Does anyone here work for the banks or debt collection companies?

[Blackjackdavey]

A couple of questions I have here and would appreciate any answers or advice.
Number one is i was in debt and due to repayment problems the loan was passed to a debt collection agency and I made a payment In november which went through and one in december now I'm being told that the one in nov didn't go through but the one in dec did. I have been on the phone al morning between the bank and the collection company and according to the bank the payment went through and is lost somewhere in the collection agency's holding account which they are trying to trace. The collection company now want proof that I made the nov payment and the bank has agreed to send me a statement so I can prove that I sent it. I have now found that the collection agency is under the umbrella of the bank which I didn't know. One of my questions is in this current economical climate where everyone wants their money would the bank colluding with it's sister collection company ever try an underhand tactic as to make it look like I'm not paying my loan in order to maybe buy the loan back from the collection company and take all my current savings in my current account? Could the bank do this if they brought the loan back? Another question is I gave my personal reference number for the collection company to the bank i order to try and chase up the lost payment and immediately afterwards thought maybe I should never have done given them that info as that is between me and the collection agency. Could this ref number be a problem for me now that it's in the banks hands or am I just being too cautious and a little paranoid?
Just to put it in a nutshell as I just realised how long winded my question is.
No.1-Can the bank buy the loan off the collection company and if they can ca they then clear your account of the money you've accumulated as at the end of the day it is theirs?
No.2- Was I wrong to have given the bank my ref no. for the collection agency?

[AKMild]

1. I assume that the bank was the original lender. Therefore, it would have owned the loan in the first place and would probably have had the right to use money in your other accounts towards the loan, if it was in default. It could have used the collection company just as a debt collector, or it could have sold your loan to the collection company - you need to find this out so that you know to which party you now owe the money. Maybe you should keep your savings in a different bank from the one that's lent you money.

2. Banks are heavily regulated and the collusion you suspect would go against the principles of 'Treating Customers Fairly', which is a key part of the financial regulator's armoury at the moment, so I don't think this is happening. It sounds like it's just down to poor administration, which doesn't surprise me. Get your bank statements, and if both November and December payments show as having come from your account (and have not come back) then the problem is the bank's/debt collector's and they should be told to sort it out. Banks can trace outward payments easily. The giving of the reference number is not a problem as this will help the bank/debt collectors trace the missing payment.

[themas]

To add to AKM's post, it is never a good idea to leave money in an account with a bank to which you owe money. You should move it elsewhere asap, & also move your current account if that is with the same bank.

I think it is very likely that the bank still owns this debt - if the debt collector is under it aegis, as you say, then it is pretty unlikely that the debt has actually been sold to them.