Mysterious PAY payments in online banking - Any ideas?

[George7]

I'm with Lloyds TSB, and today I logged into my online banking for the first time for a little while just to check things out. I thought my balance looked a little low given that I'd been paid just before Christmas and not bought much, then I noticed 2 strange looking payments, these are the details:

23 Dec 13 000003 PAY 138.16
23 Dec 13 000002 PAY 172.23

I can't dig down any further, and I don't remember buying anything on that day on my debit card, or indeed making any payments on that day. I did buy a laptop on my credit card, but that's completely separate to the debit card so I can't see how the 2 would be related; as an aside, the laptop I bought is showing on the credit card statement for the correct amount, and didn't come from a dodgy source (play.com, or Rakuten, whatever they're called now).

Has my card definitely been used by someone else, or could there be a genuine reason for these payments? I've only just found out about this, and can't really do much about it at this hour, but I'd just like to know what to do about it tomorrow, or maybe someone has had this happen to them before and knows what it is, or recognises the payment types?

Obviously it's also been a little while since the payments were made. I would have thought that if someone was using the details, they'd carry on spending until it stopped them? I'm really racking my brains, but I can't think of buying anything much on the 23rd (apart from the laptop), and I'd definitely remember spending over £100, especially twice in a day!

All help and guidance greatly appreciated!

Cheers

[Cliftonite]

Ask the bank?

[Burrito]

Could be cheques, judging by the sequential numbering.

[George7]

Cliftonite said:

Ask the bank?

I will do in the morning, I just wanted to see if anyone had any ideas/advice as to what it might be before I approach the bank. Thankfully I work right next to Lloyds, so I'll pop in there first thing tomorrow; I prefer not to deal with this sort of thing over the phone.

Burrito said:

Could be cheques, judging by the sequential numbering.

I don't actually have a chequebook If it is cheques, will it be trackable somehow and will I likely be able to get my money back? I'm getting increasingly sure this is nothing to do with me. What has thrown me is the strange amounts, possibly cheques written in another currency?

[Cliftonite]

If these amounts are not yours and you haven't left your PINs lying around the bank will sort it.

Worry not!!

[Burrito]

I'm sure you'll be able to get your money back regardless of payment method (assuming it's not BACS/CHAPS).

When I was still living with my parents my dad paid his credit card bill using my cheque book. It was £700 (back in the 90s) and the bank said they didn't check the signatures for such trivial amounts so just pushed the payment through. They rectified within a few days.

[George7]

All sorted now, thanks all It actually transpired that I do have a chequebook (which is now cancelled as I visited the bank in the morning, didn't know I had one at all), and my Mum had accidentally used it to pay for some bills. I'm relieved it's not fraud, and I've not bothered re ordering a cheque book as I never actually used it (online banking is much more convenient for paying people).

[Cliftonite]

George7 said:

All sorted now, thanks all It actually transpired that I do have a chequebook (which is now cancelled as I visited the bank in the morning, didn't know I had one at all), and my Mum had accidentally used it to pay for some bills. I'm relieved it's not fraud, and I've not bothered re ordering a cheque book as I never actually used it (online banking is much more convenient for paying people).

Perhaps she was dropping a few hints that you should increase your board-and-lodging payments in the new year!



Where is cheque number 000001, then?

[George7]

Cliftonite said:

Perhaps she was dropping a few hints that you should increase your board-and-lodging payments in the new year!



Where is cheque number 000001, then?

Possibly As for cheque 000001, I asked about it and the woman at the bank said she couldn't find any record of it.

[Butter Face]

Your mum signed cheques with your name at the bottom and they were paid?

[Cliftonite]

George7 said:

Possibly As for cheque 000001, I asked about it and the woman at the bank said she couldn't find any record of it.

Probably because it is still in the system and hadn't been presented for payment yet. In other words, the person it was sent to hadn't yet paid it in.

[Cliftonite]

Butter Face said:

Your mum signed cheques with your name at the bottom and they were paid?

You expect free banking (well, most of us do!) and yet think the bank has enough staff +/or money to check every (smallish amount) cheque for errors?

[sooperscoop]

Butter Face said:

Your mum signed cheques with your name at the bottom and they were paid?

I think cheques are just whizzed through a scanner/reader now, no one checks the signatures any more, I assume they just do a percentage for security audit purposes.