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

[AnchorDownDeepBreath]

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.

Crikey. Can you stay in a hotel and charge it on / claim compensation? You could then have WiFi in your room. This is unreal.

Shocked and angry on yr behalf.

Write directly to the CEO (you’ll be able to find their email address online) detailing the exact nature of what has happened. Add that you’ll be contacting your MP and do so (your MP should contact the bank directly too) and be sure to point out the breach of your data under GDPR. Someone from the executive team will be in touch very quickly.

Could you go and sit in a library for a bit? Would be quiet at least.

What is the plan for this evening? Hotel?

So sorry you're having this nightmare because of someone's totally idiocy.

@Hollywood she already has. She has heard from the exec team too, just a msg to say they're looking into it. RTFT.

I can't believe their lack of urgency! Ridiculous bank. Hope you get this resolved xx

Lloyds bank did the exact same thing to a friend of mine. It's utterly unbelievable that they get away with this. Hope you are ok and glad the police are taking it seriously.

Go i to the bank in question with your ID. if you call or write they have to send correspondence to the address on file as they do not know you are you. Go in tell them you do not live their and the person who set it up is defrauding them. Tell them to shut it down immediately. If they don't then you need to contact the police. I would also contact your phone provider to consider changing your number.

Trivia, RTFT. Its a bit beyond just going into the bank now.

Tricia* dam autocorrect.

This is disgraceful OP. They need to pay all your costs to put this right for a start. Sorry you have to deal with this

This is absolutely awful.

They need to put you in a very nice hotel at the very least just now.

This is appalling.

Are you safe for the weekend?

Awful that they are not showing the police the letter then they would know what they are dealing with. Hope you are safe tonight op

As other PPs have said this is really serious. Do not accept a standard crappy apology email from them in 15 days time. You need to take this complaint to the financial ombudsman because it's a very serious data breach, and fraud. They are probably just downplaying it and speaking to you like this because they are shit scared of the massive trouble they will get into if this gets out. Spill the beans on them OP.

And I'm so sorry for everything that's happened. Sounds awful, hope all is ok xx

Do you have somewhere safe to stay for the weekend?

Just to set expectations, the ombudsman can only get involved once you've received the final response to your complaint/8 weeks have passed so ICO / MP and chasing the exec team are your best bet for now. Can you contact the exec you were given details for and arrange to be put in s hotel for the next few days?

This is truly shocking OP, they need to reassure you not only that this will never happen again, address the extreme distress and danger they have put you in but also update complaint procedures because the way you have been left hanging and having to chase them is disgusting.

You need to keep yourself safe and on the move if they can't keep you safe. Have you children?

If I was you, I would get a map out, close my eyes, circle around and around with my finger then find a place on the map. Open my eyes and that's where I'd go. If he's trying to destroy your credit, he's still fixated on you, so is no doubt still a risk to you. You need to go somewhere entirely random. That's why you don't pick anywhere near to home, family, a previous holiday or anywhere that he might think that you would go (places you may have previously mentioned). Literally close your eyes and pick a place out. It needs to be entirely random.

Also, I think you should delete this thread and/or change your username.

I’d also cc your Barclays ceo letter to Laura Padovani she’s a board member for compliance and also supports Women’s networking - she might be able to intervene too. home.barclays/who-we-are/structure-and-leadership/leadership/laura-padovani/

I’m so sorry, I hope you are safe tonight

I hope someone involved in this awful mess takes some responsibility and moves heaven and earth to rectify the situation.

You must be so scared by this, it must have brought back a lot of strong feelings... so completely unnecessary, ffs.

I still have a joint account open with my ‘estranged’ husband. I’m too scared to try and close it, and my H wasn’t as violent as yours by the sound of things at all. Not quite so determined, anyway, after I went dark...

HSBC refuses to let me close the account, or freeze it or take my name off it or put any limits on facilities such as overdrafts, as they wanted his permission. Although I had told them that I was not in contact with him due to his abuse, and that he didn’t know where me & DS were because I had escaped from him. But no, he had to be on the same phone call or nothing doing, computer says no. Or we can go to the bank in person... together.

I explained why that wasn’t possible and they didn’t give a shit. Not their problem.

The abuse included financial, this was in the middle of trying to deal with the 25k of unsecured debt he had left me with, a lot of which was with hsbc... which took me years to pay back with a debt charity intervening etc.

So in the end I had to leave the joint account... and they gave him an unsolicited overdraft on this joint account in spite of everything. And let him run up £600 more debt in my name. Fuckers.

Found out recently that HSBC also keep refusing to believe my address has changed for credit rating info purposes as well. In spite of all other info to the contrary, they’ve got me down as living in my old address with my husband and still active on that sodding joint account, which I don’t even have a card for or internet banking details for.

I’ve tried to change my details and although I have 5 other ‘new’ accounts with healthy finances, pay council tax & utilities on another property, am on the electoral roll too... nope none of that matters because of sodding HSBC and the account they won’t let me close.

I feel like I’m tied to this man forever, like an unending nightmare. It’s like an unholy triad: I have the physical scars, and the emotional scars, and then of course the financial scars that HSBC have made damned sure I get to suffer.

@WellThisIsShit
Write a letter to them and outline your complaint. State that you have tried to close the account without success and your Ex is running up debt in joint names, which is affecting you.

State that in their refusal to remove you from the account, in spite of the extenuating circumstances, they are allowing the abuse you suffered in the relationship to continue.

They won't like this in writing. Let them know a copy of the letter is going to the ombudsman and your local M.P.

@WellThisIsShit At the bank I used to work for when informed that a couple with a joint account were estranged then that account was immediately blocked. I would write a formal letter of complaint and if you receive no joy I would complain to the financial ombudsman which is your right. The branches must carry leaflets informing people about the Financial Ombudsman. Believe me they do not like them getting involved

How are you this morning OP? I hope you had a peaceful night.

@Celticrose is right about the banks not liking getting the ombudsman involved. When I last worked in a bank for every investigation the bank got charged £750 whether it was a fair complaint or not and that was before any financial penalties. That was 2002 I bet it has increased considerably since then.

Good luck and hope you stay safe over the weekend.

If you still aren’t getting any joy from Barclays, is it worth contacting a newspaper consumer champion? I think this is the kind of case which would be of interest to them, and a paper like the Times doesn’t want any sad faced photos.

Sorry that this is happening to you.