Orange, DD, Bank, Fraud, Police? Where to go Please.

PasturesNew

I'll try to keep it brief...

This is regarding a Barclays account. The holder of this bank account has never had a mobile phone, nor anything to do with Orange. The account is not used for any purpose other than as a savings account. The account holder has never used the card on the account. The account holder has never set up any DD's on it, nor ever done any online purchasing, or handing the card over in shops.

In short - this is simply an account with money it.

Nobody, known, has access to this person's personal details.

OK, that's the scene set.

1] Upon receiving a Barclays bank statement this month there was an item there for an Orange mobile phone DD.
2] I phoned Barclays on their behalf and was advised to visit the bank
3] They visited the bank and the bank said they'll look into it
4] They've just revisited the bank, who said "Have you tried going down the Orange shop?" and "This is a police matter"

Now, I wasn't at the bank (prepared to drag the account holder out later today if necessary so I can hear/understand the situation straight from the horse's mouth)... but it sounds to me like they've put the responsibility/ball back into the court of the account holder to follow up. The bank say it's a DD and nothing they can do.

So, what should I do?

A] Go back to the bank with the account holder, understand what the bank are doing?
B] Get in touch with Orange at the local (tiny) shop [ii] head office?
C] Phone the police?

Thanking you in anticipation.

PZH

PasturesNew wrote: »

So, what should I do?.

Get the account holder to cancel the DD imediately for starters.

Has any money actually been taken?

It might be a simple case of someone setting up a DD and getting their acount number wrong.

I am surprised that Barlays said nothing they can do.

PasturesNew

I'd have thought the bank would have done that for them already, but the person is very elderly and confused. But I'll phone the bank and check it's cancelled.

Yes, money has been taken. About £6 in April and £44 in May - they spotted this on their bank statement, which is how we started looking into it

We're in a rural area - all staff are not created equal

So, take that as: Local barclays staff = dim.

I've new information, apparently, when it was first raised at the bank, somebody came behind the teller and was overheard to say "we've put an indemnity on it". We have absolutely NO idea what this is/means

PasturesNew

Also, for clarification, can a DD be cancelled? I thought that was the one that can only be cancelled by the organisation taking money out of an account.

I thought YOU can cancel a Standing Order, but THEY (orange in this instance) have to cancel a DD.

halibut2209

Contact the bank's fraud department. We had a similar thing with NatWest and they sorted it no problems.

tomwakefield

PasturesNew wrote: »

Also, for clarification, can a DD be cancelled? I thought that was the one that can only be cancelled by the organisation taking money out of an account.

I thought YOU can cancel a Standing Order, but THEY (orange in this instance) have to cancel a DD.

Direct debits can be cancelled fine. It's recurring payments which only the business can cancel. http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/banking/recurring-payments

abi-em-mum83

I would call Barclays customer service, have the person to hand who can give them verbal authorisation to speak to you about the account, and explain all to them. I wouldnt bother going into either Orange store or your local Barclays branch as neither will be of much help (unless you want to see them stand around with their mouths open catching flies!)
What should happen is the bank treats it as fraud, they immediately cancel the DD and refund the amounts back to the person (may not be immediately).
If they are not prepared to look into it then contact the police and explain there is a possible case of fraud and you are not happy Barclays are ignoring it!
Good luck!!xx

PasturesNew

OK, following Abi's advice now then.... I'll find out where the Barclays fraud department are and phone them in the next 10 minutes

Found this link to Barclays Fraud: http://www.barclays.co.uk/Helpsupport/Contactusaboutfraud/P1242560037908

GDB2222

PasturesNew wrote: »

OK, following Abi's advice now then.... I'll find out where the Barclays fraud department are and phone them in the next 10 minutes

Found this link to Barclays Fraud: http://www.barclays.co.uk/Helpsupport/Contactusaboutfraud/P1242560037908

I expect that you're still on the phone..... Let us know in an hour or two how you got on.

GDB2222

Oh, and buy a shredder. We keep one in the kitchen and one in my office.

PasturesNew

GDB2222 wrote: »

I expect that you're still on the phone..... Let us know in an hour or two how you got on.

No, I went to do that, but lunch was being microwaved, so I've said we'll sit down in the comfy chairs and do it after lunch... so just popped back here prior to making that call, which I'll make in the next 5 minutes.