Direct debit recall...

HopeAndDriftWood

This is a bit of a weird one. I've escaped from a violent relationship, and have just left a significant stay in a refuge. I've been advised that I am probably safe to now start sorting out my affairs.

There was a lot of identity theft as part of the abuse, a lot of credit accounts. Most have closed the accounts once the crime reference numbers etc are given to them, but a few have not. One of the sub-prime lenders has, so far, not. I have been advised from my refuge advisor to claim back the payments that were being made on the debt from my bank account... but my bank say that a new DD was set up in 2019 and they would be unable to use the DD Guarantee against any older DDs that are now closed.

I had nothing to do with any DD's being set up in the first place or changed. This is a significant amount of money. Does anyone know what my options would be next?

My advisor was so sure that the banks would refund the DDs as they were not set up by me, so I'd been relying somewhat on the money to settle somewhere new. (I know you shouldn't count your chickens... it's been a hard few years :o)

Aylesbury_Duck

I don't know enough about the technicalities to advise you I'm afraid, but I wish you well and congratulate you on the steps you've taken so far.

Would Action Fraud be worth looking into?

HopeAndDriftWood

Thank you, that means a lot.

I have an Action Fraud number, plus a Crime Reference number and a Court Reference as he has been charged. Action Fraud wrote to me and said that as he has already been prosecuted, there was little else they could do, but they've kept the record.

I'd like the lender to just refund me, but they veer between "still investigating" and "any claim would need to be handled by your bank"

Aylesbury_Duck

Could you make another appointment with your bank - a decent one hour slot with someone - and talk them through the situation again? It sounds from your brief description that they've fobbed you off rather quickly. I would hope that with an AF number, a crime reference number and a court reference, you've got a decent set of evidence to show that the DDs were able to be set up without your knowledge. Surely the bank is party culpable for allowing that to happen.

I would insist on having an appointment with the branch manager, not just one of the more junior advisers they tend to put in front of routine enquiries.