TSB’s woeful data governance has been further exposed after reports that some former customers have found their direct debits have been cancelled because the bank told companies that their customers had died, while others are being ignored despite being targeted by scammers exploiting the IT fiasco.
MoneySavingExpert.com said it had heard from several former TSB customers – who had ditched the bank after its IT meltdown – who had received letters from organisations offering their condolences. The letters also said their direct debits had been cancelled.
MoneySavingExpert said when the customers responded to the letters they were told that TSB had said they had died.
A TSB spokeswoman said: “We are aware there was an issue with a small number of our customers switching from or closing their account with TSB, which resulted in an error in the cancellation or transfer of some of their direct debits.
“We are deeply sorry for any distress caused. We are working to rectify this issue and we are really sorry for the inconvenience caused.”
MoneySavingExpert quoted a man from Merseyside who had switched from TSB: “I have just had a letter from my council today saying that my house has now got a new owner/occupier. I rang them and they said that TSB had told them that I was deceased.”
Another man who had switched from TSB to another bank told the website four organisations, including his gas and electricity provider, had been in contact to say his direct debit had been cancelled because of his death.
Meanwhile, The Sunday Times’ consumer champion Jill Insley has also ben inundated with complaints about how TSB has handled scamming attacks on customers who decided to remain with the bank.
One customer, who was put on hold for nearly 90 minutes, was told that the investigation into how more than £20,000 had been transferred out of their account would take at least 30 days. Others have been fobbed off and told they will not be getting any of their money back.
Another customer wrote: “TSB provided no explanation why [we would not be compensated]. In fact, the person we spoke to already seemed to know how the fraud was happening, why hadn’t they informed customers? I have been a customer of TSB for 36 ears and never expected to be treated like this.”
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