Cold call from my bank led to loss of savings

[5678fire]

Hi, I wasn't sure this was the right place for this post, but it does concern the bad practice of banks.

I am promted to post this after reading an article in the daily mail which shows I am not the only one this has happened to.

 

I do all my banking online. I had this particular account for two years but I never serviced it, not once. I never once paid money in nor wrote a cheque or used a credit card. The only reason I even had this account was because it was a requirement and a condition of this particular bank, as I applied for and had a mortgage with them. I resented this tactic of theirs, so I never used the account. The mortgage repayments came from a different bank account. Later on the sale of the house and after repayment of the mortgage I deposited 20k with this bank due to the good rate they were paying. After 6 months I received a phone call, straight out of the blue, from an accounts manager, he asked what did I intend to do with the £20,000 I had dormant in a web saver account. I said I was happy to leave it there on 5.75% He asked me into the branch to discuss other investment oppertunities. I went to the branch thinking I may get a better rate, but after all the bonds and guilts or guilds he offered me I explained that I would be no better off. I declined them all, I did not want to tie my money up for a year or three years only to receive .25% extra.

He then asked if I had considered the stock exchange I said no we discussed blue chips as a relative safe bet along with instant access to the money. I dont recall opening any accounts during that interview, but a short time later I received a letter saying thanks and welcome to your shared dealing account. When I logged online and looked at my account, a share dealing account had been opened. I ignored the link for a couple of months but then curiosity got the better of me and I had a look. It seemed so easy, I transferred money in and chose a couple of companies, these made a small profit and so I transfered in more money. For about a month things went well, until the big bank crisis and prices started to fall. I invested more money to try to balance my losses and ended up investing a total of 54K. Then the big crisis happened and the stock crashed. Bradford and Bingley were nationalised, I had 20k in them which has gone. My current balance is now 10k.

I had no experience in shares and I kick myself for investing, I wish I had never received that phone call. Although I have complained to the bank and they paid me £972 as a goodwill gesture they do not accept any further responsibility. I have written to the FSA who are looking into it.

I am so desperate, I fell for an endowment policy when offered and insurance policies over the years and look how they all turned out. I will never ever trust a bank or its staff again.....I will try to keep you updated but I am sickened to even write or discuss this incident.

[yourbank]

Share dealing is similar to betting but I would have(I know this is easy in hindsight) to have written to the bank and closed the account. I suspect that they have refunded the fees or any fees for share dealing. It will be interesting to hear how the FOS decide on this one.

[5678fire]

I was told the £972 refund was to cover the amount of interest that the original 20k would have earnt had I left it in the web saver account. I would love to close the whole bank account but dare not in case the FSA need information, but also it may be my only chance to recoup some money if the current shares I have go up.