FRAUD WARNING for NATWEST ACCOUNTS

steve-L

I can't be too specific here as I don't want to give any potential fraudsters any more info than they have.

I was recently the victim of fraud on my NatWest debit card.

After a lot of to-ing and fro-ing by the bank over which department was responsible (card fraud or online fraud) they repaid me the same day... (Inconveniently they blocked my card and I incurred a lot of expenses as I was out of the country at the time)

Despite them claiming someone had my PIN it transpired that there is a way (On NatWest) that if they have your long card number, DOB, Address, Name, Account Num and Sort Code they can take money out without either a pin or online/telepohne banking activation code.

OK, so who do you give that info to?
Well after the fact quite a lot of people.....
1) Anyone I ever rented from if they got a deposit from my debit card then set up a DD for rent.
2) Many people you travel with (if you are not careful)
3) Many people who owe you money like Council Tax.... they had my card details.... as I paid each month by card not DD (to hard to switch)..... then for a refund wanted me to send by email my account details (S/C and A/C).....


On top of this I'm ****ed off because they refunded the money based on conditions and they refuse to take the matter to the police.

I know an email and phone number for the fraudster.... and so do they but they refuse to pursue it (I'm guessing because they know they are in the wrong)....

They also then gave further info to the fraudster (savings account details) enabling the fraudster to transfer money from that into my current account.....

This has cost me a small fortune..... had it not been for AMEX I'd have been stuffed! I had for good reason no cash advance on my AMEX... but I had to stay an extra night in France and take a Taxi to the airport as I couldn't pay for the train by Amex... etc.

And throughout NatWest have maintained (in writing) I must have given the PIN out.... when this has nothing to do with the PIN being used as they have admitted on the phone. I have the SEALED online/telephone activation code that was not required.... that was in a sealed envelope when I finally got home.....

I have logged this as a fraud however the police cannot get involved UNLESS Natwest go to them as they repaid me the actual amount....

maninthestreet

Is this somehow related to the facilty NW offer where by if you don't have your card, you can call them and get some sort of authorisation code to enter into a ATM to get cash??

thatsean

Or; the app that gives fraudsters access to your money? That was mysteriously pulled for no reason from the app stores a couple of weeks ago?

steve-L

Yes to both of you......


I hope you realise why I don't want to post too many details!

I'm trying to be as helpful as I can and prevent anyone else getting the hassle (closing accounts/changing DD's.... worrying what else is compromised etc.)
At the same time I don't want to post anything useful to a potential fraudster!

Biggles

steve-L wrote: »

At the same time I don't want to post anything useful to a potential fraudster!

I shouldn't worry, it's been done to death on radio, TV and all the news websites over the last month.

agrinnall

Biggles wrote: »

I shouldn't worry, it's been done to death on radio, TV and all the news websites over the last month.

Quite, the OP is trying to bolt the stable door long after the horse has gone and been turned into steaks for French people, sofa stuffing and glue .

Agricolae

Yep, that type of fraud has been all over the media.

I sympathise with the OP - sounds like he is being held partially responsible for no good reason. If he was abroad when this happened (with his card) and the withdrawals were made in the UK...

steve-L

Agricolae wrote: »

Yep, that type of fraud has been all over the media.

I sympathise with the OP - sounds like he is being held partially responsible for no good reason. If he was abroad when this happened (with his card) and the withdrawals were made in the UK...

Believe it or not I get little time to browse the media!
They have refunded the money..... but they are still on paper saying I must have compromised my pin.
They insist (on paper) I must have written it down..... etc.!

On the phone via the branch they admitted they only required DOB, A/C, S/C, address and long card number.....

Moreover they refuse to say what the activation code sent to me was for! (This was sent when the fraudster requested tele/internet banking) The fraudster obviously didn't get it and it's still SEALED.....

Now here's the thing..... I can quote my A/C's and S/C's, long card number and any other number from my passport to NI and NHS without writing them down..... WHY would I write down a 4 digit pin? I called them from France and quoted my A/C and S/C from memory along with the standing orders to the penny..... (I just remember anything like that without even trying)....

Secondly they admit it wasn't needed orally but still put in writing I compromised my pin.

They blocked my card when I had sufficient funds, cost me a LOT of money in expenses.... and orally admit it had nothing to do with my PIN.....

steve-L

agrinnall wrote: »

Quite, the OP is trying to bolt the stable door long after the horse has gone and been turned into steaks for French people, sofa stuffing and glue .

Perhaps.....
Who do YOU give that information to?

Since this happened (a month ago) I have been requested TWICE to send my Account details by email both to organisations that also have my DOB, Address, Long Card Number.

One was a Council tax rebate, the other a rental agency.

SO what I'd say is regardless of anything DO NOT give all these details to one organisation. If you make an initial payment by CARD don't set up a DD on the SAME account!

dalesrider

steve-L wrote: »

They blocked my card when I had sufficient funds, cost me a LOT of money in expenses.... and orally admit it had nothing to do with my PIN.....

One way that the fraudsters got access to the codes was to report the card lost.
Hence it would be stopped.

Any 3rd party can report a card as lost and it will be stopped by the bank, straight away. a new will not be ordered till the account holder has been contacted.

Agricolae

steve-L wrote: »

Believe it or not I get little time to browse the media!
They have refunded the money..... but they are still on paper saying I must have compromised my pin.
They insist (on paper) I must have written it down..... etc.!

On the phone via the branch they admitted they only required DOB, A/C, S/C, address and long card number.....

Moreover they refuse to say what the activation code sent to me was for! (This was sent when the fraudster requested tele/internet banking) The fraudster obviously didn't get it and it's still SEALED.....

Now here's the thing..... I can quote my A/C's and S/C's, long card number and any other number from my passport to NI and NHS without writing them down..... WHY would I write down a 4 digit pin? I called them from France and quoted my A/C and S/C from memory along with the standing orders to the penny..... (I just remember anything like that without even trying)....

Secondly they admit it wasn't needed orally but still put in writing I compromised my pin.

They blocked my card when I had sufficient funds, cost me a LOT of money in expenses.... and orally admit it had nothing to do with my PIN.....

I know I don't have all the facts (i.e. what the bank have been looking at) but it sounds like you have good grounds to complain. If the kind of fraud you're describing is what I think it is (similar to this: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-19857243) then having your claim turned down with the reason being "you compromised your PIN" doesn't seem to make sense. If the fraudsters were able to withdraw money from your account without your card (and cloned cards don't work in ATMs afaik) then how would your PIN have helped them?