Barclays Fraud marker registered to me in 2018

[aqua0912]

Hi this is my first post here I’ll try to include as much detail as possible but I’m not going to mention any names as they are currently investigating and I don’t want to interrupt that.

 

the bank in question have loaded me onto the National Hunter database in 2018 for “False instruments paid in”, I only found this data a couple of weeks ago.

 

This is what I believe to be over a payment I received from a close friend at the time for around £500, he transferred it me I drew it out in the branch to go and collect some parts for a project we was working on as his cards limit was lower and he was in my car with me I didn’t see it as an issue. 

 

We had previously transferred money to and from each other’s accounts without any issues. However shortly after I withdrew this money I was left with my bank account frozen. And ultimately closed a couple of weeks later, this was extremely stressful at the time as my salary was paid into here...

 

My said friend is also a customer of this bank himself!
 

Now my question is, does the bank have any grounds in which they can register me on this fraud database just for withdrawing the money, it’s not exactly a large sum?

 

Thanks,

 

 

[BankFodder]

You say "they" are currently investigating – who are we talking about here?

We will need to know the name of the bank that you are dealing with – and there is no downside to this for you. It won't interfere with any investigation.

Have you checked your credit file? Have you checked the CIFAS database?

I suggest that you send an SAR to the bank and also Hunter.

How long have you had your bank account? Has it been well conducted or has it been problematic? Do you have regular salaries et cetera going in? Any other odd lump sums?

I have to say it does sound a bit of an overreaction for a transaction simply of £500.

You say that your friend has an account with the same bank – but presumably your friend is not impacted in any way. Would the bank be able to make a link between this transaction and your friend's account at all?

[aqua0912]

Barclays, I had the account several years my salary was paid into there etc... it was my main account. Never had any issues on there not used overdraft, occasionally had money from my father for several thousand but that was probable quite a while before they froze and close my account. 

I have sent SAR’s to CIFAS, N Hunter and Barclays, all responded Barclays wasn’t helpful at all. CIFAS hold no data on me. N Hunter has the fraud marker registered on my name.

 

I contacted him, he hasn’t got anything on his files as I told him what had happened and he also sent of SAR to the company’s above, the transfer was from a current account in his name at Halifax I’m not sure if Barclays can see who sent the money?

 

[BankFodder]

Thank you.

So it is Barclays which is causing the problem – and you say that Barclays have been unhelpful.
In what way have they been unhelpful?

[aqua0912]

I meant as in the SAR I received back from them was unhelpful. It was pretty much just my statement from the years I had my current account with them, and the letter they sent me when they was closing down my account.

Speaking with them on the phone no one will tell me anything other than I should hear back “soon”
Thanks for helping me out

[BankFodder]

Well your file with Barclays must contain discussions or notes of an investigation relating to the decision to close your account. Were there no references to this?

When did you submit the SAR? And when did the disclosure arrive?

[aqua0912]

No references to anything like that, no discussions, I received my response from them around 1 month ago after waiting longer than I should've had to because they didn’t initially email me the reference number I needed to access it. So I had to wait another week for the next one to arrive

[BankFodder]

Please could you post up the SAR that you sent to them.

[aqua0912]

The response from them?

[BankFodder]

No, the request that you sent to them.

 

 

Also I realise that in your opening post you said that there was an investigation which was currently underway.
I gathered that it was Barclays who is carrying out this investigation – but if they have made the decision against you, why are they still investigating?

[aqua0912]

I requested my data from here https://www.apply.barclays.co.uk/forms/gdpr?execution=e1s1

 

Then I had to contact [email protected] due to not receiving the reference number I needed.

 

Sorry I wasn’t clear enough, I’ve complained and they haven’t given me their final response yet but reading other people’s posts it doesn’t look like they will remove it.

[BankFodder]

No I don't expect they will remove it.

I'd like to know more about your subject access request. I'm not able to access the page that you posted – maybe you could access it again and then take a screenshot of exactly way that your SAR request was couched

[aqua0912]

I don’t quite understand what you want me to show you, I filled in all my details for them to identify me, they asked what my SAR was in relation to and I selected current account (As I also had a Barclaycard). I can PM you the actual response they sent me with my statements and letter they sent if that would help?

 

Thanks again for your help, why do you not expect they will remove it?

[BankFodder]

I think you need to send them a new SAR. This time use our template. Keep it very wide. You won't need to modify the template very much.

Make a diary note of the return date and keep us updated

These people would rather eat their own children or do something disgustingly rude to their grannies before they would ever undo anything that they had done to your credit file or any other fraud database.

[aqua0912]

I’ve just had a quick read through your template. That’s brilliant, thank you very much I’ll be sending that off to them to get as much info as I can... suspect I’ll have to escalate this to FOS.

 

Where do I find the address of who I need to send this to? I only have the email address of the data protection officer 

[BankFodder]

The data protection officer is the correct address. Don't expect them to be pleased about this SAR and I can even imagine that they may knock you back saying that it is simply a repeat of an existing one. We will have to deal with that when we get to it.

Don't expect the FOS to be at all helpful. They are simply an industry poodle – but the only useful thing might be that they will conduct some kind of half-hearted investigation and that might draw a bit more information out from Barclays – but see what your SAR produces first of all.

By the way, going to the FOS – don't expect it to be quick. You will have to wait eight weeks for Barclays to complete their so-called "investigation" – and then you send it to the FOS and you can expect between six months and nine months.

I hope you've got another bank account – if you are able to get one.

[Manxman in exile]

If the issue was "False instruments paid in", does that mean it's about the money your friend transferred to you and which you drew out in cash?

 

Did your friend's transfer to you go through OK, or were there perhaps any problems with it?

[aqua0912]

Hi,

received my SAR back today... they’ve told me it’s a duplicate request of a previous one.

 

How shall I proceed?

 

My complaints been escalated and they’re investigating and asking me for any evidence I’ve got.

 

They’re also asking for copies of my friends credit file and SAR. Surely I’m not allowed to give them this?

[BankFodder]

Rather as predicted – they said it was a repeat. However, you haven't been able to tell us what your original SAR requested so we are not able to say accurately whether it is a repeat.

You really should be keeping copies of things that you send off especially when you are dealing with companies which effectively are your enemy. This is why you should also record calls. Read our customer services guide.
You say that the statutory disclosure they made to you was simply bank statements and the letter closing your account.

Can you identify other items which should have been included in the disclosure – but weren't. Have you got any examples of correspondence or messages from them which weren't included in the statutory disclosure.
What I'm getting at is have you got evidence which shows that the disclosure which they eventually made to you under the SAR rules was incomplete.

[aqua0912]

Hi sorry, coincidence or what they’ve just called me.

 

They have removed the marker but can’t elaborate on why it was there.

I am happy with their response anyway as I can get on with things now!

 

thank you very much for how in depth you was with your replies

[BankFodder]

Well that is very good news.

Frankly I wouldn't let it stay there and I would be going for some compensation. It's up to you – but I would want to explore further.

I would certainly want to send them on SAR now because there must have been further discussions and so the SAR would not be a repeat. I would also want to know who they had shared my data with.

It's up to you.

Well done on the apparent success so far and thank you for updating us.

However, these people need a slap and we can help you give them one.

[slick132]

Hi Aqua,

 

This is great news but, like BFodder, I'd want to know what was behind all this, namely :-

 

1. What led Barclays to close the account.

 

2. Who they reported to and what they said.

 

3. What has made them reconsider now.

 

I'm sure they've only now agreed to withdraw the marker because they could see they'd have to justify their actions and you were not going to let the matter rest.

 

I'd be looking for information, explanations and compensation.