Hello,

I hope I can get some help here about the worst case I ever had with a Bank.

One month ago, exactly few days when I got married, my debit card details were compromised and more than £6000 were stolen from my debit card and paid into some online gambling site in Gibraltar.

I found out about these transactions the day after the were made and immediately called my Bank - TSB.

I had two accounts with them

- a personal and a business one for my limited company.

I spent hours on the phone with their customer service, then the fraud team and even they have some "complex" investigation team.

After explaining them about the fraudulent transactions,

they accused me that either me or someone that lives with me ( my wife ) has made those payments, becuase in their system nothing looks suspicious and event the fact that these payments were made over night every 30 minutes £1000 were taken of my account...really??? and they did not send me any message to confirm that I am making those payments..not a call..nothing.

After a long conversation I was told that they will start an investigation and will come back to me and in the mean time I should contact that gambling company.

this is what I did and I called the gambling site and the company behind Cassava Enterprises Ltd.

I had to write to their security team, which answered me every day and at the end helped much more than my TSB bank, because Cassava's Security team found out, that there was an account registered on my name and also my debit card along with debit card on some other people's name on the same gambling account.

they told me there is definitely a fraud activity and all transactions made from my Debit Card will be voided.

I had to wait and hope I will have money back and be able to pay for my wedding.

On the next day TSB calls me and tells me their Investigation team does not find again anything suspicious and even while those payments were made, address verification passes and 3ds security was not invoked from the merchant, so nothing can me done.

Not only that, but they told me that I am the one who needs to keep my debit card details save and they are not responsible for not alerting me, for not detecting any fraud activity, because these payments happen over night to some site in Gibraltar...just ridiculous ..

But I told them that I already spoke to the Gambling company, which found something suspicious and will void the transactions.

..They "Investigation team" even did not believed me and told me that if that is actually true, I should get my money back , they decided to block my accounts.

After exactly 3 days even that my accounts were blocked I was able to access my internet banking and I noticed that all money were refunded and at least I was more relaxed.

But of course TSB made the situation more painful for me, becuase I spent hours again with their fraud and investigations team on the phone and as I was abroad for my wedding, my only choice was to get my money with ID into a branch.

After asking them isn't that action by the Gambling site clear enough that there was fraud activity and they returned my money, the TSB representative on the phone did not know what to answer me

. In a week I went back home and I found check for my business account in TSB, which was already closed and after I went into a branch I got my money in cash from my personal account and they closed it too.

After all what happened I was thinking that this is a bad story with a happy end.

But of course not.

I opened a personal account with Barclays online when I was still abroad and I got my cards and internet banking and etc. when I got home

. I deposited my money there, after I got them back from TSB in cash.

I had to open a business account and I went to Santader, where my other nightmare began

- I was declined, because of I was told " They see some flag in CIFAS database about me" and I have to find out what and this is the reason they cant open me an account.

I need my business account as soon as possible, because I am awaiting payments

I went to another bank, where the same happened.

My credit score is not perfect but is not very poor, so I was told to check my credit file and to look for CIFAS data, because its not about bad credit score.

I went into TSB branch ( my accounts are already closed and I cant get any help over the phone anymore) and the lady on the till tried to call "someone" and told me to check Experian

. I registered for Experian, Equifax, Callcredit and Checkmyfile and I find no CIFAS records on the file.

After researching CIFAS website ( I never heard of CIFAS before) I found out that I can send a Subject Access Request Form so they can send me all the information about me within minimum a week or max 40 days.

I don't know now what record has been held on my name in CIFAS

I sent their form today.

I opened a case with the Financial Ombudsman and I am awaiting their answer too

. I do not know what else to do and how can I find our more information about this Flag in Cifas and as I generated a credit file in all possible Credit agencies and no information about CIFAS is there, I am out of ideas.

Also from Satander told me to ask the gambling company if they sent maybe something to CIFAS, so I wrote their security team and I am waiting for an answer.

Did anyone of you had any similar situation and do you know how can I resolve it?

I was a Victim of Fraud and not only that but now I am experiencing all these problems and I am more than frustrated.

My only fast option now is to add my wife as a director and to remove my name from the company, so I can open at least the business bank account and to make VAT and salary payments on time, until I resolve the issue with my name

Thanks,

Ivan

Why they don't find anything suspicious is because the card cannot be used online without the security number on the back.

So someone has to know that number.

I agree with you and yes in order to make a payment someone needs to know the security number on the back of the card.

But we all make payments online and we are never sure if our details are compromised. If a hacker compromises a online store will have customers data including addresses and all debit/credit card details. Also nowdays most merchants should require 3ds where you need to enter for example sort code or account number to authorize the payment, which is not easy to compromise.

Another way someone to steal your details will be in a store or a bar where someone can take a photo of the card.

There are many ways someone to steal bank details and I really dont know which one happened to me. The bank should have a security in place and inform me foe suspicous payments in Gibraltar for a gambling company for example, what actually happened to me.

Why they don't find anything suspicious is because the card cannot be used online without the security number on the back.

 

So someone has to know that number.

Not always technically true. Some companies dont need the CV2 code to process transactions. Its a rare occurrence but does exist.

However, Back to case in point. Have you registered the case with Actionfraud?

I had an email convo with Paul Pester and is one of the better CEOs for TSB. Have you considered escalating up the chain?

Also did you raise an official complaint with TSB? If not the FOS will not entertain a complaint.

I think you have a pretty good case here for further action if required.

I have not registered the case with Actionfraud yet, but as you have mentioned it, I will do that.

I have rased an official complain on the same day when I spoke to Tsb investigation and fraud team. I rec3ived a call by their complaints team and I explained the while situation. Since then ai have not heard of them.

Otherwise i would escalate the case up the chain. Should I write an email to Paul Pester?