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Here goes (deep breath)
A friend (not much of one) asked me if he could pay a cheque into my account made out to me (for work he had done) and I get the cash out for him. I said no problem but as a Natwest bank was closer to me I actually paid it into my parents joint account (my dad and I have the same name) and then transferred it to mine to withdraw the cash out of.
A few weeks later he said the job had got bigger and he needed to buy materials in cash so could he transfer some money into the same account and I again get the cash out for him. I agreed again.
After this is when things got complicated as money kept being transferred into the account for me to get out even after i’d said no more transfers. Every time it was for stuff on the big job he was on. I assumed the money was coming from his boss and it went on for a while.
Then last week the bank called me asking where it had come from so I told them all I knew and they said the person who had been transferring the money (and paid the cheque) was actually someone who was having work done on their house. They’ve since discovered a lot of the work done was not required and so they have been scammed.
The bank have accepted everything me and my dad have told them and re-opened my account but my own bank Co-Operative (where the money was sent to from my parents) have closed my account down. As have Chase bank. I currently only have a Barclays and yesterday they put a lock on it because a friend of mine had transferred me money for a hotel I paid for him. They also locked the account the money was sent from.
I believe the person who believes they’ve been scammed is getting the police involved and I have absolutely no idea what to do. I feel awful that someone may have been conned and I unwittingly facilitated it. I was naive and am now desperately worried I’ve got me and more importantly my parents into legal trouble.
Any advice on what steps I should take is much appreciated.
A friend (not much of one) asked me if he could pay a cheque into my account made out to me (for work he had done) and I get the cash out for him. I said no problem but as a Natwest bank was closer to me I actually paid it into my parents joint account (my dad and I have the same name) and then transferred it to mine to withdraw the cash out of.
A few weeks later he said the job had got bigger and he needed to buy materials in cash so could he transfer some money into the same account and I again get the cash out for him. I agreed again.
After this is when things got complicated as money kept being transferred into the account for me to get out even after i’d said no more transfers. Every time it was for stuff on the big job he was on. I assumed the money was coming from his boss and it went on for a while.
Then last week the bank called me asking where it had come from so I told them all I knew and they said the person who had been transferring the money (and paid the cheque) was actually someone who was having work done on their house. They’ve since discovered a lot of the work done was not required and so they have been scammed.
The bank have accepted everything me and my dad have told them and re-opened my account but my own bank Co-Operative (where the money was sent to from my parents) have closed my account down. As have Chase bank. I currently only have a Barclays and yesterday they put a lock on it because a friend of mine had transferred me money for a hotel I paid for him. They also locked the account the money was sent from.
I believe the person who believes they’ve been scammed is getting the police involved and I have absolutely no idea what to do. I feel awful that someone may have been conned and I unwittingly facilitated it. I was naive and am now desperately worried I’ve got me and more importantly my parents into legal trouble.
Any advice on what steps I should take is much appreciated.
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