Unknown debit card payment taken from my account

peardrops_2

I've just been online to my bank account and a DEB payment of £50 has been taken out. The recipient is listed as www.helporganisation.c That's all it says.

I haven't paid out anything on my card for £50 and I can't find any info for the web address.

How can I find out what it is and can I get the money back. Please help its £50 I can't afford to lose.

Werdnal

Contact your bank immediately!

Some fraudster managed to get my debit card number in February and emptied my account. Luckily bank have refunded everything, but please investigate this with your bank to prevent it going any further.

peardrops_2

My husband is on his way to the bank now. Will they refund immediately or am I likely to be £50 down for weeks to come?

Werdnal

Depends on the bank. I'm with Lloyds and I had to do a claim through their Fraud Investigation Department to verify all the dodgy transactions. I lost £1,500 over 3 weeks through 30 odd little withdrawals, but all mine were overseas and as I could easily prove I'd not been abroad (never have) they refunded it all within 5 days.

You might get it back quicker if it was proved to be an error on their part, but you'll probably have to fill in a few forms and be patient for a few days. Good luck with it!

peardrops_2

Thank you Werdnal. We are with Lloyds too.

It funny how the website address doesn't exist though, that is probably a sign. It a horrible feeling that someone is fleecing you and it is so easy for them to do it.

Wonder if anyone else has made a payment to www.helporganisation.c on their statements?

Werdnal

My first dodgy withdrawal was WP STAGECOACH for £1.50, and was refunded under the same name the following day. Seems that the fraudsters often use a very innocent name (suggesting its a charity or in the case of Stagecoach - coach or rail tickets), just to see if the account is live and they can actually get money through it. Once this is successful, they will go on to take more.

Good for you that you've caught it so soon. Hope they sort it quickly for you!

peardrops_2

Werdnal wrote: »

Once this is successful, they will go on to take more.
quote]

Oh god don't tell me that - we don't have any spare money in there, its for the bills/rent etc. Can the bank block an account number so that they can't take more then?

Sorry for lots of questions but I'm just so worried.

Werdnal

Yes the bank will stop your account or your card. Do you think its a debit card number that's leaked? I'm sure mine must have gone through my card being taken off the net or through some other purchase. I'm so careful with it, but seems it can happen to anyone these days. There was a feature of Breakfast TV last week, and the fraud expert they had on had actually lost money himself, and he was supposed to know everything about protecting yourself!

Don't panic. If your hubby is on the way to the bank, I'm sure they will advise how best to deal with it. The only problem I had was that my account went into the red (as the B*&%£r emptied it!), and LTSB charged me £81 for overdraft charges! Its taken me 5 weeks of calls and visits to the branch to get that refunded!

It may still be a genuine mistake, but I'm sure the bank will advise the best way to sort it. Keep records and copies of anything the send you, and conversations you have with dates etc, just incase you have more problems with it.

Good Luck!

peardrops_2

Well hubby went to the bank and they couldn't do a lot as he had to ring a dedicated fraud hotline.

He's come home, rang the hotline and the debit card and number has been cancelled so they won't be able to take anymore money out of the account.

It won't hinder our direct debits still to come out and hubby can always go to the bank to withdraw cash as he works nights and available during the day.

The bank are sending a declaration for us to sign to get the fraud investigation started and will hopefully end in our money back and the scrotes who nicked it banged up (which I doubt but I can dream).

Thank you for your help and advice.

Werdnal

Pleased you got our account details stopped nefore further withdrawals. However, don't count on the scrotes being banged up. When I went through the Fraud Investigation, I asked what happens and whether I'd get any outcome of the investigation findings, and was more or less told they don't hold much hope of catching anyone. Its so rife and widespread, they are treating the symptoms and not the cause!