Unauthorised Wonga Loan - fraud/ID theft

Lightattheend

I know this is an old thread but wanted to share my son's experiences in case anyone can help.

He had his bank card stolen and in the four and half hours between last seeing it and realising it was stolen, someone managed to get a Wonga loan paid into the account and drew most of the money out! My son had changed his PIN number that morning to a 5 digit number. My son reported the card stolen immediately he found out and the Halifax cancelled it and told him to phone Wonga. He reported it to Wonga, who didn't have a record of his mobile number, and they said they'd pass it to their fraud people. However they have since come back and said he is still liable for the loan amount. He has also reported it to Action Fraud.

I did go with him to the Halifax yesterday and, after 45 minutes on the phone, got them to pass it on to another department rather than ignore it (simple 5 minutes on hold after my son passed me the phone and I asked to speak to the manager).

I have had many searching conversations with my son and am sure he has not taken this loan out, or allowed friends to do so, but am at a loss as to what to do. Can anyone help?

honeybean

How could they withdraw the money from his account without the pin? Also I always thought PIN numbers are only 4 numbers.

[Deleted User]

SnowTiger wrote: »

Well, her cashpoint card is a debit card

Mine isn't.

DCFC79

honeybean wrote: »

How could they withdraw the money from his account without the pin? Also I always thought PIN numbers are only 4 numbers.

Yes a PIN is only 4 numbers and how did the person who stole the card from Lightattheend's son know what the PIN was to get the money.

Lightattheend

The space allowing you to input a PIN number has more than 4 spaces - some cards have longer PIN numbers as a matter of course - he tried changing it to 5 numbers and it accepted it.

We have no idea how the person managed to get the money out - my son doesn't tell anyone his number.

noh

Lightattheend wrote: »

The space allowing you to input a PIN number has more than 4 spaces - some cards have longer PIN numbers as a matter of course - he tried changing it to 5 numbers and it accepted it.

We have no idea how the person managed to get the money out - my son doesn't tell anyone his number.

According to Halifax debit and credit card PIN numbers are 4 digits
http://www.halifax.co.uk/bankaccounts/help-guidance/guides/know-your-pin/

According to the website to explain the introduction of "Chip and PIN" PIN numbers are 4 digits.
http://www.chipandpin.co.uk/consumer/index.html