Fraudsters can be pushy, use scare tactics and urge you to take action before you have the chance to think. That’s what happened to Which? member Sandra Truran when she was targeted by a hoax caller.
Sandra told us: When someone claiming to be from Barclays’ bank fraud squad called to say there was a payment of £1,600 on my husband John’s debit card, we supplied him with our details, including the security number on the back of the card and the Pin. He also said he was sending a courier to our house to collect the card.
After I put the phone down I became suspicious, and a quick call to Barclays confirmed it was a scam, so they cancelled the card immediately. It was quite unnerving. We locked the door in case someone turned up. We were lucky we realised, but others might not.
Our advice for Sandra
If you realise you’ve given a fraudster your bank details, contact your bank immediately.
Your bank should refund any money taken. If it doesn’t, and can’t prove you acted negligently, ask for your claim to be escalated. If your bank’s decision is final, ask for a letter of deadlock so you can then refer your claim to the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS). You can read more about this process on our consumer rights website.
The FOS will make a decision which is binding on the bank, but not on you, so you’re free to take your claim to court if you’re not satisfied – though think carefully whether it’s likely to be successful.
Have you experienced a similar scam? Did you fall for it? Were you able to get it resolved?