Possibility of any fraud markers???

Joe99

Hello all,

Last year I opened a Halifax bank account and I used to sell expensive things online and accepted payment via bank transfer so all monies was transferred into my Halifax account.

But in January gone so 2 months ago, my mum tried transferring money into that account for my birthday and it kept bouncing back so I found it strange so I rang up Halifax and to my surprise my Halifax account had been scheduled for closure within 60 days due to fraudulent transactions on the account, I asked them what they meant and they said the senders of the monies reported to my bank that they didn't receive the items, even though they did.

Halifax received 3/4 reports of apparent non delivered items from different people (blatant lies!) and therefore Halifax had decided to close the account due to fraudulent activity transactions but I explained everything to them and told them they had received the items and I even had the tracking numbers and they was not one bit interested and they just said it was a final decision and that the account would be still closed no matter what and to make alternative banking arrangements.

So instead of waiting the 60 days I decided to go into branch the next day and just close it there and then, I was so disgusted with them in branch.

Now I have not heard anything since and that was 10 weeks ago, I have an account with NatWest and Santander and these have not been closed and I have not heard anything off these banks so I am just wondering would Halifax have placed a fraud marker against me or not?

They didn't say anything about that, all they said was I couldn't bank with Halifax, Lloyds or Bank of Scotland in the future as they are all in the same banking group.

Now I am only 17 years old, (16 when it was closed, 3 days before 17th birthday) do you think they would have placed a fraud marker against me as I do not have a credit report as of yet or do you think they wouldn't have placed one against me and I'm just not allowed to bank with them again in future, also due to my age etc? Also I have not heard anything from NatWest or Santander as I still currently bank with them and they haven't closed my accounts so I suspect I don't have a fraud marker or else these accounts would have been closed, right?

For example when I turn 18, would my current banks find out then or not? Also would it be safe if I applied for a Santander 123 current account as that requires a credit check...just in case?

Please answer.

Thank you

DCFC79

Who knows but you can ask CIFAS if you have a fraud marker against you.

What was it you were selling ?

Joe99

DCFC79 wrote: »

Who knows but you can ask CIFAS if you have a fraud marker against you.

What was it you were selling ?

I thought if I did have a fraud marker against me, my two current accounts I have at the moment would be closed?

Sold PS4's and mobile phones but in different individual transactions, all different people.

I am only 17 so would any fraud markers get placed against me not, I can't access credit report at the moment to find out if so or not.

I still have my two bank accounts and my Halifax was closed two months ago (closed myself as couldn't be bothered waiting 60 days) and these accounts are still fine?

Do you sometimes not get a fraud marker?

[Deleted User]

I'm guessing the expensive things were on behalf of a 3rd party?

Sounds like http://www.financialfraudaction.org.uk/money-mules.asp?genre=consumer&pagecontent=3

Banks have been very keen to stop it in the last few years (when I was working in banking a briefing went out to all counter/front line staff... we were in a poorer area of the country mind).

I'd imagine they have stuck a CIFAS on you, SAR CIFAS and find out. Due to the delays in updates, Natwest/Santander may not know (yet).

Your age will probably work in your favour, if you have got one, it's very easy to be tempted into that type of thing.

I believe CIFAS only sticks around for a year anyway, as long as no more fraud is occurring.

gunsandbanjos

Somerset_La_La_La wrote: »

I'm guessing the expensive things were on behalf of a 3rd party?

Sounds like http://www.financialfraudaction.org.uk/money-mules.asp?genre=consumer&pagecontent=3

Banks have been very keen to stop it in the last few years (when I was working in banking a briefing went out to all counter/front line staff... we were in a poorer area of the country mind).

I'd imagine they have stuck a CIFAS on you, SAR CIFAS and find out. Due to the delays in updates, Natwest/Santander may not know (yet).

Your age will probably work in your favour, if you have got one, it's very easy to be tempted into that type of thing.

I believe CIFAS only sticks around for a year anyway, as long as no more fraud is occurring.

CIFAS stays for 6 years now.

Joe99

Somerset_La_La_La wrote: »

I'm guessing the expensive things were on behalf of a 3rd party?

Sounds like http://www.financialfraudaction.org.uk/money-mules.asp?genre=consumer&pagecontent=3

Banks have been very keen to stop it in the last few years (when I was working in banking a briefing went out to all counter/front line staff... we were in a poorer area of the country mind).

I'd imagine they have stuck a CIFAS on you, SAR CIFAS and find out. Due to the delays in updates, Natwest/Santander may not know (yet).

Your age will probably work in your favour, if you have got one, it's very easy to be tempted into that type of thing.

I believe CIFAS only sticks around for a year anyway, as long as no more fraud is occurring.

No, the items was my brothers but he didn't have a bank account so I let him use my Halifax account but it was all legit because the items had actually been sent but the senders of the transfers are fraudsters themselves as they claimed to my bank they had bought this item and didn't receive it (probably trying to get money back) and that's when Halifax decided to just close my account.

When can I SAR CIFAS to find out and now do I do this? Can I just wait until I'm 18 then check my credit report?

How do you think my age will work in my favour? Do I currently have a credit report or will I not have one until I am 18 and once I turn 18, will the Halifax frauds go on there or not because it would be 1 year ago? (January 2017)

Also what do you mean by due to the delays in updates, my two currents banks may not know yet? How will they know if I do have a CIFAS? I've been with NatWest for nearly 4 years too and don't want to lose that bank, I don't want to lose any of the two.

Thanks

GingerBob_3

CIFAS blacklisting people who aren't even 18? Wouldn't that come under child abuse or something?

Joe99

GingerBob wrote: »

CIFAS blacklisting people who aren't even 18? Wouldn't that come under child abuse or something?

Exactly, this is what I would have thought because I am under 18, I don't think they would right?

Also because of my two current accounts still opened with different banks, I presumed they haven't made one against me or else these accounts would have since been closed, correct?

What's your thoughts mate?

Thanks

DCFC79

Joe99 wrote: »

Do I currently have a credit report or will I not have one until I am 18 and once I turn 18, will the Halifax frauds go on there or not because it would be 1 year ago? (January 2017)

Also what do you mean by due to the delays in updates, my two currents banks may not know yet? How will they know if I do have a CIFAS? I've been with NatWest for nearly 4 years too and don't want to lose that bank, I don't want to lose any of the two.

Thanks

Complete whatever is needed for a SAR.

The other banks may not know about it yet as its been slow at being reported to them via the credit ref agencies.

[Deleted User]

You say Halifax received 3/4 reports - if they were all different people, from Halifax's view that does look highly suspicious, so you can understand them closing your account. Whether they did anything else is anyone's guess, and probably not worth fretting about unless you experience future problems (Natwest/Santander get axed, or you have problems getting credit when you're 18).

Although the 'didn't receive the item' trick is probably a common one - it seems strange for the bank to have made any payouts based solely on that information, so if that is the full info, there may have been no loss to Halifax = no fraud. The transactions in question may be SUSPECTED fraud, but certainly not confirmed (if the 3/4 reports (which???) are all they have to go on), particularly if Halifax didn't lose any money.

Otherwise every Tom, !!!! and Harry would be claiming they didn't get their items. Unless there was compelling evidence to the contrary, I thought it was always a case of 'buyer (sender) beware' when dealing with Banks/Transfers. Paypal/eBay seem to go against that, and massively favour sellers, but Banks don't tend to get involved in that type of thing.

I know some banks (e.g. Co-Op) WILL close accounts if they get a number of complaints regarding a customer and their conduct/ethics, so that would explain why (they don't want the aggro of batting all these claims back to the other bank and trying to not pay them etc).

RE: SARing CIFAS - you can probably do it now, BUT it won't be much use because the time elapsed is relatively short (updates may take a while to be added) and you can't really dispute the info - CIFAS seems like a bit of a free-for-all.

In circumstances like this for an older person I'd expect a CIFAS marker. With your age, they may have just taken it as 'youthful inexperience' and not bothered. Especially IF they didn't actually pay out (and closed it just to stop you racking up any more complaints).

You will find that most systems are behind for reporting of your conduct (good and bad) - therefore it follows that CIFAS *may* be behind in receiving any kind of updates from Halifax. Natwest/Santander will only check every month or so, and may only checked the database twice since your account at Halifax was closed and so had no information yet.

I'd say there's no point worrying about it - just forget it. IF any of your other accounts get pulled, then something is probably up and you might want to look at challenging it. If they don't, wait til you are 18 and apply for credit like normal and see what happens.

If you do want to SAR them - https://www.cifas.org.uk/sf_sars

I'd wait a few months though, to be sure they have up to date info.

Joe99

Somerset_La_La_La wrote: »

You say Halifax received 3/4 reports - if they were all different people, from Halifax's view that does look highly suspicious, so you can understand them closing your account. Whether they did anything else is anyone's guess, and probably not worth fretting about unless you experience future problems (Natwest/Santander get axed, or you have problems getting credit when you're 18).

Although the 'didn't receive the item' trick is probably a common one - it seems strange for the bank to have made any payouts based solely on that information, so if that is the full info, there may have been no loss to Halifax = no fraud. The transactions in question may be SUSPECTED fraud, but certainly not confirmed (if the 3/4 reports (which???) are all they have to go on), particularly if Halifax didn't lose any money.

Otherwise every Tom, !!!! and Harry would be claiming they didn't get their items. Unless there was compelling evidence to the contrary, I thought it was always a case of 'buyer (sender) beware' when dealing with Banks/Transfers. Paypal/eBay seem to go against that, and massively favour sellers, but Banks don't tend to get involved in that type of thing.

I know some banks (e.g. Co-Op) WILL close accounts if they get a number of complaints regarding a customer and their conduct/ethics, so that would explain why (they don't want the aggro of batting all these claims back to the other bank and trying to not pay them etc).

RE: SARing CIFAS - you can probably do it now, BUT it won't be much use because the time elapsed is relatively short (updates may take a while to be added) and you can't really dispute the info - CIFAS seems like a bit of a free-for-all.

In circumstances like this for an older person I'd expect a CIFAS marker. With your age, they may have just taken it as 'youthful inexperience' and not bothered. Especially IF they didn't actually pay out (and closed it just to stop you racking up any more complaints).

You will find that most systems are behind for reporting of your conduct (good and bad) - therefore it follows that CIFAS *may* be behind in receiving any kind of updates from Halifax. Natwest/Santander will only check every month or so, and may only checked the database twice since your account at Halifax was closed and so had no information yet.

I'd say there's no point worrying about it - just forget it. IF any of your other accounts get pulled, then something is probably up and you might want to look at challenging it. If they don't, wait til you are 18 and apply for credit like normal and see what happens.

If you do want to SAR them - https://www.cifas.org.uk/sf_sars

I'd wait a few months though, to be sure they have up to date info.

Yes they was all from different people so that's why Halifax thought that the transactions was fraudulent and therefore closed my account because of receiving several reports relating to me.

Halifax would not have lost any money as banks do not issue refunds for bank transfers so they are not at a loss, they would have just have suspicions of fraudulent activity and because of several reports, this has made them believe so resulting in the account being closed.

Exactly this is what I thought, banks don't get involved with bank transfers and its between the buyer and seller directly but I think because of them receiving several reports about me, they may have just thought well it must be true as we have received several reports from different people - absolute disgraceful!

Yes Co-Op will and Halifax must be the same, I hear about Halifax and Lloyds closing people's accounts all the time because they are both in the same banking group, this is disgraceful though!

Yes this is also what I thought, due to my age they may have just let me off with the transactions happening when I was only 16 at the time, they may have thought due to my age we won't issue him a fraud marker, we will just close his account BUT he can never bank with us ever again - this is what they said to me over the phone when I asked about fraud markers, they said I don't think we would but you certainly can't bank with us again. I wouldn't want to anyway, they're terrible!

Yes I think I will just wait until I am 18, if nothing happens a few months after I turn 18 then I suspect everything is fine and I don't have a fraud marker from Halifax but I would never ever do this again as next time I would get a fraud marker due to being over 18 (presuming and hopefully fingers crossed I don't have one now already)

Hopefully everything will be fine.

I will try not to worry.

Thanks all!