Victim of a scam using Cashplus account

mellyc

I’ve recently been the victim of a scam online and made a series of payments to buy a used car from a seller who advertised the car on a local selling group on Facebook. We arranged a payment plan to enable me to pay for the car in instalments to make it easier for me to afford. 

All seemed genuine and I got the seller’s name address phone number and bank account details for the payments. 

He kept in touch but when I made my last payment just before Christmas and tried contacting him to discuss the final instalment and a date to take possession of the vehicle I discovered he had blocked my phone number and the address was fake. Am I covered by cashplus and able to recover my money? Citizens advice claims I can as I’m the victim of fraud but as cashplus is not a normal high street bank I’m concerned they won’t reimburse me any money? Has anyone had previous experience with something similar please 

fwor

mellyc said:

and the address was fake

Just checking to make sure I understand this correctly: you've made multiple payments to someone for a car, and you get to the final payment before discovering that the address that you have is fake? Where did you go to view the car, if not to the address that the seller gave you?

elsien

A normal high street bank wouldn’t reimburse your money in these circumstances unless you’d paid by credit card and could do a S75 claim for goods not received.
How did you pay - was it a bank transfer straight into his account? 

Hasbeen

mellyc said:

I’ve recently been the victim of a scam online and made a series of payments to buy a used car from a seller who advertised the car on a local selling group on Facebook. We arranged a payment plan to enable me to pay for the car in instalments to make it easier for me to afford. 

All seemed genuine and I got the seller’s name address phone number and bank account details for the payments. 

He kept in touch but when I made my last payment just before Christmas and tried contacting him to discuss the final instalment and a date to take possession of the vehicle I discovered he had blocked my phone number and the address was fake. Am I covered by cashplus and able to recover my money? Citizens advice claims I can as I’m the victim of fraud but as cashplus is not a normal high street bank I’m concerned they won’t reimburse me any money? Has anyone had previous experience with something similar please 

Op as you stated cashplus is not a bank.  It uses prepaid cards.

Citizens Advice is correct in that you are a victim of a fraud, but perhaps not so, that you will be able to recover your money?

You basically transferred it voluntarily?

Have you spoken to cashplus regarding this?

You can also report to the police and action fraud but basically they will do nothing for you.

funkycredit

Yes you maybe able to get your money back; or at worst cause the seller serious damage. You need to report it all to Cashplus first. Keep a copy of your chat records etc and then explain the full story and ask them to try and recoup it from the recipients bank. 

If cashplus act properly, they'll report it to his bank and they should close his account and add a CIFAS - pending proof of funding source. 

If any of your money is in his account your bank can ask his bank to refund it. Alternatively you can sue him; through the civil courts. 

You should start by raising a complaint and attach all evidence to both: complaints@cashplus.com & fraud@cashplus.com

jonesMUFCforever

Guaranteed every payment made will have been transferred on or withdrawn almost immediately. Quite often with this type of fraud a mule account is used where the account holder takes the blame for receiving illegal funds - their account is closed down but the scammer get away with it.
So IMO the money is gone - OP go to the police and report it.

Again just my opinion but Cashplus are not part of the scheme that some banks have set up to refund defrauded customers - I very much doubt whether this money will be refunded by them.

eskbanker

jonesMUFCforever said:

Again just my opinion but Cashplus are not part of the scheme that some banks have set up to refund defrauded customers - I very much doubt whether this money will be refunded by them.

Even if Cashplus were a member of the scheme I think you're referring to, it relates solely to Authorised Push Payment scams (which this doesn't appear to be) rather than being a catch-all for any fraudulent activity....