Bank Fraud

[lainiej]

My 17yr old daugher was given �2,500 by her grandparents on her birthday to assist her with univeristy expenses. She checked her HSBC bank balance at a cash point on 22.1.09 only to find that this money had been taken from her account. Straight away we went to the main branch in our town where it was shown that her card appeared to have been skimmed at some point and used in Rome to make several purchases. We were told that the bank fraud dept would investigate but that as it was obviously fraud the �2,500 would be refunded to her account.
Yesterday, my daughter received a letter from HSBC telling her that as her debit hadnt been reported lost/stolen before the withdrawals or that, in their opinion, she had given her card and her PIN to someone to use , the money would not be refunded. Again we went to the bank and spoke to a horrified member of staff who again contacted the fraud dept. who say they will reinvestigate. I'm appaled by the way this has been handled. Does this mean that everyone who is a victim of bank fraud has to just lump it?
Any advice/opinions please.TIA

[angiebaby57]

Credit card info can be obtained if a website u have shopped at has been hacked into! My details and that of my husbands were taken and we were unaware until the bank rang us as their fraud guys had spotted something....we were refunded with every penney and we didnt report a thing! Go to the local press or write to the banking ombudsman and kick up a stink! The louder you shout the more joy u will get! x

[Rollo]

You get more protection if your credit card is used fraudently that you do if it is a debit card that is used.

[Ethel]

If you daughter has used that card to make a 'cardholder not present' transaction, by telephone or over the internet, she will have given enough information for somebody to use the card fraudulently.

She cannot be held responsible if that is the case.

[factor-fiction]

I hope it gets sorted out and I'm sure it will. The bank has to be sure that on the balance of probabilities it was fraud because overall fraud costs have to be met in effect by all customers and shareholders so they can't just take everyone's word for it that it was fraud.
The bank may also be aware that some students have tried scams where they give a card to a friend who is travelling home one weekend to another part of the country, get them to withdraw cash, and then report a phantom withdrawal claiming they never left town.
I'm not implying that's what's happened here, just saying why banks have to be careful.
I was a victim of an online credit card withdrawal and I got money back, so you'll be okay I'm sure