Fraud and Bank Account

[Night Owl]

Today I had a distraught friend call to tell me how she found on her internet banking statement that her bank had allowed the payment of £2300 of her money to a Bathroom Company without her knowledge or without phoning her to question the large transaction that has now taken her over her overdraft limit.

We all know that the banks run on automated systems so why should they phone the customer when the transaction can actually set off bank charges!! and make money for them at some inocent persons misery.

Not sure of the name of the bank yet or how the transaction took place (I think it was Debit Card), she's on nights tonight so it's difficult to discuss.
She has informed the bank and they have said that it will take 2 weeks or so to investigate.

She gets paid tomorrow and her pay will go straight in and pay off the overdraft leaving her no money for the rest of the month. Its Friday tomorrow and she has to get some sleep too but wants to know what other arguments she can kick a** with tomorrow at the bank to get her money back quickly.

I have told her to print off her statement showing the transaction and the funds available at that time for argumentative amunition.
I hope that the bank have stopped her card if it was a debit card use.
I have told her to keep a record of the times, dates and people she has spoken to at the bank for the paperwork they should be completing.

I'm trawling through the banking code and terms and conditions but is there anyone else that can help please?

Does she have to wait for the investigation before she gets her money back or should the bank refund her whilst the investigation goes on?

She has no access to her pay from tomorrow when she gets paid she's desperate to do something quick before the weekend.

Help please if you can?

Night Owl

[Rooster-UK]

I would say that most likely your friend has responded to an email from the bank to update her details.

Except that the email DIDN'T come from the bank.

Without exception, NO bank will ever ask you to update your bank details online. They don't need to. They've already got all your details on computer......with backups.

If ever the bank needs to query such information, they will ALWAYS do so by letter.

I'm afraid that your friend's account has been scammed.

Hopefully, she will get her money back but it does take some weeks.
Meantime your friend needs to contact the local branch, explaining what has happened and ask how she can access her wages while the matter is being sorted out. Stress that she has no other form of income and she needs some cash to eat, etc.

I hope she gets sorted without too much delay.

Regards, Rooster.

[Night Owl]

Thanks Rooster.
Not what I wanted to hear about the scamming but will try and contact her for further info.
Will get back very soon if it's possible to talk to her.

Night Owl

[Rooster-UK]

Another one that often catches people who have already been scammed, is the one that says that it is from the banks security department, investigating the activities of scammers.

Remember.....if they ask for details it's not genuine!

My wife received one last week from "Lloyds/TSB"...... She doesn't bank with them!

[Night Owl]

I have just tried to look up the bathroom company name and can't find it on google!

I have just spoken to my friend and she is going to the bank first thing, in uniform, after a 12 hour night shift! to try and get further info.

She has not received or replyed to any E-mails from her bank.

Night Owl

[Night Owl]

Well after being up for 28 hours my friend has just gone to bed!!!!!! ready to go back to work tonight!!! not much hope of sleep.

She went to the bank this morning and spent 2 hours with a manager talking through the problem of not having access to her pay that has now gone in to her frozen account. They have told her that they have to investigate over the next 7 days as specified in their terms and conditions. That's 7 working days, so you can add in 2 weekends to that too. The terms and conditions clearly says 7 days not 7 working days.

Her mortgage and other D/Ds come out on Monday and she is terrified that they will not be paid. The bank said they will look at the account on Monday and decide if the payments can come out. They also agreed that the "company" that has fraudulantly made the withdrawl from her account cannot be found on the web.

At what point does the bank make the decision to allow a large withdrawl from a customers account (be it legit or not) even though it will take the account way over the agreed overdraft?
We are talking a £2300 withdrawl on a £1250 overdraft that was already being used!!!

I think she should complain to the Financial Ombudsman at the end of the banks 7 days whatever the outcome is.

Night Owl

[FlakeyShakey]

Whilst they say 7 days, generally banks do try to sort it out quicker than that, and if she is able to keep on at them or alternatively give them permission to deal with you, they will keep her updated. The problem is, whilst this is genuine, if she has been scammed, then it is quite possible that she has inadvertently given permission for this money to be withdrawn.

I have dealt with these types of issues before, it is difficult I know, but a lot of work has to be done behind the scenes, and unfortunately they do need to check out her story completely as you do get customers that are trying it on or are themselves trying to commit fraud.

If you friend does work nights, I would recommend that she speak to her bank manager again, and give written authority for you to deal on her behalf as well, if you are willing to do this.

[Night Owl]

Thanks Flakey.

My friend has contacted the bank, no news.
But she did ask why did they make the transaction in the first place without checking with her first bearing in mind she didnt have the funds available. There answer was " you gave us authority!!!!!" she clearly hadn't and they wouldn't clarify how did they get the authority.

She is also very upset as her mortgage and other D/D's due out today have all been bounced by the bank beacuse her funds are frozen.
I have told her not to worry about those as they will write to inform her of non payment and inform her that they will try and make the D/D in the next 7-10 days, by which time she may have it all sorted.
I have told her to keep all the letters.

Online letter of complaint going to the FO on Monday after the bank has had their 7 working days.

Night Owl