Not upheld: Unauthorised credit card opening and balance transfer complaint against Bank of Scotland plc

Decision detail

Summary

Ms D complained that Bank of Scotland opened a credit card account and processed a £3,670.56 balance transfer without her authorisation after she started but did not complete an online application on 1 October 2025. Bank of Scotland provided screenshots showing Ms D completed the application, agreed to terms and conditions, submitted it, and requested the balance transfer. The ombudsman found this evidence persuasive and concluded Ms D had completed the application. Bank of Scotland had refunded the £128.10 balance transfer fee and paid £50 compensation for poor service. The ombudsman did not uphold the complaint, finding no error by the bank.

The Ombudsman's reasoning

The ombudsman found Bank of Scotland's evidence to be 'very persuasive' in demonstrating that Ms D completed the application and requested the balance transfer. The screenshots provided a clear audit trail showing each step of the application process, including submission and the subsequent balance transfer request. The ombudsman noted that Ms D had benefitted from the funds being credited to her Barclaycard account, reducing her debt on that account. The ombudsman concluded there was no evidence of error by Bank of Scotland.

How this compares

Source

Read the original decision on the Financial Ombudsman Service website