SANTANDER voted best bank in the world..... who by?

smithers1981

i have a current account with santander, and a joint current account with my wife, she has her own current account an E-saver and an ISA.

We decided to open a joint E-Saver so went into the branch no joy you have to apply online, so went home and applied, get an email next day saying they want further ID? What for we have 5 accounts between us.

Rang them up to see if any way around it after listening to how they are best bank in the world, got through to a lady who couldn't help only way is to send of photo copies of passports etc.

Previously i have defended Santander, they claim best bank in the world, yet they are bottom of the uk league and i now know which i believe.

Stick yr E saver up yr ..se!

exel1966

http://www.santander.com/csgs/Satellite/CFWCSancomQP01/en_GB/Corporate/Press-Room/Santander-named-Best-Bank-in-the-World-in-2012-by-Euromoney-magazine.html

It means nothing ! Not one member of the public/customer got to vote.

ses6jwg

smithers1981 wrote: »

i have a current account with santander, and a joint current account with my wife, she has her own current account an E-saver and an ISA.

We decided to open a joint E-Saver so went into the branch no joy you have to apply online, so went home and applied, get an email next day saying they want further ID? What for we have 5 accounts between us.

Rang them up to see if any way around it after listening to how they are best bank in the world, got through to a lady who couldn't help only way is to send of photo copies of passports etc.

Previously i have defended Santander, they claim best bank in the world, yet they are bottom of the uk league and i now know which i believe.

Stick yr E saver up yr ..se!

its called anti money laundering checks

CleanShirt

ses6jwg wrote: »

its called anti money laundering checks

They inherently go through Electronic ID checks ie existing credit products and electoral roll info etc at your current address going through an app. If that fails they need more ID. Its the same for most banks, they need to ensure they have completed the correct level of checks before they can open an account- irrespective if you have an account already or not. This is due to Anti Money Laundering regulations which are so tight. Look at HSBC and Standard Chartered for not doing enough, consequently denting the business and their ability to offer you what they can?

There are many reasons why it could be they are asking for more ID. Before you start winding yourself up, it really isnt an issue.

The most likely is that you opened the other 5 accounts in branch- there are different ID requirements for applying face to face. As the eSaver is Online only this inherently means that they are probably relying on the electronic checks as the face to face ID on file isnt enough. These obviously failed for you, but passed for your wife.

There are so many reasons why it may be too.

To be fair you initially went into a branch to open an Online only account?

Fellwalker

FIRST: A photocopy of the ID is pathetic. If I were a fraudster then with currently available commercial software and a little practice I could create a copy that would be adequate. Originals are necessary.

I used to work in a bank, and as a manager I had the embarrassment of going to customers who had been with us for 40 years, and their family company for over 100, and asking them for ORIGINAL passport/ photo ID and address ID!
We were not under any circumstances allowed to accept a photocopy of anything without the original. I had to personally write on to confirm that the copy I then took was a true and faithful copy of the original which I had seen, and sign the copy. The identification files thus created were kept in newly created permanent files.
Later we were allowed to use the electronic searches, but still had to see the ID for new customers.
The problem is that the law requires the bank to identify the customer, without specifying what that means. Typical UK muddle to allow lawyers scope to earn lots of money. Also great get-out for politicians who can blame anyone for not identifying "fully".
When I first joined the bank, we had to get a personal reference from someone who already had a bank account, or from their employer, so things have moved on.

In response to the OP, on the face of it Santander are over the top here. BUT, it may be that their internal checks and balances have found that the ID they previously held was not sufficient, and they had flagged the account to say that on any change, ask for new ID. Or the amount or transaction might be out of character, in which case an increased level of ID is called for. I cannot say that having to identify myself to my bank worries me; rather that than find someone else has taken all of my money out of it.