Urgent advice needed ... unuauthorized DD on my Abbey account ... need help!

forgottenone · 22nd July 2008, 18:00

Not been able to get online for last few days due to buying a new keyboard. I am now facing what seems to be a ridiculous situation with Abbey National. As I just found an unauthorized debit had been set up on my account ... from a company I've never heard of, never given my details to. Been on there a few days.

Had a pointless convo with their call centre, trying to explain that this was fraud as I have never given whomever these people are my details. And wanted to have a block put on my account to prevent them from doing it again. Needless to say, had I not noticed it today ... my whole bank account could have been rifled of money, then I'd be left with nothing. It was suggested by Abbey National - can you believe this!! - that I PHONED the company up to ask THEM why they had a direct debit on my account. By which point I was pretty annoyed. Why should I have to phone someone I have never heard of, when I have explained I have never, not in writing, or by phone given them permission to do this?!

It sounds very much like a DCA from the PO Box, premium rate number they gave me. Eventually, got through to Abbey's fraud line ... useless. Tried to explain again, I have never given these people my details - and they certainly haven't written to me to let me know either - and that it was done without my permission.

Went round the houses, got nowhere. Apparently, anyone can remove money from my account without my permission if they deceitfully obtain my card or account details. I argued that it was Abbey's DUTY to protect me as a customer and I am really upset over this because I think I should be able to block my account, despite what they said from this originator debitting without my permission my money. Apparently, I'd have to block ALL my account to do that, which would stop all DDs.

I then explained the legal minefield, as this company with a PO Box number *I cannot actually FIND them when Googling bit strange that??* is prepared to use my bank details to set up a DD like this and they could very obviously lie and say they contacted me.

What I am upset with is that Abbey is placing all the onous on myself to sort this out.

I want a block putting on my account to stop this happening again. It has actually frightened me badly that anyone can do this and AN will let them do it, even when I have explained it's without my permission.

Does anyone know anyway I can get AN to take more notice of this. I will have to keep watching my account now to cancel it when it gets put back on. But it's already been on my account for several days ... and if I miss it, I could be left with no money in my account, bank charges.

Long, short tall of this is whomever this company is has no authority to use nor process my details in this manner and take money from my account without my permission either. May as well just give my card out to anyone in the street, then?

Can anyone help as it's really shaken me up now. I want to stop it happening again.

Robdblynd · 23rd July 2008, 14:30

I'd suggest contacting the police, it is, after all, identity theft in one form.

Then just cancel, in writing, the DD in favour of this company and instruct Abbey, again in writing, that you have not, will not authorise a DD for this originator on any of your accounts as you believe your account details have been stolen. Inform them that you have contacted the police (who will probably have given you an incident number) and that is now being investigated by the police.

forgottenone · 23rd July 2008, 20:12

Thanks for replying. Well, got through to their fraud section ... felt like yelling down the phone at them 'hello, are you LISTENING??!' ... was like talking to a machine. Will try and write to them. Not really well enough lately. But their attitude I found astonishing.

lml34 · 24th July 2008, 14:07

hi there,

had a similar experience very recently. Had 2 transactions of £4 from my account. Cancelled my card after seeing the 2nd one. Was then 5 weeks before I could bank online again between new card and registration etc. Once I had access again I had a another 5 transactions totalling £1100 taken from my account dated between the 1st and 2nd of the £4 inital transactions. These £4 transactions are tests done by the fraudsters before they then hit the account. Now in the process of dealing with abbey fraud to claim money back will take up to 8 weeks before case may be resolved. So in a word make sure you check your account by phone as sometimes these transactions take a few days to come out from your account and until the show up abbey may not even be able to tell you they took place!

forgottenone · 24th July 2008, 18:25

Yes, what I now will Christen, 'the fish in a barrel' scenario or 'skinny dipping' into your account to see if the details work. There was a discrepency between balances, which didn't account for the ones I knew of ... it's gone now, since the DD was cancelled. Been a few discrepencies TBH like that a lot, particularly with my AN account. Will keep an eye on it, get a letter into them.

forgottenone · 28th July 2008, 01:13

Well, think it's safe to assume after what I just found ... someone has accessed my account somehow. Have to wait until opening time to speak to someone but I think it's now a matter for the police!

JonCris · 28th July 2008, 01:31

Don't be surprised if the police refuse to investigate on the basis that your not the victim whereas the bank is & until they report it they can't do anything. It's a con agreed between the banks & noo labour allowing the banks to claim that the introduction of SPIN has resulted in a reduction of fraud.

Tell Abbey (in writing) that as they are not complying with their own banking code you will issue legal proceeding within 7 days unless they return your money & cancel the DD forthwith

forgottenone · 28th July 2008, 13:54

Phew! Looks like it was their system not updating properly ... giving false info online. Sorted now, so saved me the cost of the call as well. Whole damn debt crisis has got me pretty skittish lately!

barns66 · 28th July 2008, 14:50

Hi
I had same thing happen to me twice and when i rang my bank up they returned the money to my account,told me to ring the firm up that had taken the money they took all my details,i then informed my bank i had done this and they told me they would look into it.I then received a letter from my bank to let me know the money had been returned and if i got a cheque from the company that had taken it in the first place could i please forward it on to them,never heard anymore about it,i take it that my bank got the money back.Nobody as to hack into your online bank account to set up a direct debit.i understand all they want is you to have sent them a cheque for goods or services as the cheque contains everthing they need to set the direct debit up .i.e sort code and account number,they will have your name and address from the goods or services you have bought from them,fill in a direct debit form and thats it.
barns66

forgottenone · 28th July 2008, 18:17

Quote:

Nobody as to hack into your online bank account to set up a direct debit.i

Yes, I know that.

But someone would have to do what was done last night. But it wasn't. Only seemed to be. As to the DD, I have never heard, never had contact with them ... ergo, how did they get hold of my account details?

Although, I do understand what you mean. At this point it is looking like it was a DCA because of where the DD was connected to ... using my account details obtained via a third party, setting up a DD without my authorization. Hence my concerns.

It's all sorted out now, but I will be keeping a much closer eye on my account than usual.

barns66 · 28th July 2008, 20:14

Quote:

Originally Posted by forgottenone

Yes, I know that.

But someone would have to do what was done last night. But it wasn't. Only seemed to be. As to the DD, I have never heard, never had contact with them ... ergo, how did they get hold of my account details?

Although, I do understand what you mean. At this point it is looking like it was a DCA because of where the DD was connected to ... using my account details obtained via a third party, setting up a DD without my authorization. Hence my concerns.

It's all sorted out now, but I will be keeping a much closer eye on my account than usual.

Hi
Glad to hear that you got it sorted,i check my bank account every couple of days now.

barns66

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