Last year we moved from the US to London to allow me to take up a new, quite prestigious job. As part of that, I opened a new bank account at Barclays last November, and deposited £1,000.
The bank duly sent out a debit card and pin to our west London address, but before either had arrived, someone had emptied the account of the £1,000 – making five, separate ATM withdrawals in south London. I was in Edinburgh when this happened, oblivious to what was going on.
The thief also set up an online banking account in my name, although Barclays will not tell me when this happened. Someone (presumably the same thieves) also tried to open fraudulent accounts in my name in the US.
After weeks of stalling, someone from the Barclays fraud team finally decided that the bank would not reimburse me. A fraud specialist at the bank ruled: “Unfortunately, as I am unable to evidence how the compromise has happened, I am unable to agree with your complaint.”
I took up the case with the Financial Ombudsman Service, and Barclays defended itself by insisting that I was trying to defraud them. Though I have appealed, the ombudsman has thus far found in Barclays’ favour.
The amount of money involved is modest, but I am indignant at the theft itself, at the shambolic fraud investigation, and at the shocking conclusion that I am the criminal. Barclays will not provide access to CCTV of the ATM withdrawals, nor do anything in a timely or courteous fashion. What do you advise?
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CI, London
Apparently, this is quite a common fraud that people try on with the banks, but even so, I feel that you have been treated badly, first by Barclays and then by the FOS, which appears to have simply sided with the bank without doing a detailed investigation.
The most likely explanation was always that the card and pin were stolen before being delivered to your home. Armed with both, the account could, of course, be emptied
I asked Barclays to take a second look at your case, pointing out some of the background to you moving to the UK, and it has now done an about-turn. The bank has now offered to refund the £1,000, pay 8% interest on the balance for the period since the theft, and pay £200 for your poor treatment.
I do hope the rest of your UK stay is less problematic.
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