Charges for being overdrawn - related to account being used fraudntly.

mightymax

Hi,
Hopefully I've posted in the right section of the forum.

I found out my bank account (Lloyds TSB) had been used for a LARGE number of transactions over the weekend without my approval (20-21). A number of pay day loan companies (Capital One was one of them), O2 mobile phone top-up, a transaction on a German website and a transaction took place in London on Sunday afternoon - I live West Midlands and never left my house that day. I found out as the fraud department of my bank phoned me on Monday asking if these are correct as they are in pending as it got flagged up over the weekend. The cost ran into thousands.
The woman was very helpful, had to go through the hassle of cancelling cards and goto to do the traditional method of going into a bank to get money while waiting for it all to be sorted. They advised me they have to authorise the charges so that they can trace who made it as the cheques for pay day loans would have to have been cashed by someone. But the money would start returning into my account as its getting sorted.

I received a letter in today's post (24th) advising me I had gone over my overdraft on Sunday and that I would now be charged £10 for each day I'm overdrawn with £5 overdraft usage fee. The only reason I was overdrawn was because someone tried to empty my bank account. The letter was dated 23 so it was the day after I spoke to the fraud squad. I checked my account on the Monday night and it wasn't in a minus figure and I've looked at my account today (24) and the money they took is getting returned to my account bit by bit.

So within a day they have tried to charge me something that is totally out of my control and the day before the letter was issued I had spoken to the bank and discussed what had gone on.

Is there a route I can make a complaint about this? I remember reading a newspaper article not long ago about banks making these errors and that you are actually entitle to compensation over them doing so.

Can anyone please advise.
Cheers

dunstonh

A number of pay day loan companies (Capital One was one of them

Cap One is a mainstream lender and not a pay day loan company.

I received a letter in today's post (24th) advising me I had gone over my overdraft on Sunday and that I would now be charged £10 for each day I'm overdrawn with £5 overdraft usage fee. The only reason I was overdrawn was because someone tried to empty my bank account. The letter was dated 23 so it was the day after I spoke to the fraud squad. I checked my account on the Monday night and it wasn't in a minus figure and I've looked at my account today (24) and the money they took is getting returned to my account bit by bit.

The fraud department would handles one bit. The branch or call centre handles the other. Neither would know what the other is doing.

Is there a route I can make a complaint about this? I remember reading a newspaper article not long ago about banks making these errors and that you are actually entitle to compensation over them doing so.

Why would you want to complain about the bank? You have been a victim of fraud and the bank is the one that is likely to suffer the cost of that. They are putting it right for you but may not be aware that you went over your limit. The bank has not made an error. So, why not just let them know so they can make sure you are not charged.

Jumping down their throats and demanding compensation is vulgar in this situation.

mightymax

I thought Capital One was a mainstream lender as well but I was advised otherwise.

The post was written in haste and anger - not intended to be 'vulgar' Find it so annoying that trying to sort it out and they then send a letter saying your overdrawn. I would have expected some type of alert to be put on the account for anyone/automated systems looking at it to prevent such errors.

The bank have been fantastic in sorting the fraud side out. But then a letter comes through your letterbox saying you owe them money it's not welcoming espically when I am worried as hell with what's gone on.