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Nat West. Grrrrrrr

Ginger

pfm Member
My debit card was declined whilst buying car insurance by phone. So I paid by credit card. Whilst still on the call to the insurer, getting another quote, I had an unidientfied caller. This happens all the time during the working day, so I diverted the new call to the answerphone. When I'd finished, no answerphone message - dismiss that, could have been anyone. Proceed to call the bank to see what's wrong with my card/account. Suspected fraudulent transaction, so they put me through to fraud section - get cut off. Call back, get through to auomtated menus asking for the phone number I'd received their text on. I didnt get a text. Get cut off again. Third try, get through to fraud, get cut off. Fourth call, I want to complain. They won't take the complaint until we resolve the poss fraud issue. Get through to fraud and get asked to identify a card transaction on my account, that required use of the PIN (so not a 'tap' purchase), within the last 7 days. I'm grumpy by now, and say that I didn't think I needed to keep a rolling record of those (if there was one - there wasn't) in case of Nat West blocking my card. Fail security test. Staff member unwilling to ask me any other security question. I protest that I'd been through 2 factor security on each call and each time I get through to fraud section. No joy. Have to go to a branch with photo I.D. to unlock my account. Hour and a half of my time including travel. Note the slogan above the desk: 'Let's talk.'

I have no issue with the declined transaction due to suspected fraud. The issue I have is that I don't know if the call I diverted to answerphone was them, no other attempts were made to contact me, no message left ( my mbile is my preferred number and I'm asked to cnfirm that in my banking app every couple of months or so.) Having called them, I got repeatedly cut off and when I did finally get through, I' m set-up to fail the security question because I can't recall whether I've made a purchase with PIN number within 7 days.

You can guess I've filled in the online complaint form. Last time NatWest cheesed me off and tried to fob me off I went to the Ombudsman and got awarded £500. And that was twenty years ago. They then had the nerve to write and say that they felt going to the ombudsman was unnecessary ! This was after a staff member had laughed at my complaint on the phone...

Anyone else having a good time with Nat West?
 
Me.
Got a letter this morning that money sent over to my son in the US from 2010-2014 (before we got wise to better transfer services) had the wrong exchange rate applied.
Sum corrected and error returned plus interest and compensation.
 
"We won't take your complaint because..."
oh yes you jolly well will, RIGHT NOW! You, sir, will pass me to the manager THIS MINUTE and he will take it.
 
In 2007 when we had a baby, they were ringing every afternoon trying to sell us something and waking the baby up. We asked them to stop ringing. But they kept ringing I went into the nearest branch and lost my shit and startet screaming at the counter staff with customers in there. Still kept calling. Eventually I got the name and address of a key employee on copmanies house. I managed to get his number through directory enquiries. His wife answered. I started shouting at her too, left my name, number and address. The calls stopped.
 
When my daughter got a Saturday job, she needed a bank account. My wife took her to the local branch of the Yorkshire Bank, where she had an account. They demanded to see two forms of ID to comply with the money laundering regs. After a bit of an exchange about what they required from an existing customer, my dear, sweet wife exploded.
When I got home that evening, my daughter rushed to the garage door to tell me "daddy, daddy, mummy said the f-word to the man in the bank".
 
I held short of the f-word in order not to undermine my complaint. I think the ombudsman completely understands frustration and of course an hour on the phone , whilst trying to work, another hour and a half to a branch whilst trying to work, and mileage and parking.
 
I held short of the f-word in order not to undermine my complaint. I think the ombudsman completely understands frustration and of course an hour on the phone , whilst trying to work, another hour and a half to a branch whilst trying to work, and mileage and parking.
You should do this. As soon as you give them the excuse to stop the call because you are being abusive, they will and you have to start again. So you don't swear, but you beat the shit out of them over the phone. After a while you get through to a manager and you beat the shit out of them over the phone, without swearing. Tiring of having to listen to someone beat the shit out of them over the phone, they fix it.
 
I worked for them for over 30 years and had to take them to the Ombudsman re an issue about my mortgage. They really are horrendous.
 
Most if not all banks are a nightmare to deal with since they got call centres and compliance/security departments (who can't see the wood for the trees and cannot understand simple logic) larger than service depts. Everyone is scared of making a decision, apart from saying "No".
Manager ? Seems there are no managers any more or at least they are well hidden.
 
That's a shocking train of events Ginger, I hope you get some sort of resolution. A genuine question - are any of the banks better than any of the others though? It's a bit like the mobile/broadband companies - after a problem customers 'vote with their feet' as it makes them feel better and then find the new provider is no better.
As a rule if I intend to spend a decent chunk of money with a previously little or unused business I tend to ring the relevant card issuer the day before to let them know - hopefully avoiding any issues. The last thing like this was a circa £3500 pair of speakers. :)
 
I love it when they phone you asking to confirm a transaction that has just been denied, how the F do I know its really them?

What difference does it make just say yes you made the transaction or no you didn't. If they are dodgy then they'll no doubt ask for a pin or something, at that stage you can get all 'RichardG' on the guys wife.
 
That's a shocking train of events Ginger, I hope you get some sort of resolution. A genuine question - are any of the banks better than any of the others though? It's a bit like the mobile/broadband companies - after a problem customers 'vote with their feet' as it makes them feel better and then find the new provider is no better.
As a rule if I intend to spend a decent chunk of money with a previously little or unused business I tend to ring the relevant card issuer the day before to let them know - hopefully avoiding any issues. The last thing like this was a circa £3500 pair of speakers. :)

Yes I share that train of thought. Voting with my feet likely makes no difference whatsoever, and I need to be careful that with a 35 year old account, I don't move to less favourable terms. In reality, I'm probably of no value to them whatsoever - I don't think I've ever borrowed from them and never had a mortgage with them. I suspect there is a constant churn of accounts being moved, many motivated by poor service. Having said this though, there is a link in my online app to a MORI quality of service survey. Nat West 5th or lower in all areas, compared to the other major banks.
 
I’ve been banking them for over 35 years . In a period of financial instability a few years ago a nat west body of school leaving age rang me to tell me I was 50 over my modest o/d . I told him to f*ck off after he told me they take 50 pounds over agreed very seriously . Then they took all my cards off me .
More importantly I had intended to take my 13yo there next week to open her first band a/c . Might rethink that.
 
I love it when they phone you asking to confirm a transaction that has just been denied, how the F do I know its really them?
I had exactly this the other day, so I asked the caller for his mother's maiden name. He did at least laugh.
 
That's a shocking train of events Ginger, I hope you get some sort of resolution. A genuine question - are any of the banks better than any of the others though? It's a bit like the mobile/broadband companies - after a problem customers 'vote with their feet' as it makes them feel better and then find the new provider is no better.
As a rule if I intend to spend a decent chunk of money with a previously little or unused business I tend to ring the relevant card issuer the day before to let them know - hopefully avoiding any issues. The last thing like this was a circa £3500 pair of speakers. :)


I bought a car from a dealer in London on a NatWest debit card. Was expecting all kinds of security aggro . Nothing, went straight through. Although they once stopped me ordering a s/h de sede sofa after a couple of cold drinks
 
...........if I intend to spend a decent chunk of money with a previously little or unused business I tend to ring the relevant card issuer the day before to let them know - hopefully avoiding any issues. The last thing like this was a circa £3500 pair of speakers. :)

I used to do this for overseas transactions, until the card issuer blocked the account as they had misunderstood my instructions. I wasn't best pleased stuck in Athens with no money!
 


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