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Original poster

to ask what to do now? The bank have given my details to abusive ex...

423 replies

AnchorDownDeepBreath · 14/03/2019 11:25

I made a complaint to the bank a few months ago that they had allowed an abusive ex-partner to open an account in my name and run up debt. Three weeks later, they were still allowing him to use the account (according to my credit file) and I complained again.

Today I messaged them to ask what was taking so long. They've just called and confirmed that they sent a letter, including all the allegations, to his address. An address that I have never lived at. The letter contains my new mobile number, at least, and possibly my new address.

He was very violent. He hit me when we broke up. I had to get the police involved and be escorted to work and home again for a while, had to work odd hours, he waited for me outside anywhere he thought I might be. I had to go into a refuge for a while and get a new number. It took months for me to feel calm that he didn't know where I was. I was treated for intense PTSD, and situational anxiety.

They knew this. I was explicit about this, and they knew it, and have detailed in the letter that they know they can only use certain contact details for me...

The bank complaints handler has apologised and said they will call back today as soon as possible. He shut down and wouldn't tell me any more.

What do I do now? I don't want to keep running, to live in fear again. It cost a lot to deal with it last time, there's a lot of inconvenience... I can't believe they've messed it up. I'm so scared he'll turn up here.

OP posts:
Veterinari · 25/03/2019 07:31

I’d be sending the Barclay’s CEO a link to this thread!

Def information commissioner. Glad you’re in touch with WA already

Tachy · 25/03/2019 08:25

I'm sorry op. All you want in your life is security away from this man.
It's so disgusting this has happened to you and I hope it is all resolved soon.
Can you get a restraining order against him for your security. It's insane he's been doing this for so long and hasn't been charged. He should be in prison.

Original poster
AnchorDownDeepBreath · 25/03/2019 09:06

Morning all.

No real update, but I didn't want you all to think I'd disappeared. I emailed the complaint handler on Friday to say it had now been two weeks and could she please give me an idea of when they'd be resolving this, as it was having a profound effect on my life. She replied on Saturday to ask whether I'd ever had any legitimate Barclays' products, and to say they were fairly sure that this was an error with my "account profile" being overwritten with the old address and they were sorry it had occurred.

The weekend wasn't bad, I spent it with DP. The police are due today to see about getting a temporary alarm system in case it's needed. I'll have to go home today or tomorrow. I need to meet with work today, too, although they want to hold it offsite so I'm not sure that bodes well for returning this week. No updates on whether he's been seen anywhere until I've talked to the police.

OP posts:
Jessikka · 25/03/2019 09:10

You absolutely should report to Information Comissioner as suggested, but ring Barclays complaints and ask for the name of their "Data Controller"

Give this name to the IC.

The Data Controller is the person who is responsible for data breaches and will be personally held accountable. Barclays will REALLY listen if you start using correct terms as they know this is serious.

This is absolutely awful and I'm so sorry you're going through it.

Bowchicawowow · 25/03/2019 09:23

I feel desperately sorry for you OP but I still don’t understand why you haven’t got a solicitor.

toddle · 25/03/2019 12:29

Appalling update from the bank! Gobsmacked they should be footing the bill for all of this. Sorry your STILL going through this with no clear outcome of how they will try to make this better

FilthyforFirth · 25/03/2019 12:31

I am agog. Cannot believe how appallingly this has been handled. No further advice but I would start getting a lot angrier with Barclays if I was you. I'd begin by billing them for the hotel stays. The police can back up the need for it. So sorry this has happened to you.

DGRossetti · 25/03/2019 12:32

I feel desperately sorry for you OP but I still don’t understand why you haven’t got a solicitor.

Until the bank have completed their resolution procedure (and thence to any appeal process and abitration) , there's nothing that can be done.

GirlcalledJack · 25/03/2019 12:34

I also agree you should be instructing a solicitor. The bank procedure might not be completed but a Solicitor will certainly be pushing and chasing it for you.

Stickmanslittleleaf · 25/03/2019 19:41

I'd email the top boss again, in fact I'd email them every day- 'I am unable to return home and haven't heard back with a satisfactory resolution', 'I am in a hotel and unable to attend work, please could you let me know what the outcome of this is?', 'I am returning home and am liaising with the police this afternoon to discuss my personal safety', 'I have met with work and am unable to return', 'please give me a date by which this will be resolved' etc. Tell them you are intending to instruct a solicitor, tell them you will be asking for advice from the ombudsman, tell them you would like to speak to a member of senior management as the call handlers can't discuss or resolve etc etc. In every field I've worked in it's always the persistent customers/ patients who are making themselves/ their problems known who get things resolved far quicker. You'd also then have a trail of you keeping them updated and them doing fuck all if you do involve a lawyer.
I hope you're safe.

Bowchicawowow · 25/03/2019 20:08

DGRosserti That is not actually true.

DGRossetti · 26/03/2019 10:01

DGRosserti That is not actually true.

shrug

I can only report on personal experience, and what DM was told when she had serious bank problems in 2014. I guess if banks can fuck up, so can solicitors though.

ColdCrumpetsandButter · 26/03/2019 17:59

Why are Barclays apologising profusely with the Chief Exec on the phone personally seeing this through?!??

ThatssomebadhatHarry · 26/03/2019 18:31

This is truely horrific OP so sorry you are having to go through this. To say Barclays have behaved appallingly would be an understatement.

Original poster
AnchorDownDeepBreath · 26/03/2019 19:42

They've apologised for the inconvenience, said it was a human error and offered to pay for the cost of me changing my mobile number if I can evidence the costs.

The fraudulent account isn't resolved. They'd like to talk me through "their initial review" which I presume is not good.

Laughable.

OP posts:
TheInvestigator · 26/03/2019 19:53

I think it's time you arrange a face to face with the team handling your complaint. And also get back in touch with your MP.

Exploration2018 · 26/03/2019 19:57

I agree with the pp above. Log every call/all the time spent sorting this out. If you need to move, get a new number, they need to compensate for it all. First make sure that you are safe and then pursue a claim. This is outrageous!

MetalMidget · 26/03/2019 20:14

Fucking hellfire, "inconvenience"?! Yeah, that and the actual risk of physical danger...

BlackberryandNettle · 26/03/2019 22:36

Did you get to see the letter that they sent out to him? I could be wrong (not a lawyer) but I have a feeling that they have to provide you with copies of your personal data/info if you have requested it within a short period of time. I'm really shocked and sorry that Barclays have screwed this up so badly, how incredibly stressful.

rosablue · 26/03/2019 22:50

Shocked but not surprised by the lack of understanding from Barclays.

Just wondering if you should ask them if they will pay for your/your dp's funeral(s) if your ex gets to you before the end of their complaints procedure because from reading what you have written (while I sincerely hope that it isn't the end result!) it sounds like you are worried it is a possibility. Maybe asking something quite so shocking will help to make them realise quite how bad things actually are for you...

I would be tempted to add another approach in to what you are doing and ring up their normal help line (or do over the chatbot help thing online if htey have one) and without saying that you are in the middle of this, ask them what their protocol is for dealing with a data breach that means that personal data is released to another person. And then ask what happens when this person is not a random stranger but somebody known to you and who knowing the information will now make use of it inappropriately? And how do they escalate the process when that person has significant violent intentions against you [insert the official description of him being abusive, police helped you move away safely, now he's prowling around your property again etc]

Because maybe if you talk them through the situation and ramp up to it from the 'simple' case of where they have sent the info to the next person on the list who doesn't know you from adam, as you build up the seriousness, they will realise that a one size protocol doesn't work for everyone and that they need to treat it more seriously. Plus it might give you more ammunition if you can discover that they are not following their own protocols in serious cases.

I would also do the same exercise with the other main banks and their help lines/chat sessions. Work out who does what (or at least what they profess to - I know it's not necessarily the same thing!) so that when you talk to Barclays again, you can say that they are not good enough - if I'd been a [Lloyds] customer they automatically put people into a hotel through their corporate account and do xyz whereas [Santander] set up a different emergency account, transfer my direct debits over, credit me with enough money to rent a room at the local Premier Inn and have a meeting with a bank specialist, you and the police (Obviously I have no idea what the different banks do - some may be worse than Barclays but hopefully there will be some out there that at least have thought it through enough to give you the ammunition to shame Barclays' shocking procedures and to work out which bank to move to next!

OhLookHeKickedTheBall · 26/03/2019 22:57

Human Error is no longer an excuse anymore under gdpr. Did they write that to you or say it over the phone? If you have it in writing please send it to the ico. If not, call them and request they put it in writing, then send it to the ico,

ScruffyBlankey · 26/03/2019 23:44

Sorry to hear that this has still not been resolved.

T1meForDebate · 27/03/2019 00:48

Call the Financial Ombudsman Service. I used to work there - they have the expertise to advise and help you.

www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk/

gluteustothemaximus · 27/03/2019 01:04

Fucking hell. I have no words for this. I am so sorry.

Take this as high as you can and don't stop until someone hears you. Am fucking livid for you OP.

EBearhug · 27/03/2019 01:11

Human Error is no longer an excuse anymore under gdpr.

This. The majority of data and security breaches are down to human error rather than deliberate actions. They should have measures in place to prevent it happening in the first place where possible, and measures in place to investigate and follow up when it does happen - which includes doing as they are legally obliged by reporting it within the given time frames.

Last time I spoke to a bank (not Barclays), they recorded all calls, and a senior complaints person was able to go back through my previous calls to see what had actually been said (which must have been a fun task for her...) So if you know when the call was, they should be able to get a replay -assuming they also do that. I guess if you get a message at the start about recording calls for quality and training purposes they would.

Good luck in getting it sorted.