Cash withdrawn from my account in branch by thief!

Grumpy_chap

I wonder whether there could be another card (joint account holder's card) that went to the OP's former address, or a transaction in the OP's old home town that somehow got intercepted.  Along the lines of the OP ordering flowers from a local florist to deliver to a friend in the old home town.

I suspect the coincidence that the cash was drawn at the branch in the OP's old home town will make the investigation slower rather than quicker.

oldernonethewiser

Mrcsmrs said:

Middle_of_the_Road said:

la531983 said:

It would but then I appreciate its a massive bank, with layers of bureaucracy, and things take time. I wouldnt be complaining as all that does it gest peoples backs up and they may be inclined to drag it out to the 10 days.

The reason for the delay could be anything, could be simply the person who served that day has a weeks annual leave and isnt back for another week. 

First of all, it's not a massive bank, it's a bloated building society, which has chosen to reduce it's workforce in the pursuit of profit, which will affect the standard of customer service.

https://bmmagazine.co.uk/news/nationwide-building-society-announces-third-round-of-job-cuts-amid-restructuring-plan/

If making a very genuine complaint has the effect you suggest, then the above might explain why it would get employee's backs up.

Thank you for that. Shows reductions in customer resolutions so I guess that won’t help. 

I just don’t understand how it was possible for someone who wasn’t me to get my card details in the first place and then use them in the branch this way. Surely that means they aren’t checking enough? 

Someone else mentioned a miss key but I don’t think that’s possible since the branch quoted my card number to the fraud advisor. How did they get my card details when I rarely ever use the physical card? 

Perhaps this is what they are investigating?

400ixl

I take it you told them you have moved and your address on the account is your current one?

badmemory

That amount is an unusual one, in fact it looks like someone drawing out cash to last until payday & leaving enough in for any expected transactions & not like someone attempting to steal.

alanyau88

Let them investigate.  You don't know what's exactly happened.  It could be a theft over the counter, but it could also be many other things such as hacked system, compromised email, or even a rogue employee.  

Wait for their response and then consider your options.  £77 isn't going to break your household expenditure.

tizerbelle

You've said this isn't your main account so in case there is a thief at work and its not a genuine mistake somewhere I would be moving my money apart from say £1 to another account until this is resolved.  

born_again

Mrcsmrs said:

born_again said:

Mrcsmrs said:

la531983 said:

All you can do in the meantime is let them investigate within the 10 days, and see what the outcome is first.

So I can’t complain or do anything to rush this investigation? They already said they had located the signed slip and can check it against my signature to see it’s not me, plus getting cctv footage. What else could they be investigating and why hold my refund up whilst they do so? I don’t mean to be rude, but this isn’t like a card payment went out fraudulently, their staff handed my money over to a stranger without my consent. 

Complaining can actually slow things down.
As it is dealt with by 2 different teams. So the one dealing with your transaction, will have to stop to talk to complaints team.
Dealing with branches is never as easy as you think. As getting hold of them is not a case of picking up the phone to call them. Even  if you can, they never answer as staff are busy.

Staff have not made a mistake. They have given money to someone who has presented a valid card. So will have followed branch procedures.



Wonder if it is just a case of staff mis keying in details, as £77 is an odd amount.

You say that but when I called the fraud team the advisor called the branch immediately, got through and they found the transaction slip within minutes, so they can deal with things quickly. They also advised that the card was swiped. 

The odd amount was the first thing that struck me, why would anyone want to wait on a Monday morning for an over the counter withdrawal of £77 when they could get £80 in seconds from an ATM? Especially when the account has a lot more than that in there. 

It seems like the bank can do whatever they like and we are just expected to wait with no real explanation, and yet when I’ve wanted to pay someone using my card with them they’ve declined the transaction, allegedly, to protect me. Now they give my money to someone else! 

That's good then.  👍Now they have to sit down & look at all the evidence.
Remember you are not the only case, & they will get worked in order. So that is where the 10 days now comes in. It will now be sat with the liability team, who will be looking at the evidence once you case comes to the top of the pile, but being in your old home town will be getting the old fraud buds twitching. ( No offence)

Personally my money is on a genuine staff error inputting the wrong details & coming up with your account. Happens quite often sadly. Especially given a swipe & manual slip.

Ergates

Mrcsmrs said:

la531983 said:

All you can do in the meantime is let them investigate within the 10 days, and see what the outcome is first.

So I can’t complain or do anything to rush this investigation? They already said they had located the signed slip and can check it against my signature to see it’s not me, plus getting cctv footage. What else could they be investigating and why hold my refund up whilst they do so? I don’t mean to be rude, but this isn’t like a card payment went out fraudulently, their staff handed my money over to a stranger without my consent. 

10 days is not an unreasonable time frame for them to conduct a proper investigation.  They don't have unlimited resources and this won't be the only case they're working on.  Given it's only £77 from an account you don't use frequently it doesn't sound like this is an emergency for you either.

This sounds more like someone making a mis-keying error, or a technical fault than theft too.  £77 would be a very strange amount to steal.  Why not take more?  Also, a withdrawal in-branch and over the counter is an exceptionally risky way to commit theft - as you know for a fact they'll have CCTV and a witness (and banks won't deal with people wearing masks)- so to take that risk for only £77  just doesn't make any sense.

Ergates

Grumpy_chap said:

I wonder whether there could be another card (joint account holder's card) that went to the OP's former address, or a transaction in the OP's old home town that somehow got intercepted.  Along the lines of the OP ordering flowers from a local florist to deliver to a friend in the old home town.

I suspect the coincidence that the cash was drawn at the branch in the OP's old home town will make the investigation slower rather than quicker.

It being the OPs old home branch makes a mis-keying more likely, as other accounts opened in that branch will have the same sort-code.

badmemory

I also think miskeying or similar is the answer.  Most people would take out £100 or £200.  But £77 would just draw attention to yourself