The Puddytats horrible problem

[puddytats]

The advice we have received on here has been fantastic as well as the level of support, as things have developed threads have got more complicated and mixed up so I thought I would sum it all up here as we would like to continue to receive advice and help!

Last Thursday dh was suspended from work. It is alleged that he 'created a client' and took the money.

The cheques were changed at some point after the partners signed the cheque, we know this because there are photocopies of the cheques. One was then changed into dh name and one into my maiden name.

A 'file' was set up that has since disappeared.

The cheques were then paid into our personal bank accounts and transferred out again. This all happened last August and January. How we did not notice I do not know but we just did not.

2 days ago a second person was also suspended from work. This person was trained by DH.

DH signiture and computer log ins are all over the paperwork as when he did some work on the client he believed it was a genuine client. He is not the only person to have done some work on this 'client'

I know that many reading this will say he did it, but he 3000% did not. It is not in his nature. He also has fairly wealthy parents so if we needed money all we had to do was ask. We have an 18 month old and a 5 week old and our world has been ripped apart.

We are seeking legal advice and will fight this all the way.

Again many thanks for the huge support that we have received.

Are your banking security details the sort of thing that appears as answers on those jokey "tell me about yourself" type emails that get sent round?

Not sure what you mean soupy?

DH does a lot of banking on his computer at work

Where did the money go to from your account? Another account or out as cash?

Why has the other person been suspended? Do the firm think they're in on it with your dh? Could they have done it by themselves?

I'm so sorry you've got this to cope with on top of having a brand new baby .

I'm thinking of those emails sent by friends that ask all sorts of odd questions about you to gain little known facts - favourite ice cream, pet's names, mother's maiden names, that sort of thing. Most are innocent but some questions are the sort of thing you use when setting up passwords and "secret questions" for online banking etc.

have the police / lawyers got hold of all the work computers ..

I would assume there may be some kind of evidence in the hard drives after all nothing can be truly deleted?

sorry this wasn't cleared up quickly it sounds like a total nightmare

Puddy - it's not difficult for the bank to find out where the money went to - don't let them tell you otherwise.

this is hell -- on top of looking after 2 young kids... I feel for you - this must be awful..

where did the money go to when it was in your account.. who owns that account must have some involvement...

Who found the client?

Sounds like your DH's computer at work must have been accessed -- if he does his banking there, someone could set up a file to copy his login details - have you had that checked?

DH did do banking at work - a word of advice NEVER do this. A friend has since told us that they are not allowed to do banking at work because this problem is so commonplace in London.

Soupy, we may well have answered on of those emails. Normally only do if from someone we know but that means nothing does it?

The client was found purely by accident (so we have been told) when 2 reports had different client numbers on them.

Do not know why the other person has been suspended but can only assume it is for the same reason.

Police have been informed but our solicitor has informed us that they are unlikely to do anything (ie arrest dh) until the employment issue has been sorted.

mancmum asked what I was wondering, puddytats - you said DH did a lot of work believing it was a genuine client - where did this client come from? Or were all the details on the file which has "disappeared"? Even so does DH remember any details about the supposed client?

(It won't have disappeared completely though you know, it will be stored somewhere and an expert will find it, they always can. Chin up. )

poor you puddytats but at least you know a few more facts and also, sad though it is to say it, you can see why they would suspect your dh.

Have you or they figured out how someone managed to transfer the money out of your bank account? At least it sounds like they have some sort of trail - they should know by now where that money was transferred to so hopefully they are a bit closer to the truth.

Fingers crossed and keep fighting.

Have you tried asking for the video surveillance of the bank on the days of the transactions?

I think your best bet is to look into how the money was withdrawn. If to another account, investigate that, if withdrawn in cash, ask the bank for a copy of the withdrawal slip.

I hate this kind of thing. At a pub where I used to work a guy was sacked for stealing from the till. I thought they were wrong: I didn't know the guy well enough to know how honest he was, but i did know that he was quite clever, and if he had been stealing from the till, he would have altered the amounts he put in to cover his tracks - perhaps you could use that argument? (I mean, Jesus, anyone who went to the effort of creating a false client would get a friend to bank the money, surely?)

PS video surveillance would be better, but I suspect it'll be easier for the bank to come up with the withdrawal slip.

Dh has said the evidence is so damning, if he did not know different he would say he was guilty! Whoever has done this seems to have covered every base possible.

As mentioned in a previous thread the bank are being less than helpful as at the moment we are having to do our own investigation into where the money went.

Enough of the file was 'found' to incriminate dh, the main file that would have everything is missing. Things like the death cert of this guy.

DH only remembers this client as he 'retired' then 'died' in a very short period of time, not normal but could happen. Also the 'original' name very similar to my maiden name.

As dh said, if he was going to do this he would not leave a blindingly obvious trail of clues leading straight to him - he has more brains than that!

I can't believe the bank aren't being more helpful given that there are 2 withdrawals from your account you know nothing about. I would have thought "We did not make these withdrawals, clearly there is something wrong with your bank systems, tell me where the money went now" would have them jumping. Especially if you twisted it to sound like they were at fault in some way.

Can they trace which branch of a bank the cheques were put through?

I'm just thinking if you can prove you were on holiday/at the hospital/staying with friends in a different town etc on a certain date when a cheque was put in, you could start to knock a hole in the case.

Must say though, I am amazed that c£40,000 could pass through your account without you noticing...don't you look at bank statements? I am a bit vague myself sometimes but I would notice that kind of money!

I agree with you Soupy - these are fraudulaent withdrawals and should be being investigated with some urgency.

Puddy - have the bank referred it to their own fraud department?

Janh, I never look at my bank statements. I sometimes check my balance online but if £40k nad gone in and out quickly, I could easily not notice it.

How did the money go out of your account?

It's odd that the money was for the exact same amount isn't it? You'd have thought that someone would just withdraw loads of your cash. How big were the cheques?

(Do you not look through your statements btw? I'd REALLY recommend ANYONE that does internet banking to do that - we've had a few fraudulent items bought on credit cards but wouldn't have known unless we checked every item, which we always do because we are ANAL!)

Sorry you are going through this.

FORTY THOUSAND?!

Well they didn't take it out of an ATM did they?!

It must have been transferred to another account, which would be ultimately tracable to someone?

Puddytats - even if they had managed to transfer money out of DH's account at work. How would anyone have been able to get to your account or is it a joint account??

I think you will have a very hard job convincing those investigating this, that DH (who they can tell from the systems at work spent time on the internet reviewing his banking arrangements) would not have noticed £40k passing through his account.

In saying that I am assuming that your DH's earning are less than £500k per year??

Internet banking is quite secure - you need to put in selected characters from a password to get access to it, who would he have shared these with?

soapbox, that's not true of all banks re the password. First Direct is assorted characters, Egg is mother's maiden name (and poss something else... can't remember) and Smile is a PIN number and "memorable data"

With Egg being the least secure by far!

Egg does seem rubbish: PLEASE TYPE YOUR NAME: OK here's all your bank details. Bit weird that.

What's your very unhelpful bank puddytats? What does your statement say about where the money went?