Last month I found that my credit card had been used fraudulently. This was spotted by the bank's fraud office, who saw an abnormal pattern of spending. The card was cancelled and the money re-credited by the bank.
Now I find that my debit card has also been used fraudulently, to buy an expensive item on-line. That has now been cancelled by the bank.
When I rang the bank, all they seemed to be doing was cancelling the card and refunding the money. Don't they bother to track down the criminals? It seems incredible to me that it's not a police matter, and I will not be told who was using my card numbers, so I can't avoid it happening again.
Does anyone have any idea how to do something about this?
I had a fraud on my bank account earlier this year – a cheque fraud involving a sum not far short of five figures. In case anyone thinks it serves me right for keeping such a lot of money on my current account I should point out that I don’t – the first I knew about the fraud was when I received a letter from my bank approving my ‘unofficial overdraft request’ because honouring the cheques had taken me hugely over my limit. I was deeply traumatised by it but the bank was wholly unperturbed. After much tantrum throwing by me they recredited the money to my account, and sent me flowers to apologise for their dreadful customer services and slow response, but as far as seeking a prosecution is concerned there is more chance of Elvis being found alive and well and practising as a chiropodist in Scunthorpe. I reported the theft to the police and was informed by them that it was not up to me to decide whether or not it was a police matter – the loss was the bank’s and they had to decide whether or not to take things further. The police indicated to me that by and large the banks just write off any amounts below about £25,000. This made me totally furious as what possible disincentive is there to fraudsters if they know that no one will even bother looking for them? My only course of action was to make an official report to the police in respect of my personal loss of property – the actual cheques stolen from my chequebook. Copies of the cheques were obtained and they know exactly where they were paid in to. Surely enough to catch the culprit? Well who knows because the last contact I had with the police was about five months ago.
Indeed it was NOT a rubbish question. As a recently retired fraud investigator for a bank, please be assured that much is done behind the scenes to catch the culprits and it's not just a question of cancelling the compromised cards etc. I think though people do have to realise that a huge majority of these cases eminate from foreign countries where obvious difficulties arise. It is for the protection of both the public and the finance sector. Well worth looking at and I can recommend it with the utmost confidence.
quote:
Originally posted by blue/green: Sorry, bit of a rubbish question. Just ignore me!
This is very interesting to me as I only discovered today that it appears someone has been withdrawing money from my account.
The bank were so unhelpful Ive had to resort to using the banking ombudsman. In fact the security department at my bank told me that either I or someone in my house had taken my card to the bank at quarter past four in the morning this Saturday and withdrawn cash. They also informed me in the sort of voice you reserve for someone who is obviously completely stupid that cloned cards cannot be used in cash machines. He then suggested that maybe my partner had used my card and didnt even apologise when I pointed out that my partner had died two months ago so that was unlikely.
Given the ITN News report tonight that there are internet sites offering full card details for sale I shall be waiting for their response to my complaint.
The police were also not able to help as apparently they were getting thousands of complaints of illegal activity of this sort so they no longer deal with it at all but state that it is the bank's responsibility. Small comfort when you are a few hundred down at least and possibly more.
today is the second time ive had money taken from my account. i dont understand how i am such a great target
i shred all information, i never throw away my address on anything yet yesterday my bank phoned to say they suspected fraud as someone had tried to take £1 from my account my card has been stopped..
today i check my bank and two payments of £42 have gone to something called intersafe global.. im gutted as £190 was taken from my bank for a bingo website in 2006
