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Original poster

Need advice on speaking to my bank unexpected charge

12 replies

Lovelybitofsquirrel3 · 30/01/2025 20:26

I have checked my bank balance and was shocked to see a £378 charge. It has already gone through and is not pending. I searched the payment reference and it shows a clothing shop. Does anyone have any advice before I speak to my bank.

OP posts:
Solocatmum · 30/01/2025 20:28

Lock your bank cards (if you can do so) and ring bank now. They should be available 24/7.

dementedpixie · 30/01/2025 20:32

Is it a debit card payment?
Is there a fraud department for your bank you can contact?

Original poster
Lovelybitofsquirrel3 · 30/01/2025 20:32

I should've asked this in my OP but how will they know it wasn't me? Are there trick questions? It definitely wasn't me but this has never happened to me before and I don't know if they try and get out of giving back the money

OP posts:
Original poster
Lovelybitofsquirrel3 · 30/01/2025 20:35

dementedpixie · 30/01/2025 20:32

Is it a debit card payment?
Is there a fraud department for your bank you can contact?

Yes it's from a debit card. I can lock the card through the app but I really need to use it. And yes it's bank of Scotland but I wanted advice on speaking to them first before I do. I don't know what to expect.

OP posts:
MyrtleLion · 30/01/2025 20:46

Lovelybitofsquirrel3 · 30/01/2025 20:35

Yes it's from a debit card. I can lock the card through the app but I really need to use it. And yes it's bank of Scotland but I wanted advice on speaking to them first before I do. I don't know what to expect.

Show quote history
  1. Ask them if it was a card holder present transaction. This means you or someone pretending to be you was there.
  2. If so, ask if it was a physical card, Google Pay or Apple Pay and what date a.d time it happened.
  3. Ask which shop and where it's located (just John Lewis doesn't help if it was in Edinburgh and you're in Bristol).

This should be enough for you to check if it was you. If you can prove you were somewhere else or don't have an android phone that will help. Check your own receipts in case you were having a coffee in Starbucks in Bristol etc.

  1. If if wasn't in person, then ask for the website and what was bought and whether it was accessed by phone or computer.
  2. Again you may be able to prove you couldn't have done it.
  3. Even if you can't prove it wasn't you, ask to speak to the Fraud Department.
  4. If it was you, then calmly say thank you for being so helpful and politely end the call. No need to apologise. People forget what they were doing all the time.
FrustratedandBemused · 30/01/2025 20:47

Just tell them the truth.

samarrange · 30/01/2025 20:51

Lovelybitofsquirrel3 · 30/01/2025 20:32

I should've asked this in my OP but how will they know it wasn't me? Are there trick questions? It definitely wasn't me but this has never happened to me before and I don't know if they try and get out of giving back the money

They may ask some questions, but these are not trick questions. They assume you are who you say you are because 99% of people who phone them are genuine, so the questions are mostly there so that someone who might be tempted to phone for a laugh knows that they won't get very far. For example, they might ask which breakdown service you use (AA, RAC, Green Flag), or who your energy supplier is, because they can see your direct debits. But they also have to ask you stuff that you should know without having to spend 10 minutes in a cupboard looking for your 2008 statements. Don't worry, they are there to help and they deal with 50 misunderstandings and 49 genuine victims for fraud for every 1 person trying it on. Remember, the calls are recorded, which protects you and them.

Wolfpa · 30/01/2025 21:41

They are normally pretty good, you can dispute it via your APP so there is no need to call.

AllThatFancyPaintsAsFair · 30/01/2025 21:55

What advice might there be other than ring the bank and say there's a payment on my account that I didnt make can you look into it for me please?

denhaag · 30/01/2025 21:59

Phone the number for "I do not recognise this payment" and they will do the rest.

They'll ask some questions.

They have ways to confirm fraud.

denhaag · 30/01/2025 22:08

I was the victim of bank fraud over Xmas. They were smart because I normally glance at my account every day, but hadn't done for a few days because it was Xmas. I also didn't immediately notice because money in and out is different at that time of year.

Anyway, as soon as I realised, I called them. Confirmed who I was in the usual way, described all the transactions I didn't recognise and they did the rest.
The initial guy did ask whether I had been to one of the places at the time of one transaction.

He then passed me over to someone else (more senior I guess). At first she said my phone must have been compromised because I have faceID, so she'd have to block the phone and cancel my card (doom!). But she did some more digging and found whatever evidence she needed to show that it was def not my phone or me. I think they have a list of known companies that don't have robust online payment security.

Within 45 mins all my money was back in my account and a new card issued which was in my online wallet within 10 mins.

Honestly, this single call made up for all the terrible, frustrating, bot chat customer service I'd had over the last 12 months.

mitogoshigg · 30/01/2025 22:13

I've had fraud on my account twice and money was refunded almost immediately but the card will be cancelled and you will be sent a new one. You need to lock the card and phone the fraud line

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