Abbey - Fraud stops on my account

BlueAngelCV

Has anyone else had any problems with this?

For the second time in as many months Abbey have put a "fraud stop" on my account for no discernable reason.

The first time my card was refused whilst I was out shopping (very embarassing as it was at a small shop I use regularly). I got home & called them but was told that no one was there as it was after 5 so I would have to try the next day.

I called the next day and was told that there was no block on my account and they didn't seem to know anything about it. Finding this strange I tried to use the cashpoint before using it in a shop. Suprise suprise, it was still blocked.

I then went into an Abbey branch where the staff told me that there was no block & treated me like an idiot. They asked me if I had tried using the cashpoint. I said yes, about 30 seconds ago. They then made me try it in front of them. I'm not sure why or what they thought I was doing wrong. It still didn't work.

They then went to get someone more senior and he again made me try using the cash point in front of him. Still didn't work.

Eventually I spoke to someone who after 30 minutes with me and on the phone to their fraud dept managed to get the stop (the one that she said wasn't there in the first place) lifted.

BUT - She didn't know what had set it off and said that it would likely occur again. However, if I opened ANOTHER account with them then if one froze they would transfer the money to the other account so I would never be stuck without any money. Surely this cannot be right. If one account is frozen they can't transfer the money in it to another account?!

Then the same thing happened again. This time I actually got a phone call to tell me that my card had been blocked. I phoned back immediately (approx 16:50) but after eventually getting through to a human was advised that the fraud dept had gone home & no one else could help. I explained that I was returning a phone call so somone must be there but was told that the phone call was just to warn me that the card had been blocked, no one could actually help.

I called back the next day and managed to get the block lifted but again they couldn't tell me why it had been or how to stop it happening again.

I have reviewed my accounts and I can't see any fraud indicators that would make them block my account.

Sorry if this comes across as a bit of a rant but it is quite a hassle and I have had enough problems with banks etc (mainly self imposed I accept) without having all these problems when I am finally back in control and on my feet again.

LeeSouthEast

My only advice is to find a real bank.

They're not called shAbbey here for no reason !

olly300

I was about to post the same as LeeSouthEast - change to a different bank that is not part of the Santander group.

When you close your Abbey account if you can go into the branch and tell them why.

wigglebeena

Jesus H. Creezey. How are Abbey/Santander retaining any customers AT ALL?

scott_lithgows

wigglebeena wrote: »

Jesus H. Creezey. How are Abbey/Santander retaining any customers AT ALL?

By using the Spanish inquisition.

maninthestreet

scott_lithgows wrote: »

By using the Spanish inquisition.

Nobody expects the Spanish inquisition.

catieeb06

From the limited information you've given it sounds like a sticky referall has been placed onto the card.

Ask to speak to card services, but these calls are usually accompanied by an automated fraud call before we block the card.

missile

As others have suggested open another account with a "real" bank = not A+L

blue_monkey_2

Yes, we had the same. Transfered some money to pay for a new car. Payment would not go through, in the showroom my husband called Abbey (we knew it would happen so took the numbers with us) they assured us there was no block on the card and was on the phone while in the garage. My husband said 'why won't you let me pay,it's MY money' to which the girl replied 'yes, but it's our card'. My husband was actually speechless.

We ended up pulling money for every other card we had, up to overdrafts, emptied my business account and end CC limits to pay for this car and took the balance in later in the day. We was then able to go home online and pay the CC's and transfer money back into accounts we had just pulled it from. Ridiculous.

Hubby called the fraud department again and they said 'yes, there is a block on the card'. They also stopped it for silly amounts such as paying for bits for our bathroom.

I have the same problem with my Santander card too. That would not go through the showroom towards the car either.

IrishGypsy

catieeb06 wrote: »

From the limited information you've given it sounds like a sticky referall has been placed onto the card.

Ask to speak to card services, but these calls are usually accompanied by an automated fraud call before we block the card.

This is in fact the first thing I look for now when a customer calls into the branch and says their card is not working.

As the post above states, a call to customer services (and asking to be put through) will allow card services to verify certain card transactions and they can then remove the block.

From my understanding (so this isn't fact), if the card activity seems 'irregular' to the system, (such as at christmas time when people hammer their cards more often than usual), then it may the main reason the system applys the block.

To be fair as annoying and untimely as it can be (and I've been on the end of such a block when I was at my xmas party last year ), I'd rather the security be there and working, than not on at all.

olly300

Banks expect to get away with awful customer service unless you complain.

If you complain and the staff still don't get it then open a bank account somewhere else and leave the present account dormant or close it if they are charging you. It's a minor hassle to open up a new bank account compared to putting up with a bank that shows they don't want your custom.