Girlfriend has been scammed - Advice
Discussion
My other half has done something really really stupid by her own admittance and is in a right state about the whole thing.
Yesterday she had several missed calls from 'her bank' regarding fraudulent transactions on her account. I was looking after the kids and wasn't paying much attention and she was off in the kitchen seemingly dealing with it. She'd been on the phone for about 15-20 minutes which raised an eyebrow from my mum who was visiting who jokingly said, 'I hope it's not a scammer'.
Well it was. My other half ignored literally every red flag until it was too late, she hung up and panicking called her actual bank.
It didn't click that it was from a mobile number, didn't click she was asked for all her personal information either. It went so far as for her to set up a new bank account with a totally different bank and transfer money over to it. Saying it out loud it sounds utterly utterly foolish, all because she panicked and the guy on the end of the phone seemed professional and sincere. That's the idea of scams isn't it!
She's in a complete state trying to sort it out but it seems to be pretty fruitless. This account has been set up with a bank called Revolut who only work online and have no actual people to speak to other than web chat.
Halifax have said because the money has been transferred to Revolut, their hands are tied but have been as helpful as possible and their fraud team have done all they can.
Revolut are saying that because these scammers were given the account details and had all of the information, the £1,200 of purchases they have made are legitimate and currently don't seem willing to do anything about.
Financial Ombudsmen has advised to raise as a complaint with the bank but of course this could all take time and seems the bank currently has no intention of reimbursing or taking it further.
I know this is possibly one of the stupidest mistakes she could have made. I'm slightly baffled that the bank with this new account has no concern about these purchases despite being told that the account holder has had their details scammed out of them. But at the same time, she has handed them over.
Has anyone heard of similar or been in a similar situation and got their money back?
Any advice would be a huge help, although I have resigned myself to the fact that the money is most likely gone.
Yesterday she had several missed calls from 'her bank' regarding fraudulent transactions on her account. I was looking after the kids and wasn't paying much attention and she was off in the kitchen seemingly dealing with it. She'd been on the phone for about 15-20 minutes which raised an eyebrow from my mum who was visiting who jokingly said, 'I hope it's not a scammer'.
Well it was. My other half ignored literally every red flag until it was too late, she hung up and panicking called her actual bank.
It didn't click that it was from a mobile number, didn't click she was asked for all her personal information either. It went so far as for her to set up a new bank account with a totally different bank and transfer money over to it. Saying it out loud it sounds utterly utterly foolish, all because she panicked and the guy on the end of the phone seemed professional and sincere. That's the idea of scams isn't it!
She's in a complete state trying to sort it out but it seems to be pretty fruitless. This account has been set up with a bank called Revolut who only work online and have no actual people to speak to other than web chat.
Halifax have said because the money has been transferred to Revolut, their hands are tied but have been as helpful as possible and their fraud team have done all they can.
Revolut are saying that because these scammers were given the account details and had all of the information, the £1,200 of purchases they have made are legitimate and currently don't seem willing to do anything about.
Financial Ombudsmen has advised to raise as a complaint with the bank but of course this could all take time and seems the bank currently has no intention of reimbursing or taking it further.
I know this is possibly one of the stupidest mistakes she could have made. I'm slightly baffled that the bank with this new account has no concern about these purchases despite being told that the account holder has had their details scammed out of them. But at the same time, she has handed them over.
Has anyone heard of similar or been in a similar situation and got their money back?
Any advice would be a huge help, although I have resigned myself to the fact that the money is most likely gone.
Did her bank ask all the relevant questions when she transferred the money out ? My Father lost £2.5k to the Mom/Dad scam, and as the bank had asked him repeatedly to check it wasn't a scam (the scammer had primed him what to say) they absolved themselves of any blame. Hopefully her bank will be more lenient.
My wife fell victim to the exact same scam a couple of years ago Op to the tune of £4k from her Nationwide account. Never saw any of that back, sorry.
She still kicks herself about it today and feels so stupid. Just reassure her that what’s done is done mate and move on.
Cling to the hope that they scam the wrong person one day and get their comeuppance.
She still kicks herself about it today and feels so stupid. Just reassure her that what’s done is done mate and move on.
Cling to the hope that they scam the wrong person one day and get their comeuppance.
Horse/stable door advice here, but in future and for everyone else’s benefit, NEVER answer calls from unknown numbers - let them ring out, then Google the number to see if it’s been reported as a scam number (this works for mobile numbers too - any number, once a few people have reported them).
Awful to go through and no doubt a painful lesson well-learnt :-(
/AlsoAlex
Awful to go through and no doubt a painful lesson well-learnt :-(
/AlsoAlex
OP - not sure if it helps but I've heard of numerous similar situations on the BBC R4 podcast "MoneyBox" where the victims initially get the same response from the bank that your GF did but then got refunded when the programme got involved. It's a long shot but it might be worth a try.
Red9zero said:
Did her bank ask all the relevant questions when she transferred the money out ? My Father lost £2.5k to the Mom/Dad scam, and as the bank had asked him repeatedly to check it wasn't a scam (the scammer had primed him what to say) they absolved themselves of any blame. Hopefully her bank will be more lenient.
What more could the bank have done ?In a way it is a blessing that it was £1,200 and as said it could have been more. Unfortunately it has come at a time when we have just moved house and that money was tiding her over whilst she looked for a new job so to her it was a huge help, but even she said it would have been all her savings.
I think half of her upset is the embarrassment about it. Missing all of the red flags and acting in blind panic. My frustration is that I work in IT, I know all of these scams as have seen so many over the years and sat in so many security related meetings and seminars. If I'd known the extent of the conversation I'd have cut it off immediately.
I think the baffling thing here is that she has access to the account they have set up which has £50 left in it, the new bank don't seem to be concerned by it at all. Halifax had their fraud team on it and were giving her really good advice. Even if the new bank couldn't help, I'm amazed they have been so nonchalant about it.
I think half of her upset is the embarrassment about it. Missing all of the red flags and acting in blind panic. My frustration is that I work in IT, I know all of these scams as have seen so many over the years and sat in so many security related meetings and seminars. If I'd known the extent of the conversation I'd have cut it off immediately.
I think the baffling thing here is that she has access to the account they have set up which has £50 left in it, the new bank don't seem to be concerned by it at all. Halifax had their fraud team on it and were giving her really good advice. Even if the new bank couldn't help, I'm amazed they have been so nonchalant about it.
OddCat said:
Red9zero said:
Did her bank ask all the relevant questions when she transferred the money out ? My Father lost £2.5k to the Mom/Dad scam, and as the bank had asked him repeatedly to check it wasn't a scam (the scammer had primed him what to say) they absolved themselves of any blame. Hopefully her bank will be more lenient.
What more could the bank have done ?Sorry OP but I suspect the money has gone.
Whilst I have sympathy for anyone who has been a victim of crime I don't see why banks should be reimbursing the victims. It's not the banks fault some of their customers are not very savvy, the banks warn time and time again not to hand over any details online or over the phone.
If banks start reimbursing every victim of fraud then where is the incentive for customers to be careful? If they do the money It will just end up coming out of the pockets of those of us who are more careful.
Whilst I have sympathy for anyone who has been a victim of crime I don't see why banks should be reimbursing the victims. It's not the banks fault some of their customers are not very savvy, the banks warn time and time again not to hand over any details online or over the phone.
If banks start reimbursing every victim of fraud then where is the incentive for customers to be careful? If they do the money It will just end up coming out of the pockets of those of us who are more careful.
MightyBadger said:
Easternlight said:
Wasn't being flippant, just saying it could have been a lot more.
You put ‘only’, that said enough lol.If the OP had 250k in the bank and lots 1200, then its a 'just' but might be the OPs wife only had 1100 and a 100 overdraft, in which case 1200 is a sh** tonne of money.
Easternlight, maybe if its just 1200 quid you should just pop them the money over?
dibblecorse said:
MightyBadger said:
Easternlight said:
Wasn't being flippant, just saying it could have been a lot more.
You put ‘only’, that said enough lol.If the OP had 250k in the bank and lots 1200, then its a 'just' but might be the OPs wife only had 1100 and a 100 overdraft, in which case 1200 is a sh** tonne of money.
Easternlight, maybe if its just 1200 quid you should just pop them the money over?
I'd certainly be doing all I could to get it back, but there has to become a point where the chasing is going to cost you (in time and potentially money) and you have to cut your losses. Clearly not at that point yet being a day or so in, but I understand the comment.
EDIT: Also, Revolut technically isn't a bank. They only hold a banking license in Lithuania, which covers EU, but not UK regulations.
Edited by paradigital on Monday 30th October 14:16
Edited by paradigital on Monday 30th October 14:17
paradigital said:
dibblecorse said:
MightyBadger said:
Easternlight said:
Wasn't being flippant, just saying it could have been a lot more.
You put ‘only’, that said enough lol.If the OP had 250k in the bank and lots 1200, then its a 'just' but might be the OPs wife only had 1100 and a 100 overdraft, in which case 1200 is a sh** tonne of money.
Easternlight, maybe if its just 1200 quid you should just pop them the money over?
I'd certainly be doing all I could to get it back, but there has to become a point where the chasing is going to cost you (in time and potentially money) and you have to cut your losses. Clearly not at that point yet being a day or so in, but I understand the comment.
EDIT: Also, Revolut technically isn't a bank. They only hold a banking license in Lithuania, which covers EU, but not UK regulations.
Edited by paradigital on Monday 30th October 14:16
Edited by paradigital on Monday 30th October 14:17
I hope the OP and his wife get this resolved.
dibblecorse said:
But what I'm saying is its all relative, maybe for some people it can't get any worse than a £1200 loss, Easterns 'just' remark is standard PH fare for those that want to demonstrate how well off they want us to believe they are.
I hope the OP and his wife get this resolved.
Nonsense.I hope the OP and his wife get this resolved.
His use of quotation marks is to emphasise the fact that £1200 could have been a lot worse. It's a common way to use them.
Edited by GoodOlBoy on Monday 30th October 14:48
megaphone said:
Sorry OP but I suspect the money has gone.
Whilst I have sympathy for anyone who has been a victim of crime I don't see why banks should be reimbursing the victims. It's not the banks fault some of their customers are not very savvy, the banks warn time and time again not to hand over any details online or over the phone.
If banks start reimbursing every victim of fraud then where is the incentive for customers to be careful? If they do the money It will just end up coming out of the pockets of those of us who are more careful.
Without wishing to sound too heartless, I agree.Whilst I have sympathy for anyone who has been a victim of crime I don't see why banks should be reimbursing the victims. It's not the banks fault some of their customers are not very savvy, the banks warn time and time again not to hand over any details online or over the phone.
If banks start reimbursing every victim of fraud then where is the incentive for customers to be careful? If they do the money It will just end up coming out of the pockets of those of us who are more careful.
It's like buying a brand new car and never changing the oil, then a few years down the line going back to the manufacturer demanding a replacement car when the engine seizes. Despite being told of the service intervals when buying the car, having them written in the handbook, numerous warning messages on the dash, and countless phone calls from the dealership trying to book the car in every year.
Zetec-S said:
Without wishing to sound too heartless, I agree.
It's like buying a brand new car and never changing the oil, then a few years down the line going back to the manufacturer demanding a replacement car when the engine seizes. Despite being told of the service intervals when buying the car, having them written in the handbook, numerous warning messages on the dash, and countless phone calls from the dealership trying to book the car in every year.
The banks now bombard you with very specific advice about scams. If you choose to ignore that, why should the bank's customers underwrite that? It's like buying a brand new car and never changing the oil, then a few years down the line going back to the manufacturer demanding a replacement car when the engine seizes. Despite being told of the service intervals when buying the car, having them written in the handbook, numerous warning messages on the dash, and countless phone calls from the dealership trying to book the car in every year.
Scams are endemic, even dodgy barcodes on pay to park apps. My Facebook feed is full of £6k Range Rovers, which is blatantly a scam (the dealer the scammer nicked the picture from has it listed at £29k) that guy has 35 similarly dodgy cars. People still fall for it, numerous threads here.
People will have to learn to be more vigilant, but it can be a painful lesson.
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