Bank scam

Pace_maker

SeduLOUs wrote: »

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.

I'm expecting a call from the bank in the next few days, I'll hear them out, depending on what they say will influence my next decision, which I'm hoping doesn't result with police action.

SeduLOUs

Maybe he closed his account when he realised he'd made a huge mistake in whatever money making scheme he thought he'd signed up to?

The bank can confirm that he re-opened the account, but unless he was walked into the bank with a gun to his head I doubt that they can confirm "he was forced to re-open it".

ETA: The bank aren't going to take the £2000 hit and leave your son's record alone unless he is the victim of a crime. The refusal to report will suggest to them that there is more to the story than is being told.

JuicyJesus

Pace_maker wrote: »

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.

Who forced him to re-open it? Banks generally do not re-open closed accounts unless they need to post a debit to it, like a returned cheque. And where did you say your son closed his account? Are you sure the bank did not close it? And there are many reasons for someone (devil's advocate) who is involved in a fraud/ML to close their account.

Really, do not expect the bank to eat the loss on this. The fact that you won't go to the police only reduces the chance of this further.

Pace_maker

Before the cheque was even cashed in the account was closed by him this is what the bank has said, knowing this the criminal then forced him to reopen so he continue his scheme. Guy's I came here for advice not to be hounded.

SeduLOUs

Pace_maker wrote: »

Before the cheque was even cashed in the account was closed by him this is what the bank has said, knowing this the criminal then forced him to reopen so he continue his scheme. Guy's I came here for advice not to be hounded.

And the advice you have been given is to contact the police, which you are refusing to do.

People are only pointing out that from the bank's perspective this is certainly nowhere near as 'obvious' as you seem to believe it is, and based on the 'evidence' you say you have there is nothing to prove that your son was not involved all along.

If you are absolutely certain your son has done nothing wrong, let the police get to the bottom of it.

maas

Pace_maker wrote: »

Guy's I came here for advice not to be hounded.

The advice you have received is consistent, go the Police. Regarding the concerns you have, you can discuss this with them before taking it further.

JuicyJesus

It seems an awful lot of work to make someone reopen an existing bank account when it is likely far easier for them to open a new one, which can be done over the phone or online.

It also seems to make little sense, since closing an account requires cancelling the cards and PINs associated with it, and the bank will often require the card to come back physically to them as well. So your son will have had to have gone in, closed the account (why?), told someone about it having existed, reopened the account, requested new cards, waited for the cards and PINs to have arrived and then given them to this fraudster. It would also require the supposed fraudster to have known about the closed account and to have happened upon reopening it as the way forward, as opposed to anything else. Added to that that, again, banks do not tend to reopen closed accounts willy nilly and this is all looking a bit off.

Go to the police. Really. You will get no joy otherwise.

DCFC79

Your not being hounded, advice has been posted to call the police yet you dont see it as an option at the minute.

meer53

I've worked in the fraud department of a bank. OP, if you aren't willing to report this to the Police, there is no way your son will get away without this affecting him for years to come.

You do sound melodramatic. Your son was taken in by someone, if it was my son, i'd be down the police station straight away. You have 2 options, report it, or don't. It's not difficult.

bengal-stripe

You are not the first and you won't be the last parent who thinks the sun shines out of their offspring's you-know-what.

The strange thing is your refusal to even contemplate that your son might not have told you the full story. Whether or not he is involved, nobody (not even you) does know for certain. If it hasn't crossed your mind your son might know more than he is willing to admit, it's about high time you consider that possibility.

Maybe your son is that innocent little lamb you are painting him here. But maybe, just maybe, he is not. And that is a possibility you ought to face and investigate.