RBS - worrying telephone conversation

Pauly_1

I thought I should put this here as a warning to others, but I also feel that I should bring it up officially to the bank - however, I'm not sure how.

Last November I received an offer letter of just over £600 from RBS for my NatWest credit card - it stated on the letter that payment would be automatic, and there was no bit of paper to sign and send back, so I sat and waited for the money. Come January, I hadn't received anything, so gave them a call - was told that I had to sign for it so asked them to send a letter with a declaration bit.

The letter arrived yesterday, but the figure in the declaration was for just over £300 :eek:, not £600 (and the figure wasn't written anywhere else in the letter). Naturally wondering where my other half of the money has gone, I phone RBS to find out...

After giving my reference number and explaining the situation, the guy on the other end of the phone confidently states 'ah yes, I can see why that is, the computer is showing that the rest of the money has been used to pay off arrears'.
Well, first of all, that would be an interesting thing to do as I haven't even accepted this money yet and so it isn't mine, so why pay any of my arrears? Secondly, what arrears are these? 'Looks like the credit card to me' says the man.
- Really? My credit card has been in credit by a couple of quid for the last 8 months and I haven't used it since then.
'Oh, well the money can be used across your RBS accounts so must have been used to clear arrears on your overdraft then'
- Haven't got an overdraft

At this point he says he needs to go into the computer further, and then asks me to wait whilst he goes to talk to someone and about ten minutes go by. Finally returns and says 'It has been recalculated and the new offer is the recalculation'
- hmmm, I thought the computer was showing that it had been used to pay off arrears just a minute ago. Ok, we'll let that one slide and perhaps you can explain to me how the new calculation has been made, why I haven't been made aware of it, and why doesn't my latest letter contain any of the new calculations?
He doesn't know.

Ok, can you give me some details of the new calculations so that I can check them for accuaracy. 'Umm, no - there is no new calculation on my file, and the last calculation there was made in November - and it comes to £600+. And I've just found your signature on a declaration for the original offer dated in December'.

So, he has set up an investigation - and I'm pretty sure that it will end up coming to the conclusion that I should have my £600 - that will be it... but it shouldn't be. I'm not someone who is shaken off easily, and I know how my accounts/credit cards etc. work so couldn't be fobbed off with the earlier stuff - but what if I wasn't? What if I was someone who didn't look closely at the declaration before signing it and sending it off? If I was intimidated on the phone and just took their word for it that the money had been used to pay something off?

I doubt I'm an isolated case - how many people have they done this to and actually got away with it? That is why I feel like taking it further - not for myself (I can look after myself in my dealings with them) but for others who might get ripped off. The question is, who do you report it to?