So so angry right now.
My Dad was telephoned by someone claiming to be from BT reporting a problem with his router. She was very plausible, and persuaded him to download a patch to fix the problem. (Yes, I know. But he's 80, lives on his own, uses his computer and internet daily to maintain some kind of contact with the outside world, would feel lonelier and much more depressed without it so was very concerned when he thought it may be at risk).
He downloaded the "patch" and carried on as normal. At some point he checked his online bank account. After this, someone else logged in to his account using the details and password they'd obviously managed to get from this "patch" and cleaned him out down to the limit of his overdraft - they've stolen well over 4000 pounds, 4000 of which was overdraft.
He's a pensioner and reliant on just his state pension to make ends meet every month.
Apparently the bank says there is no guarantee and very little chance that he will get the money back. Which means that not only does he have nothing, any money he gets in the next few months will have to go into paying off the overdraft.
AIBU to think that his bank have failed in their duty of care by processing a transaction which on the face of it looks highly suspicious? I know when I want to transfer a chunk of money out of my UK bank account, as well as the online bits and bobs I have to put a card into a reader and generate a once-only passcode. In NZ I am sent a text message with an activation code before large online bank transactions are processed. I think that his UK bank has failed to instigate measures to reduce fraud and has processed a transaction that looks like fraud and therefore they are liable to repay him the money (and try and get it back from their own insurers, or the receiving bank).
Does anyone have any advice or suggestion as to how I can help from the other side of the world? Any experience in this sort of thing and getting money back?