I work as a fraud Investigator for a main high street bank AMA!

[confusedlady10]

Well technically I have just left (hence me feeling comfortable to share my day to day job) as I am starting a new job in a new field!

I am not sure if I feel comfortable to say which bank still, but I used to work as a senior call centre employee and investigator in the fraud department of a main high street bank and used to work in the main call centre role before then (logging the fraud and day to day banking queries). I still spoke to customers on the phone after becoming an investigator, just not as much as before.

I will try to answer as many questions as possible if I get any. I dealt with customers who are fraudsters and those who have been scammed/frauded. I have left now to work in a completely different field for much better pay after accepting a job so can happily talk about this one.

Did you learn anything surprising or generally useful for us to know in terms of how can prevent being victims of fraud?

Yes! (Well, maybe not too surprising or interesting). But first, NEVER pay for anything via bank transfer, no matter how big or small unless you are physically with the item and about to take it away. Even if it's for a service, unless you're with the service provider and they are about to start. If people trust the seller and choose to go ahead, that's on them. But I personally would never pay for anything via bank transfer, and stick to debit or credit cards where you have protection.

Also, I only buy from genuine official padlocked sites, and if paying for something online always read their terms and conditions. A lot of companies sign people up to things without them knowing as sneaky subscriptions.

Finally, if paying through PayPal never select friends and family. Even if the seller tells you to for convenience e.c.t, and never go outside an official companies payment system to buy something (such as a private bank transfer agreement for booking.com or eBay and stick to card or their official payment channels). You lose all protection if things go wrong.

Do you get the impression that many customers are careless about keeping their financial details secure?

What protections can banks offer our increasingly older population as banks actually close and become further away?

Yes and no. Many people buy things online without properly looking at reviews, seeing if a company is genuine or checking their T&Cs ad get surprised when the company steal their details and take further payments and their details end up getting sold online. Then further dodgy companies try taking more payments.

And some tend to give out card details to scam phone calls which is worrying, or respond to dodgy job AD's where they give out their passport, NI and ID without checking if the company is real. This doesn't happen as often as people putting their card details in on dodgy sites though!

Do you think the increasing push towards online banking is a good thing or a concern?

Did you see lots of romance scamming going on? Asking as there was a really interesting and sad article in the Guardian today, about an older woman who'd lost nearly £100k to her 'American boyfriend'.

Tbh not much which is really sad, and instead they are pushing more online education on the older generation to teach them how to use banking apps and the web. Our branches are also disappearing in areas too, so I would always take time to talk the elderly through online banking (even if it took hours) and setting up our app and would talk them through how to do transfers so that they were self sufficient as they can be and would stay on the phone until they sorted it and set up their passwords ect.

They were usually very grateful for my patience. And I would send them email guides too. Banks close down branches when it isn't financially viable for the area and aren't getting enough customers, so the disabled and elderly lose out and end up switching banks. It is quite disappointing.

Will be back later if I get any more questions. :)

Why did you leave the job?

Do you think the banks have a duty of care to older people who struggle with technology to make sure in person support is easily available?

A few years ago the NatWest (I think) showed their mobile bank visiting remote areas of Scotland (I assume, I can't actually remember) ... oh how we laughed confident that the two local banks were so handy for us. Now our nearest bank is a tram ride away - 5-6 miles.

Job was super interesting, but just not paying enough. I got a job offer in a different field (health care insurance) for more money. I'm a single mum and couldn't pass the opportunity. Had been looking for ages!

You'd think so, but sadly they don't care even if I do personally think they have a duty of care. We do offer cash deliveries though, it's not a well known thing and it depends on the customer's circumstances/vulnerabilities and the amount they want.

A random stranger managed to open a bank account using my address. I contacted the bank’s fraud line - not an easy process and they said they would investigate.
But how on earth did the individual do this? I have always been asked for passport, Driving Licence, utlity bills etc when opening an account. Also the cards etc would have been sent to my address….
I know the other people on the street so it was not a typo on the house number.

Yup! We get many elderly people who are lonely and don't have family around. They get scammed usually through romance scams or people pretending to be our bank and tricking them into giving out details like card details and codes and losing money. The worst was actually not an elderly person, but a middle aged man who sent over £100k abroad to who he thought was his girlfriend in America. When you reversed the images he sent us of the woman (to prove it was her in order to keep sending more money as further payments got flagged), it was a top Australian model.

Cash delivery? That’s helpful.

DM is at that point where she has all the tech and all the apps but keeps locking herself out/making mistakes.

It’s really hard to help her from a distance. She is still independent, but not consistently. The security features catch her out. But I don’t want her vulnerable to fraudsters either. 🤐

Very interesting, thank you for the thread OP😁

Both tbh. It's very good but many people get confused with how to use it. I wish we had simpler guides to teach people. It's quite safe though if you ask me, and a lot of customers are liars so when they claim that they have been hacked or didn't do an online banking transfer and claim security breaches they are usually lying anyway.

I am looking to change jobs, as i am being made redundant next year, after more than 15 years in insurance. I'd love to get into a fraud related role. What is the best way in your opinion?

What could/did you do when you were pretty sure a customer was lying? Did you refund them anyway?

Previous owners maybe? Or they may have opened an account and changed the address over, but no idea what benefit that would be. Usually we get people opening accounts in customer's names not from just address details alone, I've rarely come across that. Sometimes people respond do dodgy emails or job offers or send ID through that alone and scammers use it.

Or if the person was a British Citizen, they can just use their passport alone if they are on the electoral register (in my bank anyway), so the system may not require proof of address too and can open accounts with just that alone and then use your address on the online application, scan the passport in a branch or online and then they have an account from your address. I always say check Experian for any accounts you may not have authorised in your name as well when that happens, some credit agencies like that, have extra security layers you may be able to utilise (for a fee).

Dm me and I could maybe refer you or tell you the best places to apply. My bank are severely understaffed and have hybrid roles in fraud. The hours can vary till evening time though, and the pay isn't too great.

But if you are looking in general or in better paying banks, look for any sort of fraud or risk qualifications or learning your job offer internally or do courses online like the ICA Anti-money laundering course (It's about £900 and some you can pay in instalments) to add to your CV.

Network with recruiters in banking on sites like Linked in, and maybe by applying start in branches, call centres or live chats or even admin or complaints in a bank in you can to get your foot in the door and work your way up. (I started in branch).

I did the opposite moved to insurance from banking without qualifications too however, it's more about proving you have transferable skills. Fluff up the key words on your CV to match fraud (not saying lie just make insurance sound more investigation/admin).

In interviews if you get any, do lots of research about the company and answer their questions using the STAR method and have lots of transferable examples in your current role and how they transfer to banking and fraud. Find out their core values and try to explain match them. They love when you talk about their CORE values and show passion for the things the company do, like volunteering.

In my interview I did a lot of talk about volunteering and how much I appreciated the core values of the company and work they did outside (shows you've done your homework and actually care about the company/customers) and makes them appreciate it as well. Good luck and hope that helps.

No. For the liars (for all types of fraud):

We could check their IP address and device when they authenticate a payment or use online banking so could catch them out if they claim they didn't do a bank transfer.

Same process for authenticated card payments too, and we can send indemnities to merchants to see if a customer made a payment (and they usually send us proof of them signing up to and using their services with their details matching ours and their IP address).

We can check CCTV with branches and ATM companies/owners if a customer claims they didn't do a withdrawal or receive cash (and they can also calibrate their systems to see if their system detected an error with giving the cash).

We can check CCTV and signatures and ID's with branches if a customer claims they didn't do a counter withdrawal/transaction.

We can check live dates and times of when a purchase is made and how (e.g chip and pin, Apple pay, a subscription e.c.t) and whether they have used the company before and how many times.

We can see if they have used the card genuinely since the "fraudulent transactions".

Many different ways. 9/10 customers calling to report fraud were lying so it was very useful! Under a certain amount and depending how it went out we may just either refund or decline the claim and educate them on keeping their account safe.

Too many historic claims (or large claim amounts and blatant lies) and they may end up blacklisted from the bank and their account gets shut (for being a liability and not keeping their account safe), and we may also put a CIFAS marker against them in more extreme cases (pretty much stopping them from getting credit or a bank account else where for 6 years).

See if her bank has a specialist team that can help customers like her, they also do certain transactions over the phone too. Make sure she doesn't write down passwords or answer dodgy calls too. I get when older people want to keep their independence but still struggle, it's hard bless her!

Hi, thank you so much - this is really helpful. I will drop you a DM.

I am so discontent with my current role, that a salary drop is something I would consider to feel happier in role.

I have just passed an insurance industry qualification recently, and about to have final assessments in the next 2 weeks for another qualification; which is transferable; so I am hoping that will help.

My current role includes lots of investigation and problem solving; and i completely get what you mean about tailoring my CV to emphasise this.

Ive lots of experience with STAR techniques, as all prevous interviews i've had have been competency based, and my work for my qualification assessments is also that format.

i have also managed to secure a job before by basing a presentation round the companies values; i still pat myself on the back for that one 10 years on; even though i ended up turning down the job in the end. I try to remind myself of that often as i have anxiety related low self esteem issues.

Thanks again for all of the useful information.

Edited to add, i cannot seem to DM. Is that a premium only feature ?