NatWest: Denial of service

jalexa

samizdat wrote: »

Do you mean my approach to describing my problems here has led people to discuss money laundering, whereas the problem was an alert over possible fraud?

Or do you mean my approach to NatWest led them to consider my attempts to access money as a laundering issue, whereas originally I just had a security problem relating to lost passwords?

Neither. Not "fraud" but some "security concern" at the transaction level rightly (or wrongly) determined by Natwest.

I think I recall from one of your posts that you employed the telephone channel in the middle of requesting (or setting-up) online activation. This is pure speculation but I wonder if that could be a factor.

BTW, if you mentioned "lost passwords" anywhere in your posts I missed the reference. Apologies if I did. Now that I have noticed, I further speculate that *may* have resulted in closer scrutiny of contemporaneous transactions.

Your report of a somewhat inept Natwest response to a complaint is not news to me. That has not helped comprehension of the causal issue.

samizdat

Oh, now what?!

NatWest have sent me a PIN for my debit card, and an Activation Code for "Actionline", whatever that is.

The Actionline letter says:
"With Actionline you can use both Telephone banking and Online banking...so any payment instructions you have set up will automatically be available through both services."

Yeah, right.

It then gives instructions for setting up telephone and online banking.

But I thought I had already set all this up with my debit card? I daren't ring NatWest, because this is bound to get them anxious about money laundering or something!

So I am tempted to ignore the Actionline letter, and just try to use my card reader with my new debit card PIN.

Any advice?

CKhalvashi

jalexa wrote: »

What I said was "why the rant...", not why the post.

I welcome payment issues being flagged up. An "issue" has occurred but something not yet substantiated by others (although invited) as common or indeed necessarily undesireable. The complaints process by "deadlock" will offer a response, though I predict a "predictable" response. At that stage if not satisfied you will have another option.

I’ve had things flagged up by HSBC as an internal transfer before now (money from the sale of a car to go into the investments pot). What I do know is that if £10000 of my money went missing (and I’m not exactly skint), then I’ve worked for that, and as annoying it would be at the time, it’s in my best interests.

Banks are making a profit to look after my money!

CK

jalexa

samizdat wrote: »

So I am tempted to ignore the Actionline letter, and just try to use my card reader with my new debit card PIN.

Any advice?

In my experience the Natwest/RBS online banking platform is generally very good and it does not need telephone banking to make it good. It's rare that I have a need to make use of telephone banking, so while I agree with your suggestion only you can decide.

CKhalvashi

jalexa wrote: »

In my experience the Natwest/RBS online banking platform is generally very good and it does not need telephone banking to make it good. It's rare that I have a need to make use of telephone banking, so while I agree with your suggestion only you can decide.

I’m on the other end of this; someone who prefers to do most things on the phone. The only real thing that I do is check balance/what’s going in and out via online banking, with the exception of the business accounts (as I’m not paying double)

CK

coldhandoff

I would imagine that not having a contact number on file would be the cause of the problem. I know that the fraud team conduct both inbound and outbound calling to confirm the payments.

I assume this was for a large amount as those are usually the only ones I see being flagged. I don't know what the criteria is although I have even seen funds transfers between accounts (not direct payments) being flagged as well.

The branch will be able to send faster payments as long as they aren't above the limit, which will then have to be chaps, which you have to pay for.

Ben8282

As today was a working day, I was wondering if there have been any developments? If I was in the OP's place, and innocent of wrongdoing, I would have been at the door of my branch at 9.30 this morning insisting on an explanation and ready to address any concerns which may be raised not sitting at home messing about with activation codes etc

samizdat

Ben8282 wrote: »

As today was a working day, I was wondering if there have been any developments? If I was in the OP's place, and innocent of wrongdoing, I would have been at the door of my branch at 9.30 this morning insisting on an explanation and ready to address any concerns which may be raised not sitting at home messing about with activation codes etc

Well, I am not a glutton for punishment, and the thought of explaining everything to yet another person at NatWest is off-putting.

Anyway, it seems I need to find an RBS Group cashpoint to unlock my PIN.

samizdat

Happy days! I can use my account again as normal. Thanks for reading.

stclair

samizdat wrote: »

Happy days! I can use my account again as normal. Thanks for reading.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=76RrdwElnTU