuer and the purchaser will need to type out his pin number before the purchase is authorised by the card issuer?
K C Tay, UK

I had a debit card stolen from my wallet. I very rarely used it but someone managed to make five cash withdrawals in a short space of time. I imagined the bank would spot this untypical behaviour and stop the card but they told me subsequently they had no real-time visibility of what was going on. I also found they increased the daily cash limit about what my bank manager even thought had been applied. The police detained the thief very quickly with the cash and my wallet but my bank refused to co-operate and the police had to let him go. The bank also told me I would be refunded the cash but later refused. Over a year later and several court appearances I got my money back. Don’t count on your bank helping you when you are a victim of fraud!!!
Mark, Glasgow

I think that ‘Chip and pin’ is all very well when people are trained to use it. To date the only place I have seen it used correctly is Asda. All the other shops etc I go in (and my husband will tell you, that is many!), still take the card from you and run it through a machine, then you input your pin on a handheld device. As far as I am aware, the point of this system is that you never give your card to anyone else, even for a short period of time thereby preventing cloning?
Amanda, Norwich

I lost my driving licence in a stolen wallet and about 8 months later I got bills for several hundred pounds for mobile phones I didn’t have from one2one and BTCellnet. It took months to get these sorted out, an unbelievable amount of hassle and I it affected my credit record until I demanded that one of the companies remove a ‘note’ they had put on the record. I am convinced it was the old paper driving licence that enabled the thief to obtain the phones. Interesting that the phone sellers don’t double check the applicant, for instance by sending a letter to the address on the licence. Another company (it may have been Orange) did exactly this and I think limited the use of the phone to about 20 until I got back to say it was a fraud. We need regulations to ensure that all mobile phone sellers do this. nobody needs a mobile phone in that much of a hurry, and if they do then a pre pay bill system would ensure that fraud was kept down to say 10 or 15. I was put through mon! this of hassle was turned down for a mortgage (and missed the house I was going to bid on), just because a reseller was too lazy to properly check ID. Also surely given that the driving licence had been cancelled surely DVLA could have confirmed its stolen status. Most importantly the police weren’t interested because the fraud wasn’t against me, but against the phone company and they didn’t involve the police!! I hope things have changed.
Steve, Edinburgh

A cheque book went astray in the post and I only discovered it was missing when I asked the bank for one. I asked at the time that the bank stopped the cheques in the missing book. They stated none had been used, but when I got my next statement, I found the first cheque in the book had been cashed for 900. How could such a large amount have been cashed with the wrong signature and no card to back up the sale? The bank seemed unsure how to cancel books and no two members of staff seemed to know what I had to do to file a fraud claim. It took ages to sort out, and yes the money was refunded, but i felt the bank did nothing to prevent such fraud and were responsible for it happening. I wish cheque books and cards were posted by recorded delivery and had to be signed for when posted. I really would like to know how anyone could cash a cheque for such a large amount without a cheque card. Surely it should have triggered alarm bells ringing somewhere.
Jean, London

We are a pair of wrinklies. We find it’s absolutely essential to check all our accounts online on a daily basis, including our credit card accounts. And as has already been said, we always look for the “locked padlock” if buying something online. Online purchasing using a credit card is extremely helpful for those of us with less mobility. However, vigilance is crucial. We also purchased a small shredder and we shred everything with our name and address on it, especially bank statements and the like. We are also very aware of the dangers of ‘phishing’!
Margaret Stoll, Rochford, Essex

Our problems started when my husband sent his driver’s licence to the police so as to obtain a reference for the country to which we were emigrating. The driver’s licence was “lost in the post” on its return. In the chaos of selling house etc we also failed to notice that one month we did not receive a telephone bill or an electricity bill, esp. since they were paid by direct debit. The first thing we noticed was a postal redirect for our mail. We stopped that, and then we received a number of credit card applications - one supported by our missing documents. To our knowledge we stopped all attempts to gain credit - and that was our second problem. The police were not interested since no-one had got away with anything and even if they had it was up to the card company to complain not us. To us, it seemed that a golden opportunity to catch whoever was intercepting our post (which was delivered to a sealed, personal letterbox). Were we targeted because we were moving on the assumption that we had already left and would not therefore check our mail? Very frustrating. Identity theft itself, whether you get away with stealing goods or not, should be a criminal act.
Christine Hawkes, Switzerland

My replacement debit card was intercepted in the post. Despite the fact that my debit card was only ever used for cash withdrawals via the PIN, no alarm bells rang at all when it was used to sign for an 800 purchase in Argos. Luckily I bank online and I spotted this before any more could be taken, but I still found the bank’s attitude somewhat lackadaisical when I reported it. This sort of fraud could be so easily prevented just by “activating” the card when it is received, but obviously the costs involved aren’t economically justified, although morally the banks should take a more active stance on this, particularly as such fraud is usually linked to organised crime.
Robert, Brentwood

A few months back a credit card, which I had not used for some time, suddenly had a massive debit of nearly 5000. Luckily the card company had no problems refunding the amount onto the new card and it was sorted out in a matter of days. I doubt this was online fraud, as I only deal with companies that use a secure payment system and my PC’s are secured by anti-virus and firewall software, so I can only assume it was an old receipt that I had thrown away which had the full number and expiry date on it. These days I always ensure that receipts that have the full card number are kept safely or destroyed completely.
Derek Little, Livingston

It’s simple, if the financial services (banks etc) will allow you, get a card limited to 500 pounds only. for use on the internet. An internet only card. If it is cloned its limited to 500 and if attempts are made to use it anywhere else - then it would not be accepted. Anything over 500 would automatically trigger the security questions. There you go - a copyrighted idea of course!
Anton S, Chichester, UK

ISP’s and web hosting companies are to blame for lots of the phishing scams because they do not prevent people signing up for accounts which include the names of banks and credit card companies. They normally do this to make their fake site look legitimate. Web hosting companies need to do more to stop this type of obvious illegal activity. I am managing director of a web hosting company and we block any orders for services for fake bank web addresses.
Gordon Hudson, Livingston

A few years ago, when on holiday in the Isle of Man, I used my credit card in a restaurant. It was the only time I used it. A few weeks later I received my bill and found that someone from Ireland had used my card numbers to buy a motorbike from a dealer in Scotland for 4,000! My numbers had obviously been copied but I am still amazed how anyone could do such a large transaction over the telephone without having to go through any security checks, mother’s maiden name, etc. I got a full refund but never received an explanation from the card issuer how it could happen. I also recently bought a car with my debit card and no security checks were asked either, the card simply went through. I find it worrying that considerable sums can go through electronic machines with no questions asked. Needless to say I never let my debit or credit card out of sight when using them nowadays.
Frank Duns, Penicuik, Scotland

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