2004 Anon1 Case

Key Facts

Amount stolen	£500
Number of Withdrawals	1
ATM Locations	Unknown
Issuing Bank	Natwest
Acquiring Bank(s)	Unknown
Card Type	Debit (Switch), Natwest Current Account
Withdrawal time period	1 day
Days from theft to discovery	0 days
Card theft involved	Yes
Level of customer action	Police report and Correspondence with bank
PIN Status	Original PIN issued, never changed. Never written down.
Outcome	Resolved. Customer reimbursed.

Customer had purse stolen from handbag between 2130 and 0045 on 14th May in busy restaurant in West London.
Customer phoned Amex card protection service telling them of theft, expecting them to request cancellation of stolen cards.
Customer contacted Natwest 0900 next morning to check on account, and was told GBP500 had been withdrawn via an ATM.
Natwest asked if card should be cancelled (it appeared Amex never instructed a cancellation of that card), customer accepted.
Customer filled out form at Police Station, and took it in to Natwest on 17th May. Customer was told money would be refunded in aprox two weeks.
Upon collecting new card several days later customer enquired on progress, and was again assured money would be refunded, and that cases such as this were very common.
On 29th May, customer received letter refusing to refund money, claiming that either customer had told someone her PIN, or had not taken reasonable steps to keep PIN secure.
Customer continued correspondence with bank.
Eventually, in discussion with bank manager customer argued that her financial situation was sufficiently healthy that she had no motivation for fraud.
Customer states that bank manager recommended to fraud dept that full reimbursment.
Approximately three months after original withdrawal, reimbursement was made.