Barclays took my money!!!

Gerberus

Here's the long and short: I stick my non-Barclays ATM card into Barclays machine and, despite adequate funds in the account, get the card spat out four times. Home I go and, lo and behold, £200 has gone out of my account!

So... Barclays look into it and twice say the money will be refunded, but twice it isn't. They then advise me to get my own bank to launch an "indemnity claim" against them. This comes back negative and is now on round two.

We are now six weeks, and by the time the second claim comes back, nine weeks down the line.

What can I do? The Ombudsman?

And, no, it isn't a cloning or anything like that.

Andy_L

Have you contacted your own bank?

JimmyTheWig

Andy_L wrote: »

Have you contacted your own bank?

That's what they said "came back negative", isn't it?

jonesMUFCforever

It is your own bank's responsibility to make enquiries about your ATM withdrawal after they have a written statement of the facts from you.
Have you done this?
Normally this would take 2-3 weeks before a reply is received from Barclays.

Again normally if they have replied they normally put a paragraph in their letter saying if you are unhappy about the conclusion of the enquiry for you to contact them again by letter. Has this happened to you?

If Barclays say that the machine was not faulty and balanced then you will have to take your complaint further. I don't suppose that you were interrupted by anyone whilst carrying out the transaction? - someone could have snatched the money when you weren't looking?

Gerberus

No, none of the above. No distraction or anyone lurking. Covered my pin. Wife right near me. Waited till transaction concluded each time and card spat out.

No "written statement" taken. My bank have acted on my behalf in launching the claim against Barclays. Apparently, when this comes back negative it sometimes gets reversed when repeated. Sounds like playing for time to me.

So I guess I have to lodge a complaint with the financial ombudsman then.

jonesMUFCforever

Gerberus wrote: »

No, none of the above. No distraction or anyone lurking. Covered my pin. Wife right near me. Waited till transaction concluded each time and card spat out.

No "written statement" taken. My bank have acted on my behalf in launching the claim against Barclays. Apparently, when this comes back negative it sometimes gets reversed when repeated. Sounds like playing for time to me.

So I guess I have to lodge a complaint with the financial ombudsman then.

No with your bank first.
Ombudsman only when you have completed the bank's complaints procedure.

Gerberus

The latest on this is that Barclays are following it up again, another claim has been launched and I have requested Barclays to produce the evidence of no cash being dispensed. This was confirmed by their clerk at the time, but the letter from my own bank says the investigation concluded funds were dispensed.

Clearly, there has been a cockup somewhere and this type of thing is apparently fairly common. Anomolous ATM actions, followed by a negative result, followed by a positive one.

Wondering if the guilty bank routinely drags its behind for all the usual reasons. Shame there isn't a dog turd smiley on here, because that's what they all deserve.

jonesMUFCforever

As you say this kind of thing is common - Barclays and your bank probably get thousands of such requests every week so if you want to have a go at anybody please aim it at the top management of all the banks who expect the little staff that they do employ to work miracles!