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Legal matters

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Original poster

Ex has forged my signature to close joint account

42 replies

Hosenla · 08/02/2023 22:17

Found out today my ex husband has written a letter to a bank we have a joint account with (nothing in the account but I’ve never been bothered to close it) and asked them to close the account and signed it from him and me! Not even asked me if I want it closing… and I only know because the bank wrote to me to check address because the letter my ex sent had a different address! Why couldn’t he just ask bank to take him off the account?
can I/ should I report to the police??

OP posts:

Zola1 · 08/02/2023 22:20

What would you gain from reporting it? I assume he hasn't stolen anything from you and was just tying up loose ends?

Original poster

Hosenla · 08/02/2023 22:23

@Zola1 because I don’t trust him one bit and if the bank hadn’t checked address I wouldn’t even know he had forged my signature! It’s my account too.

OP posts:

ChicCroissant · 08/02/2023 22:23

It's not always possible to remove yourself from a joint account without the other person's permission, especially if the account is set up so that only one person's authorisation is needed for transactions.

Have you replied to the bank, saying that you haven't authorised the closure of the account?

Original poster

Hosenla · 08/02/2023 22:26

@ChicCroissant it was set up so we can both authorise things!
yes I phoned the bank and asked what this letter was about and told them I hadn’t signed anything. Waiting to hear back from the fraud department now.

OP posts:

ICanHideButICantRun · 08/02/2023 22:28

I would definitely take this further. You don't know what else he's done.

merrymelodies · 08/02/2023 22:28

I'm no expert but forgery is always a criminal offence.

ChicCroissant · 08/02/2023 22:42

Hosenla · 08/02/2023 22:26

Yes, that's what I mean, it's normal for a bank not to let one signatory leave or close an account without the other signatory's approval, even if the account would normally only need the authorisation of one person and not both (eg only one signature not both on a standing order form, for example).

My DH has tried to close an account held jointly with another person, they wouldn't sign the form and the account is still going. That was a form issued by the bank to complete, so it's likely your ex would need to complete a form that would have to be countersigned by you and not just write his own letter. Hope you can get it sorted OP.

RaiseTheStakesAndMakeTheLastWordDuckhead · 08/02/2023 22:44

Why did you want to keep an empty joint account open? Was this just to annoy him or had you discussed one of you being removed? Would you have signed a letter to remove him? Has there been a background argument about this?

There are several banks that don’t require both people to sign to close an account. Mainly because no one can be forced to keep a joint account open.

Personally I wouldn’t bother police with a situation where you didn’t lose anything, but I’d get a copy of the forged letter and your correspondence with the bank in case he does anything else stupid.

Original poster

Hosenla · 08/02/2023 22:53

@RaiseTheStakesAndMakeTheLastWordDuckhead no background with this matter at all, neither of us has ever mentioned the account (we used another joint account for our money when married which I removed him from with his agreement when he left) it was just an account that was always there. And because it was not used I guess we both forgot it was there!
yes of course I would have removed him if he wanted removing, as with the other joint account, that’s what I don’t understand. There was no need to forge my signature at all, and it feels wrong and very unnerving that he’s forged my signature.

OP posts:

windinthetree · 08/02/2023 23:02

My ex boyfriend closed out joint account without my permission and the bank transferred him the balance that was in there!

They didn't care

larchforest · 08/02/2023 23:02

Tell the bank it is forgery and ask them to report it to the police, and I suggest you do the same.

If he's done it once, he could do it again and sell the house out from under you, cash in your life insurance, take out huge loans, anything.

LemonTT · 08/02/2023 23:05

It was wrong of him to forge your signature but I cannot see any risk in just accepting it and closing the account.

I can see risk in getting him in legal trouble. He may retaliate in some way. Why let this bomb go off in your life when you aren’t going to be disadvantaged.

windyarse · 08/02/2023 23:08

I think you have to be realistic here OP. He isn't going to suffer any consequences for this just as you haven't suffered any because of it. So yes you can report it but be mindful that it's a very minor crime with no victim so unlikely to get anywhere.

Fenella123 · 08/02/2023 23:10

I do know someone whose husband forged her signature to remortgage the house and spent it all on drugs. So I'd be tempted to nip anything like this in the bud just in case...if there's ANY possibility of more serious wrongdoing (have you checked your credit report? You can put a flag on it so that a password, specified by you, has to be given before new credit can be taken out...)

Mmmmdanone · 08/02/2023 23:11

When I split up with my ex I closed the joint account myself with no need for permission from him. Not sure why you would be annoyed about it. Did he actually forge you signature or just say in the letter that you agreed to it? Because as far as I'm aware agreement isn't needed anyway.

frazzledasarock · 08/02/2023 23:14

Why do you want to retain financial ties with your ex?

he can’t remove his name that would also need your authorisation.

dementedpixie · 08/02/2023 23:18

Normally only needs one person's authority to close a joint account unless it was set up for both to sign for all transactions.

It's harder to remove a person from an account than to close it on your own!

Original poster

Hosenla · 08/02/2023 23:19

I don’t want to retain financial ties, if he had said hey, we still have this account can we close it I’d have agreed!
well the bank told me they had received a letter signed by both of us.. I haven’t signed anything so unless I have memory loss, yes he’s forged my signature!

OP posts:

SofiaAmes · 08/02/2023 23:23

My ex did this while I was out of the country and transferred the money that was in the account out of it into his own personal account. I called the bank and gave them an earful for allowing it and threatened to report them to the banking authorities and threatened my ex with reporting him to the police. The bank reinstated the account in just my name and my ex returned the money. I was just amazed at how the bank just took his word for it which is totally illegal for them to do. This was 12 years ago...amazing that things haven't changed a bit.

Catmummyof2 · 08/02/2023 23:25

This reply has been withdrawn

This has been withdrawn by MNHQ at the poster's request.

cestlavielife · 09/02/2023 07:45

Have you seen the letter supposedly signed by you? Do youhave a copy where you can see a signature? There is no financial loss.

ButterCrackers · 09/02/2023 07:48

Tell the bank that this is the first you’ve heard about the account being closed. Say that the signature is not yours. Ask the bank to check your other accounts and to sort out the fake signature situation.

Takeitonthechin · 09/02/2023 07:50

This is committing the intent to defraud, it is a police matter and they should be informed, as too the bank.
It's a serious offence

plumduck · 09/02/2023 07:53

The bank will be very interested.

I'd get the account closed though. Maybe write them a letter and say whilst you are aware your ex partner has faked your signature you do want it closed.

prh47bridge · 09/02/2023 08:23

Contrary to what is being said by many posters on this thread, it is not clear that an offence has been committed.

For the offence of forgery, it is not enough to show that he forged OP's signature (assuming the information from the bank is correct - most banks allow a joint account to be closed on the signature of just one of the account holders). It is also necessary to show that the bank closing this account caused a loss to OP or the bank. If there was no money in the account, it is hard to see how closing it caused a loss. And, if this is one of the banks that will close an account on the request of one account holder, forging OP's signature had no effect.

Similarly, to sustain a charge of fraud, the prosecution would need to show that he made a gain for himself or someone else, or that he caused OP or someone else to suffer a loss. As there was nothing in the account, I struggle to see how anyone has made a gain or suffered a loss.

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