Brother's card got blocked.

monkeylugs

My brother was going overdrawn every week (he gets paid weekly) and was incurring charges of £125 per month, so we came to the decision I would take over his finances (stop laughing at the back). Steps we took were:

1. Set up internet banking.
2. Set up separate budget account (for mobile phone bills)
3. Arrange authorised £200 overdraft so no more charges
4. An agreement he would withdraw his money on Friday, give me his Solo card (withdrawl limit of £200) which I would look after then hand back the following Friday.

It's worked really well for three weeks, he'd withdraw £150 every Friday and not touch the money again until the following week.

The first two weeks he received phone calls from the bank due to his unusual cash withdrawal!! Unusual! This is the lad who would withdraw cash every single day previously! he told them, yes he had withdrawn a large amount, there was no fraud going on.

Today he goes to get his £150 and it says the card issuer has refused his transaction.

He went to the bank where they informed him that due to his unusual pattern of cash withdrawals they had put a temporary block on his card!

Soooooooo, let me get this right. It's fine for him to withdraw more money than he has got in his account if he withdraws cash every day, but when he tries to budget weekly, they think it's suspicious?!

I'm bewildered

woohoo_postingid

Tell them he will cancel his account and move elsewhere

CLAPTON

the principle of banks looking for unusual patterns of withdrawals is most commendable ...10 out of 10 to the bank.
once he had explained to the bank they have provided very poor service 0 out of 10 to the bank

monkeylugs

I've been actually thinking about getting him to shift his account to the Alliance & Leicester as he'll be able to pay off the overdraft when he moves onto monthly pay in April, and as he'll be in credit he could do with an account that pays interest on credit balances.

Jeez - I wish I had his "money worries"!!!!

monkeylugs

CLAPTON wrote:

the principle of banks looking for unusual patterns of withdrawals is most commendable ...10 out of 10 to the bank.

Yep, I agree with you there!

CLAPTON wrote:

once he had explained to the bank they have provided very poor service 0 out of 10 to the bank

They unblocked his card at the bank but said it would take a few hours before it took effect.

Mumofthreeboys_2

We have had similar problems - I have just posted this, but in essence we were getting about 3 or 4 returned direct debits every week. OH phoned up and said we cannot get out of this situation if we keep getting charged £30 x 4 every time a bit of money goes into the account. We were told that on Friday's (he gets paid weekly now) he should draw the money out before the charges can be paid out of it and then the account will go beyond it's agreed overdraft limit, only then can the powers that be step in and 'help'. What a complete nonsense!! Know how you feel.

davilown

Mumofthreeboys wrote:

We have had similar problems - I have just posted this, but in essence we were getting about 3 or 4 returned direct debits every week. OH phoned up and said we cannot get out of this situation if we keep getting charged £30 x 4 every time a bit of money goes into the account. We were told that on Friday's (he gets paid weekly now) he should draw the money out before the charges can be paid out of it and then the account will go beyond it's agreed overdraft limit, only then can the powers that be step in and 'help'. What a complete nonsense!! Know how you feel.

Time to speak to the dd people and ask them to change the dates each month to suit you. With regards to the charges, write a letter and get them back. Theres' a sample letter on the account forum.

Good Luck

:beer: monster

Mumofthreeboys_2

Thanks for reply. I have already done the letter given on MSE yesterday telling them they have 40 days to comply - will let you know how I get on.