Bank scam

JuicyJesus

You will get nowhere if you do not involve the police. If you are worried for your safety then the police will assist, but it is not reasonable for you to refuse to report something which is clearly a crime to the police while also expecting action to be taken.

Horrible as it sounds, financial institutions will quite understandably, even rightly, consider someone claiming to be a victim of fraud who refuses to report the crime to the police to be making it up or party to the fraud themselves. Especially in cases such as this where there is no actual evidence that anyone is involved other than your son, except the word of your son. If you were to raise a formal complaint with the bank, they would likely reject it on this point; if you were then to escalate to the FOS they would very likely agree, as they have done in any other such cases.

Also, overseas cheques are not usually accepted through automatic deposit machines. Most likely the cheques were UK ones which were stolen or forged.

DCFC79

Pace_maker wrote: »

It's a relatively new scam the bank said that involves someone cashing in an overseas check, because a lot of London banks don't have staff in them it's easy to bypass security and therefore it can get cashed in, and also the possibility that they also have someone working in the bank that is also part of the criminal activity.

Lol here we go, out comes the conspiracy theories. Got any proof of this allegation ?

bengal-stripe

Pace_maker wrote: »

.......this person knows my address, so it's not only my son that's involved now it's the whole family. If it gets to court he'll have to testify. What happens if the guy gets a minimal sentence, then decides to take revenge? Or has accomplices?

What do you want? Do you want your whole family's identity changed, have plastic surgery and be on a witness protection scheme for the rest of your lives?

You seem to be very keen to keep the police out of the matter. Could it be, yourself have some doubts about the story your son has told you?

colsten

Pace_maker wrote: »

It's a relatively new scam the bank said that involves someone cashing in an overseas check, because a lot of London banks don't have staff in them it's easy to bypass security and therefore it can get cashed in, and also the possibility that they also have someone working in the bank that is also part of the criminal activity.

New or old, it is a crime and should be reported to the Police. Why are you / your son not reporting it if he was the victim? In fact, why has the bank not reported it, or have they?

Like DCFC79, I don't understand how the bank account of a 16 year old can go overdrawn. What bank is this with, and what is the account called?

JuicyJesus

colsten wrote: »

Like DCFC79, I don't understand how the bank account of a 16 year old can go overdrawn. What bank is this with, and what is the account called?

16 year old pays in cheque. Cheque is drawn against on day 4 of clearing cycle when funds are available to use. Cheque bounces and is deducted from 16 year old's account. Account is overdrawn. This can happen on any account that accepts cheques in.

Cheques need to die.

Pace_maker

As I said my son didn't cash in the cheque himself the bank has cctv evidence to prove this, he doesn't even have a cheque book let alone now how to write one. Once the polic have done their job, who is to say they will protect my family afterwards. All the bank cares about is their money and all the police care about is catching the criminals.

I have a strong enough case to go to the police but what a lot of you fail to realise is it worth the risk? What would you do with a child in this position, is getting him of the street for a few months worth a life?

JuicyJesus

Pace_maker wrote: »

As I said my son didn't cash in the cheque himself the bank has cctv evidence to prove this, he doesn't even have a cheque book let alone now how to write one.

One does not need a cheque book to pay in a cheque, and most banks will allow third parties to pay into their customers' accounts. There is no evidence that your son did not authorise someone else to use his account, and you must admit that from the evidence that IS available, it doesn't actually prove that your son wasn't involved.

Once the polic have done their job, who is to say they will protect my family afterwards. All the bank cares about is their money and all the police care about is catching the criminals.

Given that that is what banks and the police do then that is sensible, but your concerns are better discussed with the police than with random internet people, not least since nothing will move forward otherwise.

I have a strong enough case to go to the police but what a lot of you fail to realise is it worth the risk? What would you do with a child in this position, is getting him of the street for a few months worth a life?

Now you are just being melodramatic.

Pace_maker

How am I being melodramatic? You've never been in this position so you wouldn't know how I feel. As far as I'm concerned involving the police is far too dangerous.

SeduLOUs

Pace_maker wrote: »

How am I being melodramatic? You've never been in this position so you wouldn't know how I feel. As far as I'm concerned involving the police is far too dangerous.

In that case don't contact the police then. Instead pay the £2000 debt and accept the fact your son won't be able to open his own bank account for a number of years.

Pace_maker

JuicyJesus wrote: »

One does not need a cheque book to pay in a cheque, and most banks will allow third parties to pay into their customers' accounts. There is no evidence that your son did not authorise someone else to use his account, and you must admit that from the evidence that IS available, it doesn't actually prove that your son wasn't involved.

So why did my son close his account then? As I said he was forced to re-open it the bank has also confirmed this.