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TSB launches refund guarantee for fraud victims - MSE News

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  • colsten
    colsten Posts: 17,597 Forumite
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    JuicyJesus wrote: »
    This is going to be an absolute magnet for first party fraud and I can almost guarantee that this will get walked back very quickly.
    some super smart alecs will no doubt already be scheming. Let's brace ourselves for a sharp increase in the "All-my-accounts-got-closed-and-I-can't-get-a-new-one" posts which will no doubt happen when they and their 'victims' got found out.
  • A slight tangent to the issue here.

    Because scams can involve criminals posing as your bank, isn't there a case for implementing something that British Gas did many years ago for gas engineers visiting customers. Customers would ask them for a password (which they had previously set with British Gas). If the engineer didn't know it, they would be refused entry. Surely we could do the same with banking such that when our bank calls us, we can take them through security first and then we can answer their security questions afterwards.
  • Xenon
    Xenon Posts: 273 Forumite
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    A PR exercise in light of their recent IT meltdowns
  • masonic
    masonic Posts: 27,789 Forumite
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    edited 15 April 2019 at 6:35PM
    A slight tangent to the issue here.

    Because scams can involve criminals posing as your bank, isn't there a case for implementing something that British Gas did many years ago for gas engineers visiting customers. Customers would ask them for a password (which they had previously set with British Gas). If the engineer didn't know it, they would be refused entry. Surely we could do the same with banking such that when our bank calls us, we can take them through security first and then we can answer their security questions afterwards.
    It's a nice idea, but it requires the scam victims to know enough to challenge the scammers. If they could be educated to do that, they could be educated never to give away information that could be used to authorise a transaction, or transfer money to a 'safe' account, depending on the particular flavour of fraud.

    Some banks do allow you to set up a phone password the bank must give you when calling you. I think I'd still insist on calling them back after ensuring the line was cleared down.
  • JuicyJesus
    JuicyJesus Posts: 3,832 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    A slight tangent to the issue here.

    Because scams can involve criminals posing as your bank, isn't there a case for implementing something that British Gas did many years ago for gas engineers visiting customers. Customers would ask them for a password (which they had previously set with British Gas). If the engineer didn't know it, they would be refused entry. Surely we could do the same with banking such that when our bank calls us, we can take them through security first and then we can answer their security questions afterwards.

    Problem with that is, before they've taken you through security they don't know who you are and as far as they're concerned they could be giving "your" password to a total random.
    urs sinserly,
    ~~joosy jeezus~~
  • masonic
    masonic Posts: 27,789 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Photogenic Name Dropper
    JuicyJesus wrote: »
    Problem with that is, before they've taken you through security they don't know who you are and as far as they're concerned they could be giving "your" password to a total random.
    There's no need for it to be done prior to clearing security, which usually involves giving away very little.
  • If a TSB customer withdraws £200 from an ATM and hands it to a fraudster are they covered by the guarantee? I can't see anything in their info which suggests they aren't.
  • masonic
    masonic Posts: 27,789 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Photogenic Name Dropper
    If a TSB customer withdraws £200 from an ATM and hands it to a fraudster are they covered by the guarantee? I can't see anything in their info which suggests they aren't.
    "Obviously, we won’t refund customers if they are involved in committing the fraud."
  • colsten
    colsten Posts: 17,597 Forumite
    10,000 Posts Seventh Anniversary Photogenic Name Dropper
    JuicyJesus wrote: »
    Problem with that is, before they've taken you through security they don't know who you are and as far as they're concerned they could be giving "your" password to a total random.
    This could be overcome by asking for some random characters from the password / passcode - - - just like banks ask us for random characters. Mind you, as has already been commented, anyone who could reliably cope with this additional layer of security probably wouldn't be transferring money because "the bank" called them to ask doing so........
  • JuicyJesus wrote: »
    Problem with that is, before they've taken you through security they don't know who you are and as far as they're concerned they could be giving "your" password to a total random.

    Fair point - back to the drawing board.:)

    That said, it is not the 'total random' that we have to guard against; it is the person with criminal intent who happens to be on the genuine account holder's landline or in possession of their mobile phone at the time of an incoming call from their bank - which I accept could happen.

    If that criminal gets hold of your password they could then pose as your bank, call you up and pass your security. The fact that they could pass your security wouldn't make any given fraud more likely than if your security step didn't exist, but it might make you drop your guard completely and share your private details more openly - and that would be a very bad thing.
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