Indentity theft from cahoot flexible loan

Tootsie_Roll

Before I start please know that I genuinely sympathise with the situation you have found yourself in through no fault of your own, I cannot begin to imagine how awful the whole thing has been.

I have worked in the banking sector for many years and have close family who work in fraud who have seen situations like this happen on many occasions. Firstly you cannot confuse the fact that your credit card debits have been refunded when your Cahoot ones haven't. Different rules apply and the credit card has different insurance e.g. you get a full refund if the goods you purchase are faulty etc etc.

It would seem you have been a victim of fraud but it is interesting that you feel Cahoot should stand your loss - you are the victim here. So deductions have been made online each day but as long as they have been made correctly using the correct sign on and password there would be no reason for Cahoot to suspect anything out of order. It would be quite different if payments were being made via a debit card - those are the transactions that are monitored as it is much easier for your card to be cloned or stolen. You are just very very unfortunate that you shared a house with a very clever fraudster who you unwittingly allowed access to your private information. It would be the same if my wife managed to access my online accounts and whip money away - I would be the victim of fraud through my own trust - not the bank.

Really very sorry.

seeker02uk

Well but surely they should have flagged up the fact that 15k went out of my account in less than 8 weeks, when I hardly ever moved money about prior to this? I had 20k in savings sat there for a year.

I don't say that they should be held responsible or nor should I. I dont see the ethics in them ringing me weekly to pay them 9.5k when I requested it be held until the investigation is finished and we all know the outcome.

My savings yes I agree that if it was taken thats my tough luck but to stump up 9.5k of money I have never seen nor be charged interest on it when it should have just been frozen tight.

They have been nothing but unhelpful all the way through and they are getting worse, they are profiteering from my misfortune and from a crime.

Tootsie_Roll

This is naturally a very emotive subject for you so it's understandable you feel the way you do. I think your blame is misplaced and should be focussed on the perpitrator of the crime rather than the bank who I don't believe to be at fault looking at the facts you have presented; but then I have the benefit of hindsight and no emotions to cloud my judgement so very easy for me to say.

Unfortunately this is a very common crime and happens all the time - look at this thread on the debt free wanabee site http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=176873
essentially it's the same thing - her daughter raided her bank account and she now has a large overdraft - it's still fraud, she hasn't had the money but will have to somehow pay the bank back, fairness doesn't come into it.

You also mention that the bank have waited a year for the payments to re-start and allow you time to sort things out so they can't be all that bad. You really need to get legal advice and decide if it's worth suing this woman for your money.

seeker02uk

I still see it as until the police have invesigated it fully and we know how she did it, then this can be taken into account.

I can't persue a civil matter yet as I don't know whats going to be covered by the criminal one.

She is being charged in the next few weeks, but I have been told it can be another eight months for trial, so that will bring it up to two years I have waited

seeker02uk

Just to update this....keep on plugging if you have a complaint because the ombudsman has been extremely helpful and it turns out most of the money is covered by the consumer credit act...Funny that Cahoot wouldn't admit this. It has taken me until today fighting this and I have been made an offer of £13200 I am not yet sure I shall accept as I have been lied to for months and treated like S**t by cahoot and them threatening me and bullying me when there was no need. The ombudsman has been very good at explaining things as they go on. So just keep on fighting them if u have a complaint don't give in!

lynzpower

Another classic reason to avoid cahoot.

IM so sorry seeker you have had this experience.

Where is the crinimal investigation up to?

olly300

grumbler wrote:

I am sorry to hear this and wish you good luck, but when I see that your 'friend' knew not only your online banking details, but also you cards' PINs :eek: I start thinking that Cahood do have reasons to blame you for your negligence ...

Unfortunately lots of institutions including banks ask people to use their mother's maiden name and date of birth as passwords and pins. This is stupid because if you live with a person or a friend of someone, you can quite easily obtain access to or guess those details. It's called "social engineering".

seeker02uk

The crown court case is in February, I must say also the police have been fantastic after initial slow moving. The CID who took it over have been excellent . I am feeling much happier about justice will be done in Feb cause it turned out I wasn't the only person to be conned so i didn't feel so gullible!

The banks were rude as hell to me on the phone reducing me to tears more than once and basically calling me a liar, they were difficult to get information out of for the police, and the police had trouble getting them to do basic things!

So thanks for the initial advice on taking it to through the various stages of complaints procedure.:T :T :T :T

anniecave

olly300 wrote:

Unfortunately lots of institutions including banks ask people to use their mother's maiden name and date of birth as passwords and pins. This is stupid because if you live with a person or a friend of someone, you can quite easily obtain access to or guess those details. It's called "social engineering".

yeah, i don't tell anyone what my passwords are on my online bankings, but almost all my other "security information" would be able to be guessed by my flatmate or members of my family or close friends. Fortunately I trust all these people, but this sort of post really makes you think.

I hope you get it resolved, seeker.