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Original poster

I've been reported for fraud...

62 replies

Whatryourthoughts · 25/02/2023 19:54

I provide a service in the beauty industry. Have my own business. At Christmas I advertised a special offer for a service. I don't want to be too outing and say what this was, but as a similar example let's say it was 4 lash extension sessions for the price of 3. So the buyer would bulk buy the sessions at a discount, like a package. In the ad it said the purchase was non-refundable.
A lady booked the package and also booked in her first 'session' for lashes in January. On the day of the session she messaged me less than an hour before her session to cancel due to being ill and asked to rearrange. I said this was fine.
She has last week asked me for a refund for the money she paid for the package. I politely reminded her that the Christmas special offer was non-refundable and offered her a variety of slots to book herself in.
Today my card was blocked by my bank... having contacted them, it turns out I've been reported as a scam by this woman!
I explained my side to them and they said to go to the bank on Monday morning and just show my booking T&Cs and the correspondence between myself and this woman and they will unfreeze my account. However this had really freaked me and I'm really upset/angry/depressed that this has even happened. I partly wish I'd just given her the refund now, did I do the wrong thing?

OP posts:
SpecialK2023 · 25/02/2023 19:56

Are you saying she has reported you to the bank?
How does she know who you bank with? This sounds totally bizarre.

värskekapsas · 25/02/2023 19:59

its pretty common practice to have non refundable offers like that i the beauty industry, so don't think you dod anything wrong. You offered her other options and she chose not to take it. It is very harsh Action from the bank though!

Ilikewinter · 25/02/2023 19:59

Wow, that sounds rather extreme move from the bank.......and the customer

MrsDanversGlidesAgain · 25/02/2023 19:59

SpecialK2023 · 25/02/2023 19:56

Are you saying she has reported you to the bank?
How does she know who you bank with? This sounds totally bizarre.

How does she know who you bank with?

Paid by bank transfer?

Rantypanties · 25/02/2023 20:00

Did she pay you by bank transfer, hence the ability to contact your bank?

Original poster
Whatryourthoughts · 25/02/2023 20:00

@SpecialK2023 yes, she reported the transaction she made to me, to HER bank as a scam transaction. My bank has been altered and my account has been frozen by the fraud department.
I know it's bizarre. I'm thrown and gutted. I work really hard in my business. Single mum, trying my best in an increasingly more difficult world and this feels like a stab in the gut.

OP posts:
Original poster
Whatryourthoughts · 25/02/2023 20:01

Frozen not altered.

OP posts:
Original poster
Whatryourthoughts · 25/02/2023 20:01

Altered even, I'm sorry.. I'm emotional

OP posts:
MrsRickAstley · 25/02/2023 20:01

Jeeez some people.

Original poster
Whatryourthoughts · 25/02/2023 20:02

ALERTED 😫

OP posts:
MargaritMargo · 25/02/2023 20:03

Sounds a very strange approach for her to take, I think she’s claimed it via her bank as fraud and then they’ve contacted your bank who have frozen your account. Similar to what you can do when you purchase online and you don’t receive your goods etc. You can claim it back. That is the only way I can see that your bank would have any interest in a customer dispute.

Assuming your T&Cs were very clear and watertight and you’ve taken all the relevant steps then you’ll be fine. She can claim fraud but it’s not is it. These sorts of things happen in retail / business - people will try it on or will have failed to notice the refund policy etc. It might be easier in theory to offer a refund but really why should you? I wouldn’t, she’s being a CF trying it on.

MrsDanversGlidesAgain · 25/02/2023 20:03

My bank has been altered and my account has been frozen by the fraud department

How long have you been with this bank? is it a business account or a personal one?

SpecialK2023 · 25/02/2023 20:05

This is a matter for your bank though - is it? It’s a civil matter, it’s not for the bank to police the policies of your business so I can’t see why they need to “see your T&C’s” she’s not been scammed, it was a genuine business transaction that’s now in repute but that doesn’t make the circumstances surrounding it the banks business.

Hope that makes sense. I am surprised at your banks approach seems completely disproportionate.

MargaritMargo · 25/02/2023 20:06

sorry crossed post - you’ll feel shit about it but you mustn’t. This is business! You’ve got to be quite no nonsense about it bc people will take the piss otherwise.
It was a non refundable package, she cancelled with notice, you offered her plenty of flexibility in her bookings. You’ve done more than you needed to.
It does sting but this sort of stuff happens to ALL businesses- it’s no reflection of you. It’s the nature of working with the general public lol

MrsDanversGlidesAgain · 25/02/2023 20:09

MargaritMargo · 25/02/2023 20:06

sorry crossed post - you’ll feel shit about it but you mustn’t. This is business! You’ve got to be quite no nonsense about it bc people will take the piss otherwise.
It was a non refundable package, she cancelled with notice, you offered her plenty of flexibility in her bookings. You’ve done more than you needed to.
It does sting but this sort of stuff happens to ALL businesses- it’s no reflection of you. It’s the nature of working with the general public lol

OP has had her bank account frozen because this client maliciously reported she'd been scammed by OP. It's a bit more than 'don't worry, you abided by your Ts&Cs.'

Sunsetintheeast · 25/02/2023 20:24

she’s tried to fraudulently claim. She might ding she’s in trouble.

Bignanny30 · 25/02/2023 20:38

Some folk are Unbelievable. However didn’t she have to prove to her bank that it was a scam and if they’d seen the transaction t&cs they’d realise that you are legitimate! I’m really angry and it’s not even me that it’s happened to. People should be supporting small businesses!! Once you’ve sorted it with your bank I’d out her on local social media. Selfish bitch ( her not you !)

LivingOnAPrayerYes · 25/02/2023 20:39

I'm self employed in the service industry, and honestly, this isn't that uncommon. People seem to think it's perfectly fine to do this to individual self employed people, but would never dream of doing it to a big company. In my industry, the general consensus is that its easier just to (very reluctantly) refund in the first place.

Have you had a solicitor look into your contract and terms, as in my industry (not beauty) there have been a few test cases where actually, even deposits must be returned to clients if the service hasn't been provided- and that included the client cancelling for any reason. Legally, I can only keep a deposit if I can prove I've carried out work to that value, so drawing up contracts, emailing information, time on a phone call consultation. It doesn't matter what is written in your contract /T&C, it can't go against what is stated in law.

Also, if it is a personal bank account that you're using for business, your bank can just close the account with no notice if they find out as it's usually against their T&C. It's perfectly fine/ legal for you to use a personal account, but it's up to the bank if they allow it (usually jot as they can charge more for business accounts). I know of a few colleagues recently who have just had their accounts closed for this reason- has caused them lots of issues in the short term.

AllThatFancyPaintsAsFair · 25/02/2023 20:40

That doesn't sound right, surely you cant just ring up your bank and without any investigation they get another bank to freeze someone's account

Is there a bit of the story missing?

Custardbanana · 25/02/2023 20:41

Do you have a separate business and personal account?

MrsDanversGlidesAgain · 25/02/2023 20:46

Also, if it is a personal bank account that you're using for business, your bank can just close the account with no notice if they find out as it's usually against their T&C

If OP is a sole trader she can use her own a/c. If she's trading as a limited company she should have a business account. If the bank has noticed a lot of transactions not related to personal banking they might require her to open a business account, but it sounds like that's not the case here - they have frozen her account on the say so of a disgruntled customer.

LivingOnAPrayerYes · 25/02/2023 20:51

Even as a sole trader, often banks own T&C say this isn't allowed. A nice bank may just request she opens a business account, but my colleagues (sole traders) must not have been with nice banks!

My link to this is that the frozen account and OP having to contact her bank about it will now have alerted her bank to the fact that she's using it for business transactions.

But OP may well be talking about a business account anyway.

MrsDanversGlidesAgain · 25/02/2023 20:57

But OP may well be talking about a business account anyway

Quite. If it is a personal a/c the scam accusation might have alerted the bank that it's being used to run a business, but a proportionate response would be to politely draw attention to their T&Cs and request the opening of a business account, not freezing it. OP would have to be a pretty stupid scammer to use her OWN bank account, as well ( altho I'm sure there are scammers stupid enough to do that).

Anyway, until OP comes back with more info we won't know.

Livelovebehappy · 25/02/2023 21:18

This is scarily common currently. I work in banking, and we do have people reporting if someone has supposedly scammed them on eBay, Facebook etc. They have to provide evidence, and the bank can then freeze the account or even give notice to close. My personal opinion is that banks shouldn’t get involved. It should be something they involve the police or a solicitor in.

Candymay · 25/02/2023 21:25

The bank doing that is so extreme. What a horrible woman. I know the beauty industry well and the packages do give problems when people decide to ask for refunds. You were completely within your rights to turn her down- as you know. But yes maybe next time when you sense a difficult person just refund and steer clear. I hope you get it all sorted with your bank on Monday morning.