Santander 123 account - personal details

Tirian

As part of our account opening process we check to see if a customer already has a product with us. Unfortunately some of the personal details you entered in your application do not match those we hold for you as an existing customer. We will need your help to resolve this to ensure we can link all your accounts to your most up to date information, which is also important in Fraud prevention.

To be able to use Online or Telephone Banking to service your new account you need to return the Change of Details form and the appropriate ID.

Just had an email to say my account application has been approved, and card and PIN being sent out. Somewhat bizarrely, they also included the text above in the email, and request that I fill out a "Change of details" form in respect of my existing Santander account(s).

The problem is that I actually don't have any Santander account(s). My wife has a Santander mortgage, but they have specifically said they don't need any further info from her - and in any case, I am pretty sure all the details on that are up to date.

I had a Santander current account several years ago, as a shared house account when I was renting with a friend .. but it was closed long ago and I no longer have any details of this account so there's no way I can fill in this "Change of details" form for that. In any case, they have not given any indication of what the accounts(s) they think I need to change details for could be.

Any suggestions for how to deal with this?

innovate

The reason for the request is almost certainly that old account, or may be an Abbey or A&L account you held in the past? Call them and ask how to go about updating your details if you are unsure.

Tirian

Will give them a call. I've only ever had this one account with any co. related to Santander (it was indeed originally an A&L account and became Santander).

I don't really see why details need to be updated on a long closed account though? Very bizarre.

innovate

Fraud prevention, money laundering etc. Banks have [to have] long memories and will hold your data for at least 6 years.

Tirian

I get that. But any information associated with that account will be entirely correct for the period that it was active.

Changing it now will simply associate a set of completely irrelevant details with it - and apparently it isn't necessary for them to update those details while I don't have other accounts with them. I can't quite see the circumstances in which adding new details to that old account is going to make any material difference to anything.

Tirian

Well, one phone call, and - after being bounced to three different people - an answer: I can ignore the change of details request, they don't need it.

Unexpected, but good, in that it's exactly the outcome that I wanted.

I am willing to bet that the old closed account details being present in some database triggered an automatic request in the confirmation email - but someone actually looking at the system doesn't see anything active in my name.

Hey ho, wish all probs got sorted that easily!

ses6jwg

The correct process would have been to update your old record (the existing customer number) with your current details.

There are now two different customers records for you.

dalesrider

Tirian wrote: »

Any suggestions for how to deal with this?

Funny I got exactly the same thing.....

Rang them and was told. Well the account is open on the system so it must have been sent in error.
Once I got all my online login sorted I sent a message about this. Still never got to the bottom of why it was sent out. But I never returned any of the forms.

Tirian

ses6jwg wrote: »

The correct process would have been to update your old record (the existing customer number) with your current details.

There are now two different customers records for you.

Uh, except I didn't have an existing customer number because the only account I've had with them was closed years agoand all the related docs shredded.

Since they themselves didn't seem to be able to identify the 'existing' account, your 'correct' process seems a little lacking in the key area of feasibility.

innovate

I don't know anything about the details of any bank's systems, however, you can be 100% certain that they all keep data about you for many years after you closed your last account with them. If they didn't, it would be dead easy for fraudsters / money launderers to open new bank accounts every day in perpetuity.

CleanShirt

Tirian wrote: »

Uh, except I didn't have an existing customer number because the only account I've had with them was closed years agoand all the related docs shredded.

Since they themselves didn't seem to be able to identify the 'existing' account, your 'correct' process seems a little lacking in the key area of feasibility.

That will be because ses6jwg works for Santander. Unfortunately customer services don't know much more than dealing with complaints bout charges etc so are hardly beacons of knowledge.

Although the account is closed there is a record linked to that account with your details. The bank needs this to be up to date to ensure every product they have for you is up to date and correct and linked, so if its requested from various organisations it can be supplied for up to 6 years of your relationship ending with them (not of account closure) and why they need to be linked now a new relationship has begun. It can also have wider implications ie 2x customer records means if you opt out of marketing on one, if the other isnt opted out then they may still contact you. This is one of MANY reasons. Think of them as facebook profiles with your info on.

Unfortunately they dont explain this very clearly when send out a change of details form which is effectively useless. Moreover it isnt 'automatic' someone will have sent you that email. Best thing to do is leave it. If you speak to someone above CS they might have the foresight to update it for you if necessary.