Help - someone took ?1000 out of my account today

[sheff]

Errrr....??

Robbin - the OP didn't allude to all the ins and outs. It's not just inconvenient in some cases, it can have a huge impact.

Imagine someone cleared ?1k out of your account. Until its replaced you can't spend money because you have no cash.

On top of that, imagine you have no cash and all your bills and mortgage bounce. Its not your fault but try telling that to anyone when you have to explain credit flags on your history and you look like you bounce payments.

[emc]

Yep, a cheque has already bounced and I've had to borrow off friends - luckily for me I am in a position to do that.

[Blah Blah]

And to also say that this happens to elderly people through email scams etc who are duped into handing over bank details and causes great distress and sometimes hardship. So yes, more should be done to catch culprits rather than just saying 'the money is returned so it's ok'.

[robbin]

Yes, fair enough that was a bit arsey. Apologies - a bit of a stressful day yesterday was. I haven't looked at EDF for a few weeks (detox, if you like) and so must have been overly sensitive to perceived moaning!

[Pam50]

So very sorry to read of this crime and share your feelings of disbelief and rage. I hope those responsible get what they deserve and that you get your money back quickly, plus decent compensation for the time and stress it has caused.

[Loz]

It's strange how HSBC is such a crap bank, yet First Direct (a subsidiary of HSBC) are really, really good.

[Sue]

Loz Wrote:

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> It's strange how HSBC is such a crap bank, yet

> First Direct (a subsidiary of HSBC) are really,

> really good.

Yes I agree. Been with First Direct for years and they are absolutely excellent.

[Saffron]

emc Wrote:

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> So.... They had this woman on cctv in both

> branches she went to and were happy to confirm it

> wasn't me . However all she did was pick up a cash

> withdrawal form in the bank - she didn't present

> any bank card, simply filled in my name (my maiden

> name, yet all my accounts are in my married name)

> my address, my sort code and account number and

> did apparently a v accurate signature to the one

> HSBC holds on file without any other forms of ID

> asked for. HSBC apparently don't require any other

> forms of ID in transactions up to ?1000. I don't

> buy this. When I've had to get large sums out for

> builders or whatever over the counter I could have

> sworn they've asked me for other ID. I just cannot

> believe she was just handed this sum of money

> without being asked for ID. Also the cashier at

> the second branch would of been able to see that

> just an hour before she'd withdrawn another large

> amount but apparently did not question this. I'm

> assuming that this woman got my bank details from

> my 'lost' debit card but she could not have

> 'learnt' my signature from it as the signature on

> my debit card is my married name. And how did she

> know my address? I'm glad I'm getting my money

> back but know HSBC has f***ed and aim to prove it.

> And yes, I will be moving banks.

I was in HSBC today. Unfortunately my debit card has been damaged, and while waiting for my new one to arrive (could take up to 14 days?...Where is it coming from, Pluto?) I had to make a small cash withdrawal. When I was filling in my details, I had a chance look at the back of the form. There is an area that the cashier must tick.

The cashier must tick that the individual is known personally to cashier, or that the individual is known personally to another named individual (eg, cashier's boss or another teller working with the cashier). If neither of these is the case, then the cashier has to fill in the box to note that 'suitable' ID has been checked, but it didn't specify what that ID has to be. So, possibly down to the branch guidelines or discretion of teller. The teller also checked my signature very carefully, and even had me re-sign to be thorough, because I signed with my initials + surname. Whereas, the signature they have on file is my first name + surname.

In light of that, it seems very suspicious indeed that money was withdrawn so easily from your account. I think HSBC should have been way more proactive about this. If you have a payment that has bounced, I think they should compensate you fees/inconvenience. From your description of events, it's certainly not your fault, and it seems the bank is slack in enforcing their own guidelines in this case. xx

[emc]

xx

[giggirl]

Well done on getting this resolved emc. It is all very shocking though. Surely there are cctv cameras in these branches and they ought to be able to identify the thief?

[emc]

Yes, she's on CCTV at both branches but am assuming this will be part of HSBC fraud depts investigations? Interestingly the signature that HSBC hold on file for me is thirteen years old, as I said it's in my maiden name and I haven't signed anything using that name (bank wise at least) for years and years....am thinking fraudster must have had an 'in' at the bank as you can tell, however badly the signature has been done, that there has been an attempt to copy it. How on earth would anyone know that's the one HSBC hold on file for me - only a person inside HSBC could know that.

[ed_pete]

emc - really glad that you've got your money back and HSBC are taking the matter very seriously. You might want to check your last post. You might want to be careful about making unsubstantiated allegations on a public forum from a legal point of view IMO.

[Sue]

Absolutely unbelievable that it took something like this for HSBC to look at their processes.

And ed_pete, as no names have been mentioned (nor could they be I imagine) I'm not sure that there are any legal implications in emc suggesting a very plausible explanation for how this crime happened?

Though, emc, how could they have got your card?