Nationwide have sold my overdraft to a debt collection agency because I moved house

jadex

jambosans wrote: »

The debt is the result of fraud, which in part, was caused by the OP's negligence in not changing address with the bank. How this would stand up in a court of law, I have no idea, however I would not consider the OP a completely innocent party.

I don't know Nationwide's policy for dealing with fraud, but would imagine that if the account holder's actions indirectly allowed for fraud to be committed, they may be held partially liable for any loss. I would have thought this is covered in the terms and conditions of the account. An example to help illustrate my point would be if the OP had written their PIN number down and left their wallet/ purse in a shop. This negligence may have resulted in the OP being defrauded more easily than if they had taken due care. The banks have a duty to keep sensitive information private and safe, so why should the customers not do the same?

I can see your point.
Although OP stated:

I infrmed them over the phone that I had moved

But I remember when I moved I had to post them printed form or visit the branch.

oxenryd

Can you please change the title of the thread, sounds like a headline from The Sun

ffacoffipawb

oxenryd wrote: »

Can you please change the title of the thread, sounds like a headline from The Sun

Disagree, because there are words in the title with more than one syllable.

mrs.sun

so.... shall I just ignore the debt agency?

Joe_Bloggs

I find it disturbing that Nationwide should stoop so low as to bother with debt collectors. Is there a way of finding out how much they have sold the debt on for ?

I think it is always a good idea to check your credit reports before and after a move. This may avoid pitfalls and allows for the opportunity to set the record straight.

A move / alleged move blows a security hole in any alleged confidentiality that is thought to exist with a financial service provider and client via the postal service. Can anyone think of a secure way of communicating with customers who have supposedly moved or are moving ?

J_B.

mrs.sun

I can't understand why they still posted a new card out after I'd told them that I'd moved, I understand that they wanted me to go to the branch to change my address but think that they should have made a note on my account. I have done a credit check on myself now an don't seem to have made any other mistakes.
I only opened a nationwide account for holiday spending, what a mistake.

KarenBB

missile wrote: »

I don't understand how it has taken you so long to realise. Presumably this is an old account that you do not use?

Nationwide don't make life easy, do they? They will not accept change of address by telephone or even in a letter. You have to go to a branch, when they told me I would have to come back as they did not have the correct form available. Proud to be different - yeah right.

QUOTE]

I've just had a quick look at the back of my statement and it says you can change your address by completeing the online bank form, the OP says they do have online banking. Also you can let them know in writing at a branch or by posting a letter to Swindon. So they do accept a change of address by letter. I think they do this so they can check the signature. I don't know if other banks accept change of address on the phone or not.

If I'd been told I needed to write to change my address I would have done as I wouldn't bank my statments being sent to my old address. The OP didn't get in touch with Nationwide when their old card expired but left if for 2 years, that's a long time.

Unable to give any advice on what action you should take OP but would advise anyone moving house to make sure they change their address with their banks and credit cards and get confirmation it's been done.

Joe_Bloggs

KarenBB wrote:-

Unable to give any advice on what action you should take OP but would advise anyone moving house to make sure they change their address with their banks and credit cards and get confirmation it's been done.

What form of confirmation would work in the majority of circumstances ?
J_B.

jambosans

jadex wrote: »

I can see your point.
Although OP stated:

I infrmed them over the phone that I had moved

But I remember when I moved I had to post them printed form or visit the branch.

Unless in the conversation the advisor said: "Yes, I will action the change of address over the telephone."; "Yes, we have changed your address over the telephone"; or something that effect, then the OP doesn't have much of a point. "Oh BTW I've moved." does not constitute a formal change of address with the bank.

I know my examples are exaggerated but they reflect my point. If the OP was able to change the address over the telephone, this would have been confirmed. Otherwise I would imagine the advisor told the OP to follow Nationwide's change of address policy. Mentioning it on the phone to an advisor doesn't count.

Joe_Bloggs wrote: »

What form of confirmation would work in the majority of circumstances ?
J_B.

Well my bank, for example, sends two confirmation letters to both the old and new address. This ensures that if the customer hasn't changed their address, they are made aware of it.

Joe_Bloggs

Jambosans wrote :-

Well my bank, for example, sends two confirmation letters to both the old and new address. This ensures that if the customer hasn't changed their address, they are made aware of it.

I hope there is nothing in those letters that could compromise the banking security of the intended recipients. Or alert potential fraudsters of an opportunity to exploit the situation.

J_B.