BT Direct Debit Fraud

bumblebee1992

I’m hoping for some advice. 

BT supplies our internet. However, unknowingly to us a second BT account was set up in April 2021 which has been debiting £21.99 from our account every month. 

We stupidly haven’t realised this until last month when we decided to crunch some numbers in light of the cost of living crisis. 

We’ve had difficulties with BT about this and have been told several times by phone that we will be getting a full refund which hasn’t materialised, however matters came to a head today when we received a call from the BT complaints department. There was no empathy or compassion. They accept that it’s a fraud account that has been set up in a shopping mall with my husbands details but have told us we should have realised sooner and so they are only willing to refund three months, and not the full amount. They wouldn’t let my husband speak, didn’t have a lot to say, and terminated the call. Likely because there isn’t much for them to say and they know what they are doing is wrong. 

I never thought I’d ever be someone who would have a direct debit leave their account and not realise and feel silly, but that is the truth.  We likely haven’t realised as we expect to see a BT direct debit leave our account given we are their customer (not for much longer!), and we just haven’t realised it’s being paid out twice in one month. 

I’ve raised this with the bank this afternoon but await hearing from them as to whether they can help us. 

I’m hoping someone can point me in the right direction and would be grateful for any advice/similar stories which have ended in a positive resolution. 

eskbanker

bumblebee1992 said:

unknowingly to us a second BT account was set up in April 2021 which has been debiting £21.99 from our account every month

[...]

They accept that it’s a fraud account that has been set up in a shopping mall with my husbands details but have told us we should have realised sooner and so they are only willing to refund three months, and not the full amount.

Struggling to understand what's happened here - someone goes up to a BT shop/stand in a mall and signs up to an account in your husband's name and provides the correct bank details for a direct debit to be set up?  Even if someone was minded to do this out of spite or malice, there'd be much more obvious ways of causing grief for your husband, but it may be worth submitting a subject access request to BT to obtain all information they hold about him, including (but not limited to) the order form, which presumably won't contain a realistic signature?

Anyway, the primary issue is securing a full refund - invoking the direct debit guarantee via the bank ought to work, but there is a possibility that it may not, in which case it would be necessary to pursue BT through the rest of their complaints procedure, prior to escalating to Ofcom or taking them to small claims....

diystarter7

Hi OP
The 2nd account - sorry I'm a bit confused. Was the 2nd one for something else and or can they not tell that 2nd account was never accessed from your address?
I hope you get it sorted A-Sap

Band7

I haven't ever used them myself, but perhaps Resolver could help with your complaint? https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/site/resolver/

Though before you do that, ask your bank to immediately refund all the money under the Direct Debit Guarantee https://www.directdebit.co.uk/direct-debit-explained/how-to-claim/

diystarter7

Band7 said:

I haven't ever used them myself, but perhaps Resolver could help with your complaint? https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/site/resolver/

I've used them re council not doing anything re tree covering street light and they came good - last yer this was.

bumblebee1992

Thanks for your responses. We recently realised we had 2 direct debits leaving our account every month for BT. 

One was for our fibre connection which we pay for. 

The second was set up some months later for broadband. 

We had issues setting up the Fibre and personally we think it’s been an internal error and they’ve set up two accounts to our address when installing the Fibre, and we’ve only just realised. It comes to about £500 that we’re out of pocket. 

BT complaints department called today and informed us the second account was set up in a shopping mall. But they can’t see which Agent set this up or anything else. Personally, we think this is untrue as it just doesn’t make sense why anyone would do this or what benefit they would receive from it. 

BT have moreless told us today we should have realised sooner so it’s tough and the most they will refund is 3 months as a goodwill gesture. They have been awful to deal with and put the phone down on my husband. He wasn’t rude. If anything, they were. It was quite an awful conversation on their part with zero empathy. They haven’t suggested we log the fraud with the police or contact our bank etc for assistance. 

I have called the bank (Santander) and have logged this issue with them. They seemed quite surprise at the unwillingness of BT to help us. They have told us they will send it to the relevant department to look into. No mention of the direct debit guarantee was offered. Is this something the bank will offer, or something we would need to specifically request?

We’re really annoyed by how BT have handled things and shocked that such a big company could be so rogue and unfair. We never received a second modem/hub for the broadband in the post. 

Our contract for the correct account ends in January and we certainly won’t be staying with them. 

Perksy5

Ask for a direct debit indemnity, should get a same day refund unless they need to open an investigation, depends entirely on your bank 

diystarter7

bumblebee1992 said:

Thanks for your responses. We recently realised we had 2 direct debits leaving our account every month for BT. 

One was for our fibre connection which we pay for. 

The second was set up some months later for broadband. 

We had issues setting up the Fibre and personally we think it’s been an internal error and they’ve set up two accounts to our address when installing the Fibre, and we’ve only just realised. It comes to about £500 that we’re out of pocket. 

BT complaints department called today and informed us the second account was set up in a shopping mall. But they can’t see which Agent set this up or anything else. Personally, we think this is untrue as it just doesn’t make sense why anyone would do this or what benefit they would receive from it. 

BT have moreless told us today we should have realised sooner so it’s tough and the most they will refund is 3 months as a goodwill gesture. They have been awful to deal with and put the phone down on my husband. He wasn’t rude. If anything, they were. It was quite an awful conversation on their part with zero empathy. They haven’t suggested we log the fraud with the police or contact our bank etc for assistance. 

I have called the bank (Santander) and have logged this issue with them. They seemed quite surprise at the unwillingness of BT to help us. They have told us they will send it to the relevant department to look into. No mention of the direct debit guarantee was offered. Is this something the bank will offer, or something we would need to specifically request?

We’re really annoyed by how BT have handled things and shocked that such a big company could be so rogue and unfair. We never received a second modem/hub for the broadband in the post. 

Our contract for the correct account ends in January and we certainly won’t be staying with them. 

Thanks OP
IMHO, you are an honest person and accept you made a mistake just as I thought.
Yep, it happens when you see money going out of the account and recognise the org, though it is there
in front of you, we can all tick it off as puka.
IMHO, but was a bit rude to you but in their favour is the goodwill.
However, it can happen to anyone and I feel your hurt and BT could have been more generous but IMO,
it is luck of the draw who you get on the other end of the phone.
Yes, some people try it on and I guess they have their wires crossed,

If I was you, I'd accept and move on but it is your choice.
Good luck.

diystarter7

Btw - the best of us misread stuff

My driver's licence held since the age of 16. My first name is not easily spelt and i had at least three versions. I passed my full drivers test the day i was 18. Got my license, new ones and every time we moved and i had to present it to the cops a few times for being "cocky but that was when i was young and foolish about 20/21 - as time went on i had trouble getting my own money out of banks etc as my name did not match or signatures as i signed as i felt like it, long before the day of the net and electronic checsjk

I've, we have been abroad to USA about 10 times hired cars etc and around the world - no one noted to the name/spelling of my name as per my passport the i got at 20 and used the spelling from that day on  but one ltter was differnt - it only get picked up when one o our kids was older and i left it to them to book the hols, car. medicals etc and she said "dad, your name is misspelled"

I got it changed but I mist of looked at it 20 times, had it renewed and changed when we moved house and cops checked it and used it myself for id/jobs etc

At times we just skim-read and after the first few letters matching think it is all ok

From what you aid, they were abrupt - but I would let it slid at least you are getting 3 months back but I know how you are being made to feel as you have done nothing wrong and a 100% genuine mistake we can all make.

Anyone doubting you, send them to me

Good luck.

ZeroSum

Nothing surprises me with BT, they are truly awful to deal with. I've had a couple of incidents where an agent has outright lied to me. Luckily they also record the phone calls which backed me up when I complained. One of which they honoured (3 months free broadband for messing me about getting set up in new home) the other (free BT sports) they didn't but did get refund on the first month so got one month free instead of the full year.

Grizebeck

Just do it via your bank