The UK’s National Crime Agency (NCA) has announced that it is carrying out a “thorough assessment” into allegations that banks forged customers’ signatures.
In January, a police commissioner accused the UK’s major high street banks of perpetrating “serious organised crime” against their customers, potentially causing billions of pounds of losses over at least a decade by forging signatures to win court cases and repossess homes.
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Anthony Stansfeld, police and crime commissioner for Thames Valley, urged the NCA to launch a criminal investigation.
“Banks and others have systematically forged signatures, fabricated evidence and made false statements in court cases against customers,” the commissioner said.
Request “to review their evidence and investigate as appropriate”
Mel Stride MP, the chairman of the Treasury Committee, has written to the NCA and the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) to request an update on progress into claims made by the Bank Signature Forgery Campaign.
In a statement on its website, the Treasury Committee said:
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By GlobalData“There have been allegations of potential criminal activity occurring at banks, whereby home repossessions and other such documents are not being signed by the authorised signatory.
“As a result, the previous Treasury Committee wrote to the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and National Crime Agency (NCA) in July 2019 requesting that they engage with the Bank Signature Forgery Campaign to review their evidence and investigate as appropriate.”
Details of regulatory breaches and offences sought
Mr Stride’s letter requests an update on the FCA’s and NCA’s engagement with the Bank Signature Forgery Campaign.
It also requests information on the FCA’s and NCA’s work and findings so far and details of regulatory breaches and offences that may have occurred, and any regulatory or legal arguments that are being considered.
An NCA spokesperson said:
“We are continuing to assess the material, including additional information supplied in September.
“Together with partners in the FCA and SFO [Serious Fraud Office], we are making a thorough assessment to determine whether there are grounds for a criminal or regulatory investigation.”
The FCA “will respond”
A spokesperson for FCA said: “We have received the letter and will respond to the TSC.”
Supporters of the The Bank Signature Forgery Campaign include the APPG for Fair Business Banking.
