Turns out bank transfer can be more of a pain than Paypal!

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Who would have thunk it eh! 

Long story short (just cause I need to rant before I put my head through a wall), I sold a pedalboard on Facebook. Bank transfer no problem. Paid a fortune through Parcelforce and it didn't show up when expected 2 days later. I didn't get chance to speak to them til Thursday at which point the buyer, understandably, is getting impatient. That said, there were a few messages before this already that rubbed me up the wrong way. Parcelforce have found it, issued a new tracking number, all sent through to the buyer who is making threats of police and further action by this point. Fast forward to today, my entire bank account has been locked due to a potential scam. Have to go to the branch and sort but nothing will happen until Dec 3rd. Can't get hold of my money. Massive ball ache and complete prick of a buyer. If you're on here and you read this, as per my last message, thanks. You've really done me over. 

I play guitar and take photos of stuff. I also like beans on toast.

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Comments

  • boogiemanboogieman Frets: 12314
    Jesus that’s a bit extreme of the buyer.  Police? Really??!! Like they’d be interested anyway. 
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  • Was the bank account getting locked related to the sale or just a coincidence? 

    From what I’ve read lately the best options are cash on collection or PayPal G&S. I won’t be doing anything else from now on.
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  • boogieman said:
    Jesus that’s a bit extreme of the buyer.  Police? Really??!! Like they’d be interested anyway. 
    I tried to calm him down by telling him to google me. Without sounding like an ego maniac, I'm fairly easy to find. I'm in the public eye and have at least some level of reputation/ exposure in the guitar industry. Yes much lower than many others but still, not your average random bloke on Facebook. I'm not out to scam someone and if I was, I certainly wouldn't be using my actual name!

    I play guitar and take photos of stuff. I also like beans on toast.

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  • Was the bank account getting locked related to the sale or just a coincidence? 

    From what I’ve read lately the best options are cash on collection or PayPal G&S. I won’t be doing anything else from now on.
    It's been blocked purely because of that transfer he made to me. He's calling it a scam. 

    I guess another lesson in this is that if you buy online and it does turn out to be a scam, all the stuff they say about it's basically tough turns out to be false. Looks like you can get your money back. And in his case, potentially keep the item too. 

    I play guitar and take photos of stuff. I also like beans on toast.

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  • That’s harsh. Hopefully you can provide evidence to the bank that it’s been sent and they will see sense?
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  • That’s harsh. Hopefully you can provide evidence to the bank that it’s been sent and they will see sense?
    I’ve given the everything I have including the answerphone message from Parcelforce explaining the problem. Bank said it’s all good but it’s unlikely that the fraud team will be in a rush to do anything. 

    I play guitar and take photos of stuff. I also like beans on toast.

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  • ICBMICBM Frets: 71957
    rossyamaha said:

    I’ve given the everything I have including the answerphone message from Parcelforce explaining the problem. Bank said it’s all good but it’s unlikely that the fraud team will be in a rush to do anything. 
    That's unacceptable if you've done nothing wrong. Call to Citizens' Advice or the Banking Ombudsman?

    "Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski

    "Just because I don't care, doesn't mean I don't understand." - Homer Simpson

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  • ICBM said:
    rossyamaha said:

    I’ve given the everything I have including the answerphone message from Parcelforce explaining the problem. Bank said it’s all good but it’s unlikely that the fraud team will be in a rush to do anything. 
    That's unacceptable if you've done nothing wrong. Call to Citizens' Advice or the Banking Ombudsman?
    Maybe. Nothing’s gonna happen till after the weekend. Just means my plans are in the toilet. 

    I play guitar and take photos of stuff. I also like beans on toast.

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  • SnagsSnags Frets: 5326
    edited November 2019
    That’s harsh. Hopefully you can provide evidence to the bank that it’s been sent and they will see sense?
    I’ve given the everything I have including the answerphone message from Parcelforce explaining the problem. Bank said it’s all good but it’s unlikely that the fraud team will be in a rush to do anything. 
    Time to tell the bank that as soon as your account is unfrozen you're likely to be in a rush to find a new bank, if that's their approach to a (presumably) long-standing customer with no track record of naughtiness.

    Edit: although thinking about it, the first thing our "always here to help, just call us with any issue, we're here for you" account manager on the business account said when I called to tell them that my business partner had just been killed was "Oh, well obviously we'll need to freeze the accounts". Not "I'm sorry" or "That must be awful" or "Please give my sympathy to his family" (he was a long-term personal customer and known to them fairly well). Just "On top of you just losing a friend and business partner, we're going to fuck you up."

    A rather strong conversation was had, and the account wasn't frozen at all. 
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  • ICBM said:
    rossyamaha said:

    I’ve given the everything I have including the answerphone message from Parcelforce explaining the problem. Bank said it’s all good but it’s unlikely that the fraud team will be in a rush to do anything. 
    That's unacceptable if you've done nothing wrong. Call to Citizens' Advice or the Banking Ombudsman?

    To involve the Ombudsman you first have to raise a complaint and give your bank the opportunity to give you their final response.

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  • So just an update on this. The bank have just called me back after 2 trips to the branch, 4 calls to customer service and now a total of 9 hours sorting out this mess. I go them to unblock my account and they agreed to investigate the other guy as he basically reported the "fraud" after he had all the details so it could be read as he was actually the scammer. 

    Would it be bad to post a screenshot of his Facebook profile as a warning to everyone here? It's not his real name he's using and it's not actually a picture of him. 

    I play guitar and take photos of stuff. I also like beans on toast.

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  • Have you reported his profile on Facebook for using a fake name?
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  • Have you reported his profile on Facebook for using a fake name?
    No but I don't think they would care about that. I'm trying to report him to the various selling groups we're both in. 

    I play guitar and take photos of stuff. I also like beans on toast.

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  • I think using a fake name is against their policies so they should disable the account if enough people report it.

    I think you should post a pic of his profile. There’s no issue with privacy since it’s not his real name or picture anyway.
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  • I think using a fake name is against their policies so they should disable the account if enough people report it.

    I think you should post a pic of his profile. There’s no issue with privacy since it’s not his real name or picture anyway.
    Turns out you're right. Doubt anything will happen. I'm now waiting for my small claims court paperwork to come through. He refused the delivery and I'm in no doubt he will go after me for the £24.48 I won't refund him for the shipping. I will refund him the cost minus shipping because I'm good like that. When it arrives back to me of course. 

    I play guitar and take photos of stuff. I also like beans on toast.

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  • strumjoughlampsstrumjoughlamps Frets: 3261
    edited November 2019
    If I had for  instance £100 in my bank and someone BT me £100 making my balance £200 and that £100 BT flagged as fraud/scam surely all the bank can freeze is the £100 BT???
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  • If I had for  instance £100 in my bank and someone BT me £100 making my balance £200 and that £100 BT flagged as fraud/scam surely all the bank can freeze is the £100 BT???
    Apparently not. At least not HSBC. After a lengthy conversation with someone more important than the guy I initially spoke to in fraud, he made a friendly suggestion that in future, if you're going to receive money for private sales and don't want to use Paypal, use a different account to the one that you use for everything. I will in future. 

    I play guitar and take photos of stuff. I also like beans on toast.

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  • To be fair to HSBC, despite them blocking my entire account without telling me and simply believing the other party with zero evidence just his say so, they have been very helpful and sympathetic every time I spoke to them. 

    I play guitar and take photos of stuff. I also like beans on toast.

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  • HSBC are a nightmare for this sort of stunt. I transferred a loan into my account for a car purchase, notified hsbc that I would be making the purchase later in the day and then promptly had my account frozen by the fraud team as I tried to buy the car in the dealership.

    Was an absolute nightmare to resolve - find a more customer friendly bank would be my advice.  
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  • I bank with First Direct who were originally set up by Midland Bank when I joined them over 30 years ago.  First Direct are now part of HSBC and I cannot fault them.  I've had loans, transfers and bought many cars in that time without hiccup.
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