Need some advice, have i been ripped off?!

coldwater

I was going to buy something from someone after seeing it advertised online but because i can't pick it up until the weekend, i agreed to transfer money from my Lloyds bank account into the lady's Barclays account so she'd keep the item for me until the weekend. She gave me her name, address and phone number and she sounded genuine.
I made the transfer lastnight and she said she would check her account today and let me know. Well, i sent her a message this afternoon to ask if she got the money and she has just replied saying no she hasn't!! :eek:

I logged onto my online banking and it says on my statement that the money has been paid to her, so where is the money? Or is she lying and i've been scammed?! How do i prove it?:mad:

Please don't tell me i've been stupid, i know i have! I am way too trusting of people and have now been taken for a ride.

What do i do? Can my bank recall the money for me or find out if it is in her account or if not, where its gone? Thanks.

CLAPTON

maybe try directory enquiries to see whether her name address gives the same phone number as she gave you

try phoning

how much?

Gromitt

If she refuses to acknowledge the money, you can do very little. The money might be in her account, but you can't force her to return it if it is.

You can put a trace on the money (normally for a fee), but if it says the money was transferred succesfully, you are no further forward.

Even if you ask the bank, the only thing they can do is ask her for the money, and if she refuses, they can't do anything.

This is the reason Paypal was invented. I never do bank transfers to individuals who are not good friends or family.

gilly1964

Bearing in mind all the Nat West/RBS problems of the last few days - perhaps that is why it isn't there.

coldwater

CLAPTON wrote: »

maybe try directory enquiries to see whether her name address gives the same phone number as she gave you

try phoning

how much?

I have done that and it all matches up.

coldwater

Thanks, i'm going to wait until tomorrow just to make sure i'm not jumping the gun, maybe the bank is abit slow to credit the payment.

jonesMUFCforever

It could be that the account the money was credited to was not faster payment eligible so the payment would have gone like the old BACS.
If you sent it last night today would have been day 1 - day 3 when it would hit the account would be Friday.

Can the bank recall the payment for you if it has gone wrong - no you sent it at your own free will and several prompts along the way would have asked you if you were sure of the details before pressing submit or send.

TheBanker

Ask Lloyds to confirm that it's definably been sent, and how. Sometimes Faster Payments get flagged for further investigation by the fraud detection systems, which can cause a delay. If it was sent by FP, double check the account details. Lloyds should also be able to confirm whether they received a confirmation that the payment was successful.

catokelly

If it was sent as BACS, you can recall the payment within the 3 days. But if it was sent by FP the funds are cleared funds and cannot be recalled. As someone else suggested, the delay may be due to the Natwest technical problems so dont panic yet!