First Direct Handling of Scam - shambles!

Julia_P1

Scammed in December 2020 by someone claiming to be from HSBC, owners of First Direct. FD will only repay 50% of money taken as "I could have done more to prevent it". Fair comment but their handling of the whole episode leaves lot to be desired. Despite being division of HSBC, FD have own fraud department for account incidents but a combined department for card fraud (HSBC, FD & M&S Bank). Took 5 days to find out called from card fraud was legit as she used wrong bank name when calling me. Told person called Claire didn't work at FD, only to receive letter few days later signed by a Claire! Bank loan had been approved against my account, despite no contact from FD to verify it was me applying. Response was "it was done online so we don't follow up with applicant; our system is robust. Formal complaint acknowledgement was factually incorrect. Two/three weeks later had to chase to have online banking unfrozen. Although I had text, phone number and e-mails from scammers, FD didn't want these immediately, again three weeks later. Only three agents did what they promised, the rest couldn't be bothered to give out correct information or arrange a call back. Initial appointment with security department didn't happen because of "call guardian" on my phone yet it was recorded as unsuccessful attempt to contact me. Strangely phone hadn't rung at allotted time but everything went well following day. Case now with Financial Ombudsman who has contacted FD and report will be completed "within a few weeks". Will give me time to sort out where I'm going to move my current account to. FD, your handling of this problem has brought me stress, sleepless nights. You have no right to treat me like this and still claim to have "excellent customer service".

dunstonh

Despite being division of HSBC, FD have own fraud department for account incidents but a combined department for card fraud (HSBC, FD & M&S Bank). 

That seems logical given that the card services is a separate company to both of the retail banks.   

Told person called Claire didn't work at FD, only to receive letter few days later signed by a Claire!

Clearly the scammer didn't work at FD.  The fact someone of the same name does is not unsurprising considering it is a popular name.

Bank loan had been approved against my account, despite no contact from FD to verify it was me applying.

Why would they do that?   Online processes are meant to remove human contact.

 Initial appointment with security department didn't happen because of "call guardian" on my phone yet it was recorded as unsuccessful attempt to contact me. Strangely phone hadn't rung at allotted time but everything went well following day

Call guardian blocking their call getting through is not their fault.  It would logically be classed as an unsucessful attempt.

You have no right to treat me like this and still claim to have "excellent customer service".

It is unclear how they have badly treated you.  Can you clarify?

2021BJ

dunstonh said:

Bank loan had been approved against my account, despite no contact from FD to verify it was me applying.

Why would they do that?   Online processes are meant to remove human contact.

You see this complaint a lot.  "Well they should have done x" and "x" is always one step beyond what they actually did, rather conveniently.

Of course, if they did "x", whatever that might be, then the same people would probably be complaining about it being a hassle, or such a prehistoric way of doing things etc etc.

No matter what they do, there will always be something else they should have done.

Mickey666

Julia_P1 said:

Scammed in December 2020 by someone claiming to be from HSBC, owners of First Direct. FD will only repay 50% of money taken as "I could have done more to prevent it". Fair comment but their handling of the whole episode leaves lot to be desired.

Has FD repaid 50% of the scammed money?

Julia_P1 said:

Initial appointment with security department didn't happen because of "call guardian" on my phone yet it was recorded as unsuccessful attempt to contact me. Strangely phone hadn't rung at allotted time but everything went well following day. 

How else do you think it should have been recorded? 


I get that you're upset about being scammed, though it seems you've accepted partial responsibility, in which case you may be fortunate that the bank has offered to repay anything at all.

brettcta

Are you liable for half of the loan amount?

Julia_P1

Thanks for your comments.
They have refunded 50% of the original amount taken. It's the remaining 50% I want back. No, not liable for half of loan amount as it was cancelled when they realised I hadn't applied. Strangely, they took my word without trying to prove otherwise. It's my word against theirs as to why my phone didn't ring at the time it was supposed to. (Call guardian activates when I pick up, asks me if I want to take call from "  ", then I can choose. That is what didn't happen, so led me to believe FD hadn't bothered to call yet recorded attempt on their system. As for the loan, the whole point of having secure systems in place is to ensure this sort of thing does not happen. There should have been further checks carried out, not just credit agency ones FD think is all that's needed.
Of people I spoke to at FD, only three gave any sort of customer service. Why should I accept a call from an agent stating she was from M&S Bank when I don't have an account with them? Could have been another scammer. Yes, Claire is a common name so why say they didn't have one working at FD, only to send a letter a few days later signed by a Claire. 
Waiting to see what the Ombudsman's report says. Will be interesting to find out FD's account of events. 

dunstonh

Yes, Claire is a common name so why say they didn't have one working at FD, only to send a letter a few days later signed by a Claire.

Or they were saying that the Claire you spoke to didn't work at FD.     That is a total irrelevance in the scheme of things though.