Probe over whistleblowers’ forgery claims

THE Royal Bank of Scotland is facing a fraud probe over claims staff were trained to forge customers’ signatures.

Managers were allegedly coached how to fake the names on key documents, according to whistleblowers.

They claim staff were trained to download genuine signatures from the bank’s online system, trace them onto new documents, then photocopy the altered paperwork to prevent detection.

Although forging signatures is against the law, the whistleblowers claim it was commonly done to speed up administration and complete files. They claim the technique was also used to sign account opening forms and loan documents.

The fraud claims, revealed by the Scottish Mail on Sunday, are to be handed to police as well as the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and the head of the Treasury Select Committee.

They emerged after the launch of Bank Confidential, an organisation for whistleblowers who want to shine a light on the unacceptable practices of big banks.

Lib Dem MP Norman Lamb said: ‘These are very serious allegations. I am trying to secure a meeting with the FCA and its head, Andrew Bailey, to ensure these claims are investigated and give customers the treatment they deserve.

‘I am also contacting police about the fraudulent behaviour – which is a criminal matter, and must be dealt with as such.’

Scottish Tory finance spokesman Murdo Fraser said: ‘These are extremely serious allegations. Customers are already fed up with RBS which, having been bailed out by the taxpayer, is now leaving communities in the lurch with branch closures.’

One whistleblower, who worked for the bank for more than 12 years, told the newspaper he was trained to copy customers’ signatures in 2005 on his very first week of training as a finance manager.

An RBS spokesman said: ‘RBS takes any allegations of misconduct very seriously.

‘We deny manipulating or falsifying customer records to suit our purposes.’