Fraud

innocent_girl

Someone has opened an internet saver bank account with Tesco Bank in my name and they have set up a direct debit in my actual HSBC account to go into the new account. They have my dob and obviously my account number as well. I have now cancelled the direct debit before any money had been paid and I've informed Tesco that this is not me.
I have also informed HSBC but they say that until a transaction has been made they cant do anything.
What should i do? Surely I can just close the account and open a new one..?
Whats to stop this person going and opening another account in my name and setting up a direct debit again. Or whats to stop them setting up a direct debit for any other purchase? What about my credit rating could they have a effect on that? I'm confused.

missindecisive

I would think that this person is someone who has access to your hsbc bank account via a computer, possibly someone in your family or who is close to you? I would be tempted to close your hsbc bank account immediatley, change all passwords and then do a credit check report to see if there are any catalogues/credit taken out in your name. Ask the hsbc how they have managed to set up this regular payment. If there is a paper form filled in there should be a signature on it, which may give you some clues with the handwriting.

innocent_girl

I dont think its anyone in my family and no-one can access my account online without a HSBC Secure Key which I have with me all the time. I dont understand why the bank dont just close the account.

jamesd

You don't need the date of birth to set up a direct debit. The person who did this could do it many times. It is not necessary for the account the money is going to to be in your name.

You have no liability, nor will your credit record be affected except possibly temporarily if you became overdrawn over a limit before the problem was identified.

You can increase your fraud protection a little (it's already very strong) by not keeping a large credit balance. Fraud that takes you into an overdraft is borrowing and that invokes the extra protections of the Consumer Credit Act, which are stronger than those for fraud when you have a credit balance.

Setting up a direct debit from your HSBC account doesn't require any of your HSBC login details except the account number and sort code if those are used. No need to be concerned that this means that any of your passwords for HSBC have been compromised.

There's disruption and other costs to closing an account. One incident probably isn't worth it. If it happens repeatedly then it would be worth doing. HSBC now already knows that there is a fraud risk and can decide how much risk they are willing to take, since it's them on the hook, or the other party, not you.

meer53

Sounds to me like this is someone who knows you. It's not typical fraud.

You don't need to close your account, a marker can be placed on it which prompts HSBC to contact you if they receive any more DD requests before setting them up. I have this marker on my account after i was burgled, they stole my handbag which had cards, payslips, driving licence, cheque books in etc. When they get a DD request they will write to ask you if it's genuine.

coldcazzie

They can't have set up a DD to move money from your current account to a savings account. A DD is set up by a company that pulls money from your account to pay a bill. A SO is what is set up to move money from one personal bank account to another - it pushes money from your account to the other account.

innocent_girl

what about if someone buys stuff from a catalogue using my details on a buy now pay later and then when the time comes to pay it would be charged to me

jamesd

coldcazzie wrote: »

They can't have set up a DD to move money from your current account to a savings account.

They can. Some savings accounts can use direct debits for funding. Direct Debits are not limited to just paying bills.

innocent_girl wrote: »

what about if someone buys stuff from a catalogue using my details on a buy now pay later and then when the time comes to pay it would be charged to me

That's entirely possible. You're protected there both by the banking rules and by it not having been you entering into the original contract. You have no liability, just the possible hassle of sorting it out. Now you've already had one fraudulent DD that would be relatively easy to do because of the precedent.

MoneySaverLog

coldcazzie wrote: »

They can't have set up a DD to move money from your current account to a savings account. A DD is set up by a company that pulls money from your account to pay a bill. A SO is what is set up to move money from one personal bank account to another - it pushes money from your account to the other account.

Not so, I have a DD set up on my Lloyds TSB for the AA to take savings when I ask them to. Lloyds TSB is a linked account.