Norton couple win back £6,000 after push payment scam

Clive Mounce, 67, and wife Jill, 66, of Church Lane, Norton, near Worcester paid out £6,126 to scammers, believing they were paying a legitimate charge to Malvern Hills District Council.

However, months after they paid what they thought was the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) 'in good faith' for a house in Alfrick, the council advised the retired couple the payment was never received and continued to pursue them for the money. 

SCAM: The original payment made to scammers with the statement showing Malvern Hills Council (Image: James Connell/Newsquest)

They now understand they were victims of a 'push payment scam' but the Mounces maintained throughout they had tried in earnest to make contact with the district council to verify the cash they were paying out was going to its intended source.

Mr Mounce said he had done everything in his power to check the original online payment was genuine (and destined for Malvern Hills District Council) but that council staff were not available which meant he paid the fraudsters instead.

Now his bank (Lloyds) has paid back the money in full and Mr Mounce has also had his original £6,126 bill to Malvern Hills District Council reduced to £4,939.

However, this time he paid by cheque, dropping it in at the council office in Malvern on Friday (November 15)  because he is now wary of paying online, concerned he could fall prey to a second scam.

"The bank has refunded the money and the council reduced the money for the payment because they were partly to blame for the whole thing because of a three month delay in any action.

"I'm happy now. I stuck to my guns. I felt they were in the wrong or at least partly in the wrong."

REFUND: The letter from the bank informing Clive Mounce they will refund the money he lost in a fraud (Image: Supplied)

He said even when he dropped a cheque off on Friday the council was asking him the following Tuesday for the cheque. "It's farcical," he said.

Mr Mounce added: "It's important for other people to realise that, if they go for it, they can get their money back - if they pursue it enough."

The stressed pensioners had contacted their bank, Action Fraud and the Financial Ombudsman Service in their battle to resolve the issue.

The bank wrote to Mr Mounce last October, telling him he was the victim of an Authorised Push Payment (APP) fraud which can be 'sophisticated and hard to spot' and they would not be refunding him for the loss - although that position has now changed.

Mr Mounce expressed concern that Malvern Hills District Council had been hacked as the fraudsters asked for the exact amount of money he owed to the council.

However, in an earlier statement a council spokesperson denied this was the case.

RECOMMENDED READING: Couple victims of £6,000 Authorised Push Payment fraud

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UK banks must now refund fraud victims up to £85,000 within five days under new rules.

Most High Street banks and payment companies voluntarily compensate customers who are tricked into sending money to scammers.

But in a world first, these refunds became mandatory from October 7, the Payment Systems Regulator (PSR) has announced.

The watchdog has reduced the maximum compensation from a previous proposal of £415,000. It said the new cap of £85,000 would cover more than 99 per cent of claims.

A spokesperson for Malvern Hills District Council, said: “We received a cheque from Mr Mounce for the amount that was finally agreed and this was banked the following week. We have provided confirmation that the cheque has cleared and the matter is now closed.”