Abbey Shocker

[fletchie]

Hi all, new to the forum but thought I would share my story with you and my awful experience with Abbey.

 

Customer for 18 years, up to now no problems.

1st May - My purse was stolen, abbey bank card and driving licence was in the purse along with some cash and other cards. My bank card was used to make 6 over the counter transactions totalling £3000 in one afternoon.

 

2nd May - This was when I noticed my purse was missing and contacted Abbey. They immediately froze my account and opened an investigation. Police also did the same and requested all CCTV footage and bank slips with my signature on. The PIN number wasn't used over the counter but they had driving licence as sole I.D.

 

Over the month of May, Abbey initially refused to credit me back with any of the money. I was left just short of 2 whole weeks with no money. All of my direct debits bounced and I had no cash to buy even shopping. Abbey then decided to charge me for not being accepted for an overdraft even though I hadn't applied for one. They also were very quick to send me letters saying they were charging me for each bounced direct debit. This all amounted to about £300.

 

As you can imagine the stress of this was unbelieveable. My wages and my overdraft had been cleared by a thief/thieves and Abbey wasn't the slightest bit concerned. I asked them how they managed to allow £3000 to be withdrawn in one afternoon when the withdrawal limit was £500 per day over the counter. At first they said that was correct and then they changed to say it was at the discrection of the individual bank. I also asked why no one had picked up the thefts had all occured in Wales when I lived in Birmingham, surely somebody should had noticed the little difference possibly in accent and what the hell I was doing making so many over the counter transactions in a place I didn't live? I had been in Cardiff for a work meeting on that day admittedly, the first transaction being made within less than an hour after I left to come home. The card was stolen in Cardiff and not in Birmingham. (The branches were all around the Cardiff area)

 

It gets better. The police also have a gripe. Abbey at first refused to give the investigating police officer any information. After an official form was completed, they then said they had no CCTV footage for any of the branches and they had also lost the counter slips bar one which had been used to forge my signature. 6 Branchs and not one CCTV camera? Apparently one branch did have it but it was broken on the day of the thefts.....How can they lose the counter slips?

 

Abbey have offered me £50 compensation which they credited to my account. I lost time off work with stress and the impact of this meant I am still trying to catch up with my direct debits. I lost about £500 in all (£300 was done via cash point machines, my PIN number was my date of birth which was on the driving licence) I challenged this as I have had the same PIN number for the last 10 years and obviously never needed to write it down, but Abbey were adament that I am neglible in giving the PIN number out.

 

Is it worth going to the Ombudsman or am I just wasting my time full stop? Any thoughts?

 

Many thanks

[Guest Old_andrew2018]

bump

[AndyOrch]

Hi Fletchie

 

My bank always ring me if any transaction over £500.00 happens to verify it was me and wthin the same hour.You are right they are wrong keep on at them you will succeed

 

 

Regards

 

Andy;)

[poppynurse]

Any news on this?