Blamed for bank fraud - HELP !

suicidebob

grumbler wrote: »

That's why I asked about the timing.
Accidents happen even with decent fraudsters.

I'm sure there's plenty of idiots in the fraud game.

Sofail

suicidebob wrote: »

But in this case they didn't channel it anywhere. I don't imagine any decent fraudster would leave the money in the account for more than the time it takes to log in and transfer it back out.

There was a block placed on the account a few days after the initial payment so no payments could be made or accepted by any of my accounts.

In regards to dates the initial payments of 5k spanned from the 27th October to the 3rd November - there was other payments of around 28k which didn't reach any of my accounts I believe due to the block on my accounts or by the bank(s)

Armorica

Ring up - and immediately ask to speak to someone more senior.
If that doesn't get you anywhere then put complaint into writing.

You could also try talking directly to the fraud team (ask to be put through) who may be more informed

Your key points are 1) you don't know why the money was sent to you 2) you contacted the bank (not the other way around) to query the payments - hardly the actions of someone who wanted the money

possible 3) mention that you will consider take legal action for defamation and future potential loss of earnings

It is exceptionally odd that your current and ISA account were both targetted - implies someone knew your details and thought they could control your account or an inside job. Could your mail be intercepted?

You could try http://www.actionfraud.police.uk/report-a-fraud-including-online-crime-questions but I'm not sure how much success this will have.

Ideally, you need to try to find out if there are others that have suffered fraud in the same way.

What do you mean by FPI payments? (Faster Payments? PPI refunds?)

(oh and try to get what information you can about what payments weren't blocked and the details of where the payments you did receive came from)


And... scan your computer for viruses/trojan horses; check your email account activity (if you have google you can see IP addresses for login activity). These are used in fraud to gain access to accounts

1) http://www.banktech.com/online-banking-fraud-made-simple/a/d-id/1296894? evidence that it happens for the naysayers

2 http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-21578985 is probably what they suspect you of being

3) http://www.accountingweb.co.uk/group-thread/stolen-money-sent-my-bank-account-fraud-victim is someone who has been caught similarly (but with a different way of gaining account details?)

Sofail

grumbler wrote: »

That's why I asked about the timing.
Accidents happen even with decent fraudsters.

If it was only the one payments then I guess that could be a possibility but there were multiple attempts - 3 successful and I believe 2 or 3 unsuccessful.

Which brings me back to the possibility of my online banking account having been hacked somehow.:(

Sofail

Armorica wrote: »

Ring up - and immediately ask to speak to someone more senior.
If that doesn't get you anywhere then put complaint into writing.

You could also try talking directly to the fraud team (ask to be put through) who may be more informed

Your key points are 1) you don't know why the money was sent to you 2) you contacted the bank (not the other way around) to query the payments - hardly the actions of someone who wanted the money

possible 3) mention that you will consider take legal action for defamation and future potential loss of earnings

It is exceptionally odd that your current and ISA account were both targetted - implies someone knew your details and thought they could control your account or an inside job. Could your mail be intercepted?

You could try but I'm not sure how much success this will have.

Ideally, you need to try to find out if there are others that have suffered fraud in the same way.

What do you mean by FPI payments? (Faster Payments? PPI refunds?)

(oh and try to get what information you can about what payments weren't blocked and the details of where the payments you did receive came from)

Thanks for the reply - unfortunately it was the fraud dept who were unwilling to help me in giving information or options by just repeating phrase of closing account etc. (went into branch and were just as 'useless' (BoS Staff members words not mine) with Bos staff as they were with me)

With my ISA account there is no paper copies or statements ever sent so the only possible way is if my online account was hacked or as you say it was an inside job otherwise I cannot think of how it could have been attained by someone else.

And yes Faster Payments - are these only available through online banking as to suggest all payments were via hacked accounts?

Also Thanks for the suggestion I will make a point to make a list of information before my next conversation with Bank of Scotland to make sure I get all relevant info.

EDIT: Also just downloaded Malware bytes running a search now - for once I'm hoping to find a virus or trojan to explain this whole mess

grumbler

Armorica wrote: »

It is exceptionally odd that your current and ISA account were both targetted - implies someone knew your details and thought they could control your account or an inside job. Could your mail be intercepted?

If the online account really was hacked then the details of all accounts were available online.

Archi_Bald

Sofail, what is happening with your own money in the current account and the ISA? How do you pay your bills? What is happening with your salary? How do you get hold of cash? You haven't mentioned anything about that.

Why do you say you will still be a BOS customer for 56 days if your account has been blocked?

You also don't mention anything about another current account that you either already had or that you quickly opened to redirect your next salary into.

I would have thought that these issues are as important as your fear of the CIFAS marker, if not more so in the short term?

Sofail

Archi_Bald wrote: »

Sofail, what is happening with your own money in the current account and the ISA? How do you pay your bills? What is happening with your salary? How do you get hold of cash? You haven't mentioned anything about that.

Why do you say you will still be a BOS customer for 56 days if your account has been blocked?

You also don't mention anything about another current account that you either already had or that you quickly opened to redirect your next salary into.

I would have thought that these issues are as important as your fear of the CIFAS marker, if not more so in the short term?

In regards to my own money:
I am currently a student and only work part time so the actual amount in the account was quite low - the bank has said that I can withdraw MY money as long as I bring in ID etc. They have also said that my DD will go out as normal.
I did also receive my payment of Student Loan today which I have been told I can access with relevant ID.

In regards to the 56days:
The bank had told me that they will be closing my account in 60 days (that was 4 days ago)

New account:
I wet to Barclays today however no personal adviser was in and was asked to come back in on Monday to open a new account. Advised I may only be able to open a basic account due to my current account being closed but that this would be something that would be discussed when I come back on Monday and speak to adviser.

CIFAS Marker:
This worries me so much due to my current employment in Insurance which could be put in jeopardy as well as any future employment (I'm a law student and background checks are very stringent for traineeships.)

Armorica

Hmm, no - Faster Payments are mostly made online, but can be made in writing (at a push) and through telephone banking. It's entirely possible the other payments were from legit. accounts (but as part of a scam). It would be helpful to know where they came from though (i.e. are the sending accounts blocked/all from the same banks/other banks)

I'm afraid I'm not familiar with HBOS online banking security - so not sure how easy/hard it might be to access.

http://www.bankofscotland.co.uk/securityandprivacy/security/what-we-are-doing/ will be worth a read

Sofail

Archi_Bald wrote: »

Calling to say you are unhappy and to discuss your problem isn't classed a complaint. You need a complaint reference number, and you need to have a record of exactly what your complaint is about.

The official BOS complaints procedure is here: *****

BTW, if you have exhausted the normal shop floor CS, you can also escalate your complaint, in writing, to the CEO's/MD's office. They don't publish the name of a BOS MD, so you might as well escalate your complaint straight to , the CEO of LBG. It's what I would do if I knew I am in the right.

Thanks for this information - I've never had need for any complaints before so I am quite unsure how to go about it all so I do appreciate your help in this.

I did ask on the phone If my complaint was in fact a complaint and to be honest I don't even know If it was I was initially told yes then told no and that the investigation was still ongoing even though I previously was told it was closed and a decision made.
So I think I will need to make another complaint exhaust their complaints procedure then contact CEO/Ombudsman & CIFAS If need be.

Tempted to involve my university Law clinic in this also as letters from there will hold more value than from me alone as an individual.

Hopefully I can resolve this at the stage it is at and do not need to go further - very stressed out over all this.