Need advice dealing with B & H Photos

[david lee]

Dear all.........
I have just ordered some goods online from B&H Photo New York (A camera bag totalling $227)

I used my credit card and have been told the item will be shipped.
But then I get an email asking me to fax or scan and email the front and back of my credit card for verification before they can ship my goods.

Is this normal? Surely if i did that there would be no stopping anyone if they wanted to use my card details to buy things online.

If I was in the US it would not be a problem, its only for overseas customers. (I am in UK)
Can anyone please advise?

Thanks in advance.
Dave

[Ronald S. Jr.]

I've ordered from them dozens of times. Never such a thing. It would have to be your location. Make sure it's not a scammer sending you an e-mail. ;-)

Any UK POTN'ers had this happen?

I would think if they just ran your card and it worked, there'd be nothing to worry about. Sheesh. Heck of a thing to ask for if you ask me.

[flyfishnj]

This is normal for B and H.

[Tin Man]

No that is not normal... That is scam not B&H...
Last week I had email from paypal said that my paypal account had add an address and I need to verify it... When I click on the link it looked just like paypal logon page but URL is some where else and when you type in your user name and password... you are hooked.

[tommykjensen]

Yes it is normal for international customers.

I have bought once from B&H and was requested the same verification. I sent it scanned in email. Have had not problems.

[tommykjensen]

No that is not normal... That is scam not B&H...
Last week I had email from paypal said that my paypal account had add an address and I need to verify it... When I click on the link it looked just like paypal logon page but URL is some where else and when you type in your user name and password... you are hooked.

Don't mix things up. The paypal scam is for real.

But B&H DO request international customers to do this.

[flyfishnj]

No that is not normal... That is scam not B&H...
Last week I had email from paypal said that my paypal account had add an address and I need to verify it... When I click on the link it looked just like paypal logon page but URL is some where else and when you type in your user name and password... you are hooked.


How do you liken an online transaction with B and H to a phishing email?

[Tin Man]

Don't mix things up. The paypal scam is for real.

But B&H DO request international customers to do this.

My bad, I did not realize he is from UK... but in the US I had order over 20k from B&H but never been asked for verify credit card by fax.

[flyfishnj]

My bad, I did not realize he is from UK... but in the US I had order over 20k from B&H but never been asked for verify credit card by fax.

That I believe. If you have an order sent to a different location other than you credit card billing address, they will call the ship to address to verify too.

[aam1234]

FF and Tommy are correct, that's a normal procedure for international customers. Sent the the copies twice, one for each CC. I bought a lot of stuff from them.

[Tin Man]

How do you liken an online transaction with B and H to a phishing email?

I never trust any email from anyone requesting for my credit infomation even B&H.

[Tin Man]

That I believe. If you have an order sent to a different location other than you credit card billing address, they will call the ship to address to verify too.

Yes, they do and until they can verify the address order are not shipped.

[david lee]

Here is the email I was sent


B&H PHOTO VIDEO, INC.
THE PROFESSIONAL'S SOURCE

Tel: 212 502-6349 Fax: 212 239-7548/49
Toll Free: 800 622-6265 Toll Free Fax: 800 947-2215
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
420 Ninth Avenue * New York, NY 10001

VERIFICATION DEPARTMENT
verification@bhphotovideo.com

Date: 01/27/06

Web Order Number: 10044?????
Reference Number: 160??

Att: DAVID LEE

Please be advised that your order cannot be processed due to
the following reason(s):


Waiting for faxed or E-mailed copy of front and back of Credit Card:

Please fax or E-mail a scanned image, so that we can process your order
A.S.A.P.


Please follow the above procedures so that we can complete this transaction.


Please write your REFERENCE NUMBER on ALL correspondence.


Thank you for your patronage.

abe
B&H Verification Department Representative

[david lee]

Can I just send it with some account numbers obscured?
I really am not happy about this.
If some of you overseas guys do this on a regular basis I suppose it might be safe but its really leaving me vulnerable if I do.

[Tin Man]

Go to B&H and verify their fax #.

[aam1234]

If you are uncomfortable with this, how about checking out Amazon if they carry your item(s).

Edit: Personally I prefer amazon, but that's related to sales tax not a trust issue (I have an address in NY that's why sales taxes are applicable to me).

[david lee]

I will do this tin man

[david lee]

If you are uncomfortable with this, how about checking out Amazon if they carry your item(s).

I could have done that i suppose but I thought I would do it from B&H as I am actually visiting NY in April to buy lenses and photgraph NYC.

I am ordering online because I need the bag to carry the lenses I'll have with me AND the ones i intend to buy over there.

[Tin Man]

This is from B&H
Verification Department

Some orders are subject to B&H's Verification procedure which means that, for your protection from credit card fraud or identity theft, we may ask you to verify that you're the card owner or that order and that ship-to information are legitimate. This process rarely delays an order, and generally requires either a simple call-back (which can be done after business hours) or by fax.

If your order requires Verification, we will advise you by phone or e-mail. This is why it's important that you leave both day and home phone numbers when ordering and that you keep your information current.

It is also important that you understand what we mean by bill-to information on the checkout process. The bill-to address is the address to which your bank mails your monthly credit card statement. The bill-to address you give us must agree with the address that the card issuing bank has on file. Please be sure you provide the correct information, even if the items are to be shipped to a different location.

We regret that this is necessary, but it is designed to protect the card owner as well as the retailer.

[primoz]

It is normal. When you are dealing with them for first time they do require this for international customers. I did this for first time when I was buying at B&H and never had problems because of that. And it's only for first time. I had a bit bad feeling about but what can I do... well... there is one way to avoid it... you don't buy it :)
PS: If I remember right they have this written in their web too.
PS #2: Don't worry too much... they have all data which they need for "shopping on net with your card" even without this. But I don't think anyone in store like that is stupid enough to really do it. Besides... waitress in your nearest pub probably gets much lower salary and you don't have any problem "trusting" her your card ;) There's always even darker side of all that :P

[joe_elway]

I've read about this practice on B&H's website. Most of the major USA photography vendors do this. That's what keeps me going back to Hong Kong and Germany. Amazon.com don't ship outside of the US... probably protecting the higher prices charged by their regional outlets.

[david lee]

It is normal. When you are dealing with them for first time they do require this for international customers. I did this for first time when I was buying at B&H and never had problems because of that. And it's only for first time. I had a bit bad feeling about but what can I do... well... there is one way to avoid it... you don't buy it :)
PS: If I remember right they have this written in their web too.
PS #2: Don't worry too much... they have all data which they need for "shopping on net with your card" even without this. But I don't think anyone in store like that is stupid enough to really do it. Besides... waitress in your nearest pub probably gets much lower salary and you don't have any problem "trusting" her your card ;) There's always even darker side of all that :P
What you say is very true Primoz but it only takes one time for them to do the damage.

[SuzyView]

You know, somehow this thread has helped me. I've never had a request for account verification that I didn't trust, but this scam method is so easy. I can believe that someone can steal your information rather easily if you don't verify the phone numbers and e-mail. I'd definitely check things out before sending anything over the internet or faxing. Thanks.

SuzyView

[tommykjensen]

What you say is very true Primoz but it only takes one time for them to do the damage.

I don't know how You are protected in UK and US against fraud with Your credit cards.

But in Denmark we have pretty good protection. If the card is abused as a result of making a transaction online or by sending a fax like the one B&H request the banks cover the loss.

[Claire]

If you read the rules and regulations for payment on the B&H website you'll see that's their policy. They say it's to ensure everything is correct.

[roman_t]

b&h was my first online shopping experience. as soon as i was new to them and i used not us-issued card they asked me to send via fax or e-mail copies of card(both sides) and invoice. after that they proceed an order and ship it to me. no problems. they're fine.

[roman_t]

Amazon.com don't ship outside of the US...

tomorrow i'll get sony t-1 from amazon.com. i live in kazakhstan and it was sent via global express, by the way, amazon didnt ask me for card verification as b&h and sigma4less. so if item hasnt note "not available to outside of us" you can get it.

[aam1234]

True roman_t, but amazon doesn't have a branch in Kazakhstan I think.

[Wsman2]

Here's one American Government site in relation to ID fraud: Federal Trade Commission (http://www.consumer.gov/idtheft/index.html).