£20,000 gone in fraudulent transactions from my Abbey account....

silvermum

Debt_Free_Chick
Yes - I agree with you - I'm not proposing to rush into anything straight away.

I need to give them time to respond in a timely fashion, but what's galling me so far is that it's proving so hard to get contact with the 'right people'.

This morning they couldn't/wouldn't give me an e-mail address or fax number for the Visa Dispute team and no-one can give me any information about what is happening, or who is dealing with it, when I can expect more information, etc etc.

Sagaris

silvermum wrote: »

The promise to call me back 'within 48 hours' of my conversation with an update has just passed unfulfilled...

That's cos they don't deal with the public - and tell you what they think you want to hear to get you out of their hair! The number of times I'd been promised 48 hour callbacks - and they never came!
I think Abbey's attitude is that the Financial Ombudsman gives them an 8 week limit to investigate the complaint - and they take it right to the wire, so sorry to be the bringer of bad tidings, but I wouldn't expect to hear anything from them before then (and not even then, if you're unlucky like me)

silvermum

Debt_Free_Chick wrote: »

Firstly - have you been dealing with Abbey's fraud department? If not, get onto them now.

And then ... have you informed the Police?

And ... is the account now frozen or have Abbey put in place measures to prevent further fraudulent payments?

- They won't talk to me/ give me numbers/ contacts
- Police are informed, but do not handle such thefts since April this year?
- Card has been cancelled

lindens

With the forms and post strike thing, can you go into branch anywhere and get the forms, fill them in and hand them over the counter? My firms internal post is not affected by strike for example.
Just an idea

custardy

as sais before,really sorry to hear this.this is crazy money and i dont envy your position.
any forms being sent from the bank must be sent special delivery to stand a chance of getting through.its only £4 odds v's what you are out at the moment so dont think its an exessive request.
dont be fobbed off and demand it or that you can collect from a local branch if perhaps they can print them.

[Deleted User]

You picked the wrong bank to be with while being defrauded :S or to deal with full stop.

Abbeys customer service is absolutly abhorrently appalling!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I have had no end of trouble with them before.

Record on a list all your, phone calls, emails and recorded deliverys, inc, times dates and details. This will help you if you have to take them to court/require compensation.

Debt_Free_Chick

silvermum wrote: »

- They won't talk to me/ give me numbers/ contacts

0845 600 4388 - which number is this? Is it just the normal e-banking number? (I found something to suggest that this is a number to report fraudulent activity on your account, but I'm not sure if it's a dedicated fraud number or just the normal e-banking number).

peterbaker

Well silvermum, as others will know, I am not new to this site, and I am sure Martin knows that I have pushed the envelope a little bit in the name of CONSUMER REVENGE for those suppliers that deserve a quick poke between the eyes with a sharp stick, and has allowed me a little licence for old time's sake once or twice. This site can do that admirably if you are careful, but you must be dead on target with your words or it might cause Martin potential legal problems. I have many times run threads on MSE to put pressure on suppliers whom I am pushing behind the scenes via CEO's or escalated complaints offices. Without fail it has done the trick. MSE is more important in the UK consumer world than the OFT and in some cases the FSA too, and I do not say that lightly.

As for titles for threads, well if it was me (and it isn't, it's you) then I might be thinking of toying with something like "ABBEY are worse than the crooks who broke into ABBEY's systems and stole my £20,000". Only you can decide whether it is true enough for you to defend your words in a court of law if they chased you for defamation. But my style is to take it to the limit when my blood is up.

Now that would be super-provocative as it criticises their systems, not just their customer service. Systems is a broad word. It can include procedural systems, like procedural anti-fraud checking (which obviously failed in your case). So such a title might be very difficult for some people to swallow, but it is factually correct whilst creating all sorts of general worries for existing ABBEY customers i.e. it would be terrible PR for ABBEY. Probably the worst they will get this week in the media generally.

For those of you who think my methods are unfair or uncalled for, then I simply say all is fair in love and war when you didn't start the war (so long as you don't stray from the truth).

I would truly sock it to them. I don't know what a loss of twenty thousand quid does in the great scheme of things for you, but for me, it would be the biggest problem in my life currently. I wouldn't pvssyfoot around with it.

My stance you will notice is diametrically opposed to that of Debt-Free-Chick who perhaps prefers the patient, systematic, slowly-slowly-catchee-monkey approach which I know from experience can work better in situations where you are partly to blame for your own predicament. In your case you have done absolutely nothing to deserve the problem, have you?

molley

Sagaris wrote: »

Sorry about that - my keyboard gave up the ghost and my last post seems to have gone AWOL!
Yes, I complained to the Financial Ombudsman in July, but the original complaint had been ongoing since April. When I reported them they took all the details over the phone and posted them to me the following day, I then waited the 8 weeks the bank are allowed to 'investigate' but all I got was a grovelling letter asking for more time!
I filled out the forms (only a couple of things to add as the FO had filled them in for me) and now I'm waiting to see what happens.
Abbey really don't seem to care about their customers nowadays, I really feel for you OP.
I'd certainly try the media, you can't have been the only person dissatisfied with them, you only have to look on this forum to see the Abbey threads! And what I find really galling, is that looking on here, other banks will refund you in a very short time, as the transactions are obviously not yours, and some even contact you if they suspect anything amiss on the account and stop these things in their tracks.
Unfortunately, Abbey do neither!

I am totally confused here .You said originally that a lot of cash had been taken from your account in the last few days but now you say that the original complaint has been ongoing since April so what caused the original complaint .Have you spoken to Abbey Card Services .They are on 08001697903 ( just ignore the blurb at the start.just hang on ) Abbey Complaints are at 01908 680130 0845 600 1378 ( Fax Number) or [EMAIL="customerservices@abbey.com"]customerservices@abbey.com[/EMAIL]

EDIT .Oops. Got mixed up by someone elses post and thought it was from the OP .Just ignore what I said .:-)

peterbaker

... yes I too noticed that possible inconsistency which is why the OP must make her own decision as to how dynamic she thinks she can afford to be ... do tell us more OP.