Direct debit fraud - Lloyds bank doesn't care - feel free to steal money

whambamboo

I am treasurer of a registered charity, and for donations the charities sort code + account number details are on the internet.

In December some criminal used the details to get phone from O2 setting up a direct debit. Apparently this person was in South London.

Now the same thing's happened again, with a £79.50 debit from Sky to a Hartlepool-based crook

The bank refund the money, but they told me they don't do anything about prosecuting the crook, and the retailer doesn't care either. So it would be up to me -except the companies won't give me the details for 'data protection' reasons. The money does get refunded, but these companies should make more effort to stop these crooks by prosecutingthe bast*ards.

So just be aware, if you want to make fraudulent direct debits, the banks don't give a sh*t.

greyteam1959

I can see why you are so upset but look at it from the banks point of view.
Its not worth the time effort and at the end of the day money prosecuting small amounts like this.
I think maybe that you or your charity is partly to blame and I think that you are very lucky that even more fraudulent transations have not taken place.
My advice would be not to have your bank details on the internet for whatever reason and to remove them ASAP
Would you put your personal details on the internet ???? No of course you would not.... common sense.
Why not set up a better way of getting donations in???
Must be a way.......

Beate

I don't think the charity is to blame. Every business puts their bank account details on the end of their bills so they can get paid. Your account number is displayed on every cheque you write. You can pay for items on ebay by paying into the seller's account, requiring you to get their details. It's up to the retailers to check the identity of anyone trying to set up a DD for one of their products.

jonesMUFCforever

Easy really - ask LTSB to manually check each and every D/D mandate on your account - it can be done.(Or even easier if you say don't set up any at all).
If you really want to take it further then you can give the d/d instruction/mandate details to the police (from your statement) for their investigation. Don't hold your breath though!!!

whambamboo

mervyn11 wrote:

I can see why you are so upset but look at it from the banks point of view.
Its not worth the time effort and at the end of the day money prosecuting small amounts like this.
I think maybe that you or your charity is partly to blame and I think that you are very lucky that even more fraudulent transations have not taken place.
My advice would be not to have your bank details on the internet for whatever reason and to remove them ASAP
Would you put your personal details on the internet ???? No of course you would not.... common sense.
Why not set up a better way of getting donations in???
Must be a way.......

To be clear, the direct debits are covered by the direct debit guarantee, and so there's no financial loss to the charity, so that's it not a major problem, it's just annoying that this kind of criminal activity appears to be essentially risk-free. I'm annoyed more that the crooks won't be punished or stopped.

AndyR_3

The retailer will end up paying the bill. They may well investigate and take legal action, but they won't tell you because it's confidential.