Advice much needed!! Santander credit card fraud £3800

[dogtan1an]

hope this is being posted in the correct section;

I have posted a thread on MSE previously http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/....php?t=4784623 (apologies if outside links not allowed) I am now seeking as much advice as possible with regard to the below.

Long and short of it is my credit card was used without my permission in august for a total of five transaction between two onlnie gambling sites and western union. After investigating santander are stating that they believe the transactions to have been genuine. I have been advised by santander that i now need to write in a letter of complaint in order to escalate i.e. appeal. I am having difficulty getting the inforamtion that i assume santander already found such as ip addresses, account activity on the gambling sites. I have used my santander current account for online gambling and actually have accounts already with the two gambling merchants (one being last used in 2008 and the other march 2013). I am led to believe that santan have made their decision based on these factors (i have to admit that i can understand) The simple fact is that i did not make or authorize anyone to make these transactions (or indeed open up an account in my name). Is it now a case of my word versus them? I would have assumed that from their "thorough" investigation that as they believe that they are genuine transactions that they would be accusing me of fraud. Santander have repeatdly told me they are not accusing me of fraud - surely it is either genuine and fraudulent or it's not?

As i say above i am trying to gather information now to put forward a case. I had been led to believe that it was not my job to prove my innocence but it appears this is what i am going to need to do. Santander have been able to give me information about times the deposits were made but nothing on ip addresses, western union addresses or generally anything that they have been able to find out......which leaves me now going to the merchants to find this out (easier said than done) One of the companies i spoke with on friday after sending in documents that were requested to prove my identity was able to confirm that there is actually a balance of over £1800 in the account (frozen since account was locked start of august pending verification). I immediately called santander back to ask whether she had been aware of this and suggest it could be an idea to try to recover these monies. Apparantly santander were not aware of this and said they would go back to query this. How thorough is their investigation again?

Looks like i may possibly be liable for closer to 2k rather than 4 which i guess is something. Although that is the worst case scenario - this is money i did not spend in the first place.

My question really is with regard to meeting minimum repayments - after receiving a couple of calls from the collections department (this was how i first learnt of the misuse of card) during the first week of investigation (it's two weeks tomorrow i was told my card was used) which i assumed to be a mistake (and to which the collections department were very apologetic for calling) my santan rep in fraud told me on asking that they advised customers to keep paying until investigation is over. Needless to say i have not although now that the investigation is over and i will be escalating i am unsure as to whether it would be advisable to start paying.

Any other advice would be most welcome! thanks

[labman]

Re: Advice much needed!! Santander credit card fraud £3800

Have you contacted Action Fraud (Link). They may be able to help further. :beagle:

[enquirer]

Re: Advice much needed!! Santander credit card fraud £3800

Escalate as far and as quickly as possible.

If you have the nerve, invite them to sue you for it. They will have to disclose all the evidence upon which they will be relying. You will also be able to force them to disclose much of what you want to know.

[dogtan1an]

Re: Advice much needed!! Santander credit card fraud £3800

thanks guys for the reply, i will check out action fraud. I have however already reported to the police with a case being opened (and quite possibly closed now)

It's still ongoing but this has been some roller coaster, one day hopeful of a resolution the next not. I have now been told that santander are upholding their decision so i believe i now need to write in/ phone a complaint to santander ( thought this was what i had already done). And then onto the ombudsman.

I had hoped to at least reduce the bill by £1400 as that was the amount that was deposited into the first merchant. It was only by me contacting the merchant that i was made aware of a balance of over £1800 in the account. Santander have come back and said last week that they could do a charge back on the £1400 (they contacted the merchant again to confirm whether there was a balance). They have now turned round and said they cannot do a chargeback because they cannot prove it was fraud. So it's a catch22 where i know there is £1400+ in the account but the merchant cant discuss with me (other to confirm the balance) as it is fraud and santander saying they can't do anything.

I will be moving onto the ombudsman shortly. I will probably be paying off most if not all the the bill in the interim. Really can't believe where i have been left with this. The cleaners we previosuly employed had been suspected of taking money and my passport previously but i did not raise this with santander initally (fearing that they would accuse me of negligence and thus not cover the fraud). The police knew and santander now know but they were asking for quite impossible things (cleaners ip, a police statement from the cleaners). The PC in the local police has said she has done more than would normally be expected in such a case, phoning the cleanrers and such but say's she can't demand their address or ip or question them as we didn't actually see them take money etc/ lack of corroboration.

Well touch wood this finally gets sorted and i am not left out of poket from a crazy 3-4k bill!!

[FlamingParrot]

Re: Advice much needed!! Santander credit card fraud £3800

I just want to say I know someone who had money fraudulently taken out of his Santander account a few years ago. It wasn't through a credit card but directly from his current account and had no idea who or how (presumably through his debit card). I believe travellers cheques were bought, amongst other things. He also reported it to the police :mod: and it took some time (a few months) and quite a bit of phone calls and correspondence, however, the outcome was positive in the end. :grin: