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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| When click of a mouse cost £2,000 | When click of a mouse cost £2,000 |
| (about 17 hours later) | |
| Claire Logie has a cartoon on her desk which says "stop and think" - a painful reminder of the day when she failed to do exactly that. | Claire Logie has a cartoon on her desk which says "stop and think" - a painful reminder of the day when she failed to do exactly that. |
| She had been meaning to transfer a sum of £2,000 into her savings account. | She had been meaning to transfer a sum of £2,000 into her savings account. |
| But, after clicking the wrong box, she accidentally sent the cash to someone she had paid years ago, and whose details had been saved on her account. | But, after clicking the wrong box, she accidentally sent the cash to someone she had paid years ago, and whose details had been saved on her account. |
| "As soon as I'd done it I felt sick and very upset," she said, but assumed she would eventually get the cash back. | "As soon as I'd done it I felt sick and very upset," she said, but assumed she would eventually get the cash back. |
| But six months on she is still to receive a refund. | But six months on she is still to receive a refund. |
| 'Easy to do' | 'Easy to do' |
| I am not a dizzy person. I am not an idiot. I made the mistake, and it is very easy to do Claire Logie | I am not a dizzy person. I am not an idiot. I made the mistake, and it is very easy to do Claire Logie |
| Claire is no online novice, and even works for one of the big four high street banks, so is familiar with banking on the internet. | Claire is no online novice, and even works for one of the big four high street banks, so is familiar with banking on the internet. |
| She says: "I am not a dizzy person. I am not an idiot. I made the mistake, and it is very easy to do." | She says: "I am not a dizzy person. I am not an idiot. I made the mistake, and it is very easy to do." |
| So, why will the bank not return the money? | So, why will the bank not return the money? |
| The bank concerned, the Alliance and Leicester, says it cannot force the person who received the money to return it. | The bank concerned, the Alliance and Leicester, says it cannot force the person who received the money to return it. |
| They tried repeatedly to contact the customer concerned, but "regrettably" that customer has not responded. | They tried repeatedly to contact the customer concerned, but "regrettably" that customer has not responded. |
| A spokesperson told the BBC: "It wasn't our mistake, so we are unable to take any further action". | A spokesperson told the BBC: "It wasn't our mistake, so we are unable to take any further action". |
| Furthermore, they would not even tell Claire the name of the customer, because of the Data Protection Act. | Furthermore, they would not even tell Claire the name of the customer, because of the Data Protection Act. |
| That means she is unable to take the case to the small claims court. | That means she is unable to take the case to the small claims court. |
| The Financial Ombudsman is also unable to help, because her complaint is not against the bank itself. | The Financial Ombudsman is also unable to help, because her complaint is not against the bank itself. |
| Grey area | Grey area |
| Cases like this are rare, because most people receiving money by mistake pay it back. | Cases like this are rare, because most people receiving money by mistake pay it back. |
| But Jemma Smith, of the Payments Council, which oversees the efficiency of bank payments, admits there's nothing in the banking code about how errors like this can be dealt with. | But Jemma Smith, of the Payments Council, which oversees the efficiency of bank payments, admits there's nothing in the banking code about how errors like this can be dealt with. |
| The only answer seems to be not to make the mistake in the first place. | The only answer seems to be not to make the mistake in the first place. |
| "Everything your bank will tell you is going to be stressing how important it is that you have the correct account name and sort code," she says. | "Everything your bank will tell you is going to be stressing how important it is that you have the correct account name and sort code," she says. |
| Instances like this are not necessarily regarded as theft. | Instances like this are not necessarily regarded as theft. |
| Legally this is a grey area, as proving the recipient of the money had a guilty mind at the time he or she received it could be difficult. | Legally this is a grey area, as proving the recipient of the money had a guilty mind at the time he or she received it could be difficult. |
| Imagine giving £2,000 to someone who looked like your friend on the street, but turned out not to be. | Imagine giving £2,000 to someone who looked like your friend on the street, but turned out not to be. |
| If they ran off with the money, would you have a leg to stand on? | If they ran off with the money, would you have a leg to stand on? |
| The police told the BBC it might be possible for them to investigate, but they could not guarantee the Crown Prosecution Service would agree to prosecute. | The police told the BBC it might be possible for them to investigate, but they could not guarantee the Crown Prosecution Service would agree to prosecute. |
| 'Arbitration' | 'Arbitration' |
| Alison Steed, a former Daily Telegraph journalist who has set up a financial website called MyMoneyDiva.com, believes the problem is much more widespread than has been realised. | Alison Steed, a former Daily Telegraph journalist who has set up a financial website called MyMoneyDiva.com, believes the problem is much more widespread than has been realised. |
| She estimates up to 1% of all bank transfers go astray. | She estimates up to 1% of all bank transfers go astray. |
| That would mean as much as £439m being paid to the wrong person every year in the UK, although the vast majority of such payments would be corrected. | That would mean as much as £439m being paid to the wrong person every year in the UK, although the vast majority of such payments would be corrected. |
| She also believes the Financial Ombudsman service should set up a department to deal with such mistakes. | She also believes the Financial Ombudsman service should set up a department to deal with such mistakes. |
| "Part of the Ombudsman service could be in a position to look at these cases, and take on some kind of arbitration," she says. | "Part of the Ombudsman service could be in a position to look at these cases, and take on some kind of arbitration," she says. |
| But she is not optimistic about Claire getting her £2,000 back. | But she is not optimistic about Claire getting her £2,000 back. |
| "I hope she gets it back. But I think in reality the chances are pretty slim." | "I hope she gets it back. But I think in reality the chances are pretty slim." |
| In the meantime, for anyone doing some online banking, it might be worth remembering to stop and think. | In the meantime, for anyone doing some online banking, it might be worth remembering to stop and think. |
| Having that cartoon on your desk, and acting on it, could really save you money. | Having that cartoon on your desk, and acting on it, could really save you money. |