@natwest_help Natwest Card Fraud Refund - Payment Already Taken

[Chris0473]

On 14th March, I received a letter from Nat West Fraud department asking me to check the recent transactions on my credit card. I hadn't used the card for the best part of a year so I was immediately concerned by the letter and sure enough I logged into my account and found two transactions (19th Feb & 26th Feb) which I didn't recognise and which totaled just over £3600. There was also a £12 charge added by Natwest as an over limit fee since the transactions took the total above my credit limit.

 

I immediately contacted the Fraud Dept using the information on the letter, and confirmed both the transactions as fraudulent, at that point I was also told of another attempted transaction on 3rd March which they had blocked and which had triggered them sending the letter, I hadn't made that one either.

 

They then confirmed that they now had all of the details that they needed and that the transactions would be refunded within 5 days, they also mentioned sending a letter to me to sign in order to confirm the details. As of typing this, I haven't had a refund, nor had the letter which they wanted me to sign and return.

 

On 18th March, a Direct Debit was taken out of my Bank Account to cover the £3600+ balance on my Natwest Credit Card, despite them being reported as Fraudulent 4 days earlier. I found an article online which said that although investigating the actual card fraud may take a "reasonable" amount of time, interest shouldn't be charged and payment shouldn't be requested by the card issuer until proof of liability was determined and provided. However Natwest decided to cheerfully take their payment, clearing the balance on 18th March, before any conclusion has been reached and whilst the investigation is clearly still ongoing.

 

I contacted the Executive Office stating that it was two weeks since the fraud was reported and making an official complaint regarding the balance on the card being settled prior to any investigation being concluded, and telling them that I wanted the £3600 restoring to my Bank Account whilst the matter is still under investigation.

 

This was met with a reply from the Executive Office, stating that my complaint had been received, apologising for me being mislead in relation to the amount of time I was told that it would take to investigate and refund the transactions and stating that it would probably take a further ten days for them to now investigate my complaint. Needless to say, the £3600 hasn't been refunded to my Bank Account, and that point has been entirely ignored.

 

So my first question, is it ok for them to collect payment for Fraudulent Transactions from me after they have been reported and before any investigation has been concluded?, advice from other sources suggest that it isn't and that I should continue to pursue the refund, but where can I go to with the complaint next?, i've already complained to the Exec Office and I believe that the Ombudsman won't investigate until Natwest address my official complaint, and reply to it, which they effectively have eight weeks to do.

 

I don't really care how long it takes them to investigate the transactions, provided they remain just a balance on the card statement, its the fact that i'm now £3600 out of pocket for card payments which I didn't make whilst Natwest drag their heels investigating the fraud, and now, also address my complaint.

 

I've also reported it to Action Fraud and passed on the Crime Number to Natwest on my complaint to the Exec Office.

Edited April 1, 2016 by Chris0473

[martin2006]

Hi Chris, someone will be along soon with more knowledge than i regarding this

 

Martin