Why should we all pay for those who’ve been scammed?

[Raisinganiguana]

I’m watching Steph’s Packed Lunch and there’s a woman on there who sadly got romance scammed for £30k. Afterwards, the financial expert was really clear that if this happens to you, the banks have to give you your money back. He even said they can’t ‘weasel’ out of it.

I’m sorry for the lady, but why should everyone else pay for what is essentially someone choosing to give someone else money? We don’t pay people back if they gamble it away, so why do we demand it just because they’ve fallen for a story?

She wasn’t someone very old or vulnerable. She chose to send this man money.

btw the scammer’s story was ridiculous - and the man’s photos were actually of some super hot model - so how one falls for these is another thing….especially as there are back to back warnings everywhere and on every bloody programme nowadays.

AIBU that people need to take some responsibility?

I agree with you it isnt a scam as in stolen credi card details, this person has willingly made a money transfer to someone they dont know- i mean banks even confirm who you are making a transfer to,is it a friend, person ou know,family member,a business etc before allowing the transfer.

You are right bankers dont take knocks on their profits, it will be other customers who will have to cover the grandmas trying to get toy boys in turkey.

Yeah, I'm not really happy that, via my bank, I am helping to subside predatory 65 year old Joe Bloggs trying to get his end away with a 19 year old in Thailand.

In fact, the bank encourages this behaviour because they are providing the safety net!

@Raisinganiguana I totally agree - where do you draw the line

I can see where you're coming from, however I spent quite a few years working for a big UK based bank, in one of their offshore divisions (Channel Islands) I have seen how much money is lost in employee errors (now and then a scammer could even slip through the risk team) and how it's just swallowed, sometimes covered up, sometimes brushed off (the high risk and senior roles of course)

For this reason, I can't be mad about Pauline getting a few grand back from being scammed by a ruthless cretin from overseas.

Nevertheless, the major High Street banks are declaring record profits. This is banking week, and all the familiar names are reporting astronomic profits. Mostly because people assume they can't ask for a better deal because there's only £500 in the account, and they might need the money. Honestly, if you have any savings at all, there are companies out there, respectable ones, that have better savings rates available. Goldman Sachs still pays over 4.50% if you save a bit monthly. It's not a big risk; the much bigger risk is leaving your savings in an account paying 0.25%.

😂😂😂

How exactly do we pay for it? The bank pays as they put aside money for this type of thing
Banks don't always give money back and being old doesn't mean you aren't vuberable

You're jealous. That's why you made this thread. Simple as.

A scam artist is an ancient 'profession'. It's not new. I agree, OP. With a few obvious exclusions, I think if you willingly depart with money then tough luck.

My DH was scammed once for £350 as he tried to buy a collector's item. I felt sorry for him, but ultimately it was his decision to send the money. The scammer was very, very good and totally plausible, even through our massively suspicious and scammer-aware eyes. We wouldn't dream of asking the bank for our money back.

My dad fell for a few, not romance ones but clicking links etc. he would not have fallen for it when younger but his mind started to go, he took things at face value and did not understand the hazards.
One was the sponsored ad on the top of Google instead of the real website further down.

Dont forget, loads of this goes on with gift cards and western union/ money gram.

That is why I know when dh and I are elderly it could happen to us.

Something also happened to a friends son when he was back from an operation and groggy.

The banks have online banking, yes it’s convenient but they should hold money going abroad for starters, call and check. Most scammers are abroad. For any UK scammers, the receiving bank should be liable and also get the police involved. They are meant to have an address and ID for an account.

I can see what you mean, but also see the side of the victims in this too.

I received a FB message from my brother, saying he was broke and needed money. I thought it odd, as he rarely uses FB and always texts me as his main form of contact.
However, a lady he knew from his local pub fell for it, and sent the scammer £1000. She did get her money back from her bank... and why not? It was a scam, and she was a victim of it. She genuinely thought it was my brother.

And I have fell victim to one myself in this past month. Just £15. I consider myself clued on on scams etc, but obviously not in this case.

Do most banks not do serious security checking with larger sums these days? I was transferring 5k to my husband recently. The money got stopped. The bank rang me. I had to answer ENDLESS questions about what the money was for. Who my husband was despite the fact I'd paid him money and he'd paid me money loads of times over years. I was warned about scams. I was on the phone for over 20 mins. Does this not happen to other people? Or is it because they were doing it in tiny amounts over a very long period? Surely if it was only 200 here and there it would take years to add up to thousands.
My friend was buying a car recently for £900 and she had the bank ringing her before they'd let it go.

Edit to add, my point being if someone has had all that happen and lies to the bank then I don't see why they should get the money back. The bank did their job.

Embarrassingly I nearly got scammed, but eventually didn't, by the old child at uni lost phone thing. But banks can do a lot, most transactions are traceable, so banks themselves can get some money back.

I actually think the internet whilst a total boon for most of us can be a real menace if you are 'not quite as sharp as you were' or just not very scamaware . My H is endlessly explaining to my 84 year old FIL who had a high level professional job and doesn't have dementia that email and text links in many cases really aren't genuine 'calls to action' - they are just scams/marketing. I have plenty of sympathy. I have less sympathy with people falling for romance scams- this is very well documented and usually comes with many red flags- not 1 click