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UPDATE: Thanks, CAGforMe, for your advice. Happy ending is that I have a cheque for the amount "lost" (that's what I asked for), a new account, and some compensation money too - enough for a couple of good meals out on holiday. Apparently someone at Barclays keyed in the wrong account number and it wasn't fraudulent. Not sure of the details, they don't really matter now, but to give the Bank credit they did pull out all the stops and the whole sorry episode only lasted just under 24 hours. Very scary experience, and not one I'd like to repeat, but generally happy with the way Barclays handled things once they realised the seriousness and the time constraints. Feeling much less stressed now, and we will certainly enjoy our holiday. Will raise a glass to you once we're there. Mine's a G&T too, so I'll make it a double! Thanks again from Morleydog.

Thanks again, CAGisforME. In sunny Crete next week I will raise a glass to you and the CAG - paid for by myself, hopefully - if not SWMBO will pay! Watch this space, developments will be posted tomorrow.

Thank you very much for the advice, CAGisforME. Excellent! (The local press thing was rather tongue in cheek and I didn't really mean it). I didn't say that Barclays "stole" my money - I said that they "took" it - and it appears that they have. As I didn't close the account, either on the telephone or face to face, it would seem that someone in Barclays did. If they had just taken the money it would be easier to stomach, but to close the account is, as you say, very fishy. I will visit the Bank tomorrow as requested - they don't unfortunately have a manager, it is quite a small branch - and I will be aiming not to leave without my money. I will insist they provide me with an audit trail of where the money is (Barclays hyperspace I imagine). Anyway, I will keep you informed. Thanks once again for your advice. To everyone else, I hope it doesn't happen to you, it has left me feeling very worried and scared and I will certainly check on my balance in future on a more regular basis. I will certainly enjoy my holiday, whatever, and will keep you updated. Good luck to you CAGisforME in your search for a new employer!

I have a Barclays current account, with debit card, which I only use for putting money in (odd bonuses, birthday cheques, etc) on an occasional basis. This money gets withdrawn once a year for holiday spending money. My main account is with the Halifax, who receive my salary payments, pay my direct debits etc - and repaid me £1000 in charges last year - thanks! I went to Barclays today to pay in a cheque and withdraw some money for my holiday which starts on Monday. I was told by the cashier that the account was closed. No it isn't - who has closed it? To cut a very long (four hours in the Bank) story short, £480 was withdrawn this morning by instant transfer and the account closed. This was at 6.20 am when I was fast asleep in bed. Barclays seem to think this is an internal "blip" on their part and not fraud, and they cannot tell me the current location of my money. I am still £480 short, have no holiday spending money, and no account, no cheque book and no debit card, so no way of accessing the £480 should they return it to a new account they have promised to open for me. (I don't really want an account with them anyway). Have any of you helpful people got any advice for me - I have to visit the bank again tomorrow (more time off work) and don't intend leaving without my money, but any suggestions on how best to handle this would be gratefully received. My wife has suggested I take the local press with me, but I would prefer something subtler, and I am off on holiday on Monday so time is not on my side. Sorry to ramble, very stressed out, any advice welcome.

Keep going! If the charges were unlawful two weeks/two months/twp years ago, they are still unlawful! You will get them back if you follow the step by step advice given on this site. Nothing has happened (in the Daily Mail or anywhere else) to change the fact that these charges are and always have been unlawful. Good luck!

Good luck Duncans-mum - I'm Duncan's mum as well and wish you all the best. Hope you enjoy spending your money when you get it back as much as we are going to when we go on our hols in September. Cheers!

Survey completed, donation sent, just got to work out how to spend what's left of the money once he's paid off the Halifax overdraft so he can move to his other bank account! I'll keep watching, and thanks again.

FINALLY - Just over £1,000 arrived in OH's account on Friday and a grovelly apologetic letter from the Halifax arrived in Friday's post. Donation made by PayPal to CAG this morning - a very small token of our appreciation. Will continue to watch developments with interest, and wish all of you the very best of luck in your claims against all the banks/cc companies etc. Thanks and regards to you all.

Good luck to you. Bet they offer you about £250! Make sure you take this all the way! Keep us posted.

See my post - my husband accepted their so called "goodwill gesture" on 2nd May - he still hasn't seen the money - promised tomorrow (18th May) definitely. If it's not there by lunchtime the court claim will be filed tomorrow afternoon. So don't hold your breath - they take it from you a lot quicker than they give it back! Good luck to you, and everyone else claiming.

Update: On 2nd May my other half (against my better judgment) decided to accept the £1000+ offered as a goodwill gesture for his charges of £1400+ since 2003. He sent off the acceptance form that day - although I told him to hold on for the full amount, it was his decision. He has checked his balance daily (I have nagged a bit, I admit!) and as of today the money was still not in his account. I got angry this morning, and told him to check again and if the money was not there, to ring the Halifax and tell them his acceptance was withdrawn, and we would see them in court. Arrived home from work this evening to find a very angry husband, no repayment in his account; he had spent over an hour on the phone to various Halifax numbers which were either engaged, no reply, or would not talk to him without a password, which he doesn't have. Within five minutes of my returning home, logging on, checking contact numbers on this site, and dialling for him, he spoke to someone who admitted they had had his acceptance since 8th May, and promised the money would be in the account tomorrow. He told them that if it wasn't, his acceptance of the 'goodwill gesture' was withdrawn, and the next contact he would have with the Halifax would be a court summons. He will check the account balance tomorrow lunchtime; and if no refund has been made, we will immediately file a court claim on Moneyclaim - I have it prepared ready and the interest calculated etc! I will update you either way, and the donation to you great guys will follow if and when he receives his money. I really wish he had decided to go all the way to court on this, but it is his account, not mine, so have to let him do things his way. It's nice to be able to say "I told you so", though! By the way, I got my two books of first class stamps from the Royal Mail for their inability to record a recorded delivery. They will come in handy as well for some more letters I have to write .................!

Yesterday my husband received an offer of just over a grand for his unlawful charges for three years of £1400+. I told him that he should hold out for the whole amount, but he has decided to accept their offer. I tried to convince him that they would not offer him anything at all if their charges were lawful, but he said it was "less hassle" to accept, and it is £1,000+ anyway. His money, his decision! (We tend to have separate finances, so although I did the leg work, it is him who paid the charges, so his money to reclaim). I will let you know when he receives this money (they did give him the choice of payment into his Halifax account or a cheque - he chose the cheque). I don't entirely support him in his acceptance, but it is his choice. If it had been me, I would have seen them in court (got the suit dry cleaned ready!) Incidentally, I have not received my stamps from the Royal Mail yet (see previous posts!). I would like to thank this site and the founders thereof for their wonderful advice, letter templates, and guts for everything to do with this wonderful site. Amazon book tokens will follow from my OH as soon as the Halifax cash is received. All good wishes to all of you who are following their own paths to get their own money back. I will keep watching with great interest. MANY THANKS!

But I haven't got them yet! Might only be two books with one stamp in each book! Don't care really, it's the £1,400+ from Halifax that I am determined to win, and that I will go all the way for. The stamps will come in handy though, if I get them........................!!!!!

Further update: Last Saturday (22nd April) received TWO identical letters from Halifax offering £167 to settle the request for £1,400+ in charges. Replied on Monday 24th April saying thanks, we'll have the £167 but we want it all and a court claim would be submitted for the remainder. Heard nothing at all, so this morning the LBA posted giving them 14 days before the court claim is filed. Incidentally, I am getting two books of first class stamps from the Royal Mail as they did not obtain a signature on my first recorded delivery letter to the Halifax - the one that has been acknowledged (twice!!!) Every little helps! Further updates will be posted as and when. Thanks to all for this great site.