Wonga and ID theft

Kimou · 15 February 2012 at 5:40PM

Hi,

I am curious to find out whether anybody has been targeted for identity theft and told that you may not be able to retrieve your money due to it being a loan comany that has taken it?

I have just had over £2000 taken out of my Barclays account by Wonga. I've never had any dealings with them before yet someone has somehow managed to use my bank account to pay for four loans that have not been paid into that [my] account. And I have, apparently, no rights due to it being a finance company.

It has been reported to the bank's fraud team and also Wonga's fraud dept. I've yet to hear back from them, but is it really so? Do I have no protection at all?

Any comments would be much appreciated.

Thanks

DCFC79 · 15 February 2012 at 6:00PM

My first thought is do you have any loans with any other PDL co's who are linked with wonga eg part of same group.

meer53 · 15 February 2012 at 6:17PM

Who told you that you have no rights ? Have you spoken to your bank yet ?

Kimou · 15 February 2012 at 6:18PM

@DCFC79
Hi, No. This is completely out of the blue. I don't even have bank statements delivered anymore. I have no idea how they came to have my details as I'm extremely careful with disposing my correspondence and my bank details.

Kimou · 15 February 2012 at 6:21PM

@ Meers53.
It was the bank that told me this, or rather that I very very little rights. They need to ascertain whether Wonga are willing or not to give over the details of where the money went.
I shall seek other independent advice, but I thought mayber perchance someone here has been in a similar predicament.

LovelyLeeds · 15 February 2012 at 6:24PM

Kimou wrote: »

I have just had over £2000 taken out of my Barclays account by Wonga. I've never had any dealings with them before yet someone has somehow managed to use my bank account to pay for four loans that have not been paid into that [my] account. And I have, apparently, no rights due to it being a finance company.

Have you ever agreed to pay a Wonga PDL for a friend or family?

Kimou · 15 February 2012 at 6:30PM

@LovelyLeeds
No. No dealings whatsoever with them. There's aboslutely no connection with me in any way.
It's blatant ID theft, and this will manifest in any enquiries by the respective fraud units. That's why I can't understand that seeing it is so, how come I am not protected by my bank and only in the instance of it being a finance company that they can't protect me.

I even asked the investigator "is there a potential for me to not reclaim my money" and he replied "yes, there's a real chance of that happening".
It's beyond absurdity.

LovelyLeeds · 15 February 2012 at 6:37PM

Kimou wrote: »

@LovelyLeeds
No. No dealings whatsoever with them. There's aboslutely no connection with me in any way.

I can't believe they wont try to help - keep us informed on any progress you make. Good luck.

meer53 · 15 February 2012 at 6:41PM

I can't believe they won't refund either. They have to refund unless they have proof of why they shouldn't. It could just be card fraud rather than ID fraud.
The OP needs to push Barclays for more information.

magpiecottage · 15 February 2012 at 6:50PM

FSA Rule BCOBS 5.1.11R says:

" (1) Where a banking customer denies having authorised a payment, it is for the firm to prove that the payment was authorised.

(2) Where a payment from a banking customer's account was not authorised by the banking customer, a firm must, within a reasonable period, refund the amount of the unauthorised payment to the banking customer and, where applicable, restore the banking customer's account to the state it would have been in had the unauthorised payment not taken place."

That suggests that the bank is wrong. You might wish to contact them again and "remind" them of this rule.

DCFC79 · 15 February 2012 at 6:52PM

I reckon they got your details via your pc, is your pc secure, had any viruses etc.

Wonga and ID theft

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