LloydsTSB Problems - PLEASE HELP

Cate1976

I opened a new bank a/c with Lloyds TSB last month after HSBC blocked my debit card for no reason and without warning. I've now got a few problems with Lloyds TSB.

1) I tried to apply for a loan with them on Sunday but got message saying there was a problem with my address which has now been resolved (old a/c which I thought had been closed down when I paid off overdraft 3 years ago had old address on it). Went into local branch today and changed address, also found out I can't apply for loan, credit card or overdraft until I've had new a/c for 6 months which is fair enough. Loan wanted for debt consolidation.

2) Being a bit desperate I applied for and was turned down by both Aqua credit card advance and Pounds to Pocket, not too surprised as my husband & I are in the situation of me not working but having fairish credit rating/score but my husband working but with poor credit rating (basing this on me being able to get Lloyds TSB Classic Advance a/c but my husband could only get Lloyds TSB Basic a/c. I then did a search for Provident as we had a loan with them 2 years ago and it worked well for us. I applied for provident online loan, got approved but then after putting in my debit card details, got message saying that I couldn't get the online loan as my bank & debit card details couldn't be verified, before anyone asks yes the £1 that Provident would have debited and credited is available.

Wondering if problem is caused by me only having had the a/c for about a month, the details might not yet be showing on the necessary financial systems, to test this I went into my internet banking to try and set up a new payment to one of a few places we have debts with (all have payment plans in place). This is where the real problem is. I got a message came up on screen at the top it said Phone Authentication failed, underneath that it says:

Before we can carry out your instruction, we need to call you and ask for your authorisation.

Unfortunately either we do not currently have a phone number stored for you or you have updated your phone number in the last 7 days. For your security we are therefore unable to call you to ask for your authorisation for this arrangement. Unfortunately this means you won’t be able to set up this recipient online today.

If you are registered for Phonebank® please call us on 0845 300 2752 (from abroad, +44 1733 347 636) and we can set it up for you now, we are open 24/7. If you are not registered for Phonebank® you can still call us and we’ll be happy to get you registered.

Please note you will need to wait for a security number to be posted out to complete the Phonebank® registration.

Don’t forget to keep your telephone details up to date.

If you are a TextPhone user: please call 0845 300 2280 (from abroad +44 173 3347 515) and we’ll set up this payment for you. We’re open 7am – 10pm Mon to Fri and 8am – 6pm weekends.

After getting the address for my old a/c changed in branch this morning (can't do it online), I thought I'd better check the details on my online banking profile to discover that my old phone number was there so I changed it, screen came up saying it'll take 3 working days for changes to take effect which didn't bother me at the time.

The problem I now have is does this mean my debit card is locked and I can't make any payments with it which will be a PITA for paying bills? If I can't use my debit card I'll need to take money out of the a/c using ATM for going to the city tomorrow.

Once I have the new phone I'm getting tomorrow (going onto cheap contract which'll be cheaper than what I'm spending on PAYG, I'll be wanting to get mobile banking set up on my Lloyds a/c.

Thanks to anyone who can answer any of my questions.

dalesrider

Cate1976 wrote: »

I opened a new bank a/c with Lloyds TSB last month after HSBC blocked my debit card for no reason and without warning. I've now got a few problems with Lloyds TSB.
.

Thanks to anyone who can answer any of my questions.

Well a security check on a card is without warning.... Till you get the telephone call about it.

Or is there some other reason why it was blocked such as no available funds?

TBH. if you are looking for debt consolidation, then going to a bank you have just moved to. Is going to set alarm bell ringing big time.
You have now followed that up with sub prime CC, PDL and a sub prime lender.
I would be surprised if you got anything out of TSB once they see your credit profile from the last few months.

I think you need to sit down and take a long hard look at your situation.
Clearly you can not afford to carry on as you are now as you are just getting deeper and deeper into the mire.

Try the debt board for more advice.

Cate1976

Thanks dalesrider, the provident loan will be used to pay off the debt with the highest interest. All our debts are on payment plans but it'd be easier to just have one payment. The provident loan will help improve my credit rating/score. I also think part of the problem is we've only been in this house for 9 months, previous address was 6 years.

The biggest problem short term is that my Visa debit card can't be verified when I want to use it online, makes me wonder if I've been given card that can only be used in shops. I did read the thread about someone having problems with a debit card.

The problem with HSBC card wasn't security reasons, they never phonef or sent me a letter, suddenly it was declined using it as debit card but I was able to use it to get cash from ATM's so I think they blocked the debit facility.

pmduk

Cate1976 wrote: »

All our debts are on payment plans but it'd be easier to just have one payment.

If these are formal debt management plans, it may be that this is causing the problems.

dalesrider

Cate1976 wrote: »

The biggest problem short term is that my Visa debit card can't be verified when I want to use it online, makes me wonder if I've been given card that can only be used in shops. I did read the thread about someone having problems with a debit card.

Never heard of this option on a debit card, other than through the security system. But that would not be applied to a card unless a security alert had been generated.

Cate1976 wrote: »

The problem with HSBC card wasn't security reasons, they never phonef or sent me a letter, suddenly it was declined using it as debit card but I was able to use it to get cash from ATM's so I think they blocked the debit facility.

It could have been a security check. As within their security system is the option to decline point of sale and only allow ATM if there is suspected POS fraud.

Cate1976

Update, we got the Provident loan and used it to pay off the Wonga loan but have said no more Wongas or similar. The agent for Provident explained to me that paying that off on time each week will help to build my credit rating. They put it on the CRA file with 32 boxes and as each payment is made on time, the boxes are filled in green.

The issue with Lloyds was that when you change personal details on internet banking, they put a block for security reasons on anything done over the internet but allow the debit card to be used in high street shops. It appears to be sorted now so I can now get my tax credits paid into that account.

As for HSBC, I've got to do the letter of complaint as I'm sure the block on debit card wasn't for security reasons as they would have phoned me to ask if recent transactions were genuine.

I tried and couldn't get a contract phone with Carphone Warehouse a couple of days later due to failing credit check (passed back in April) but have found out what the problem is and am dealing with it.

cing0

The telephone authorisation relates to thread http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showpost.php?p=47355883&postcount=10

I've seen this before with an account containing about £1 and no overdraft.

Basically, it possible the banks have blacklisted you (probably CIFAS) as you’'ve complained before, you live with someone or reside in an area of high fraud risk or you do business with dodgy companies (wonga is high fraud risk or you could say is competition for the banks).

If you ask for an explanation, you won't get one as that means revealing information that they keep on you (and the banks can keep this information and make decisions with it as the laws relating to fraud allows it).

Anyone else in this situation, I'd recommend complaining all the way up to the Ombudsman until they cough enough in lieu of an explanation (which they don't give). You don't have to write letters as most banks have a complaint web contact form or email to do this.

JuicyJesus

cing0 wrote: »

Basically, it possible the banks have blacklisted you (probably CIFAS) as you’'ve complained before

B*llocks, this doesn't happen.

you live with someone or reside in an area of high fraud risk

Possible but unlikely, also if CIFAS was involved Lloyds wouldn't have opened an account for the OP and Provident wouldn't have granted a loan

you do business with dodgy companies (wonga is high fraud risk or you could say is competition for the banks).

Slightly true, in that payday loans on your credit file is basically saying "I HAVE NO MONEY AND CAN'T BUDGET AND NOBODY ELSE WILL LEND TO ME". Nothing to do with Wonga being competition for banks.

If you ask for an explanation, you won't get one as that means revealing information that they keep on you (and the banks can keep this information and make decisions with it as the laws relating to fraud allows it).

If the information was fraud related, then no, they wouldn't have to provide this information. I don't, personally, consider this an issue.

I think the reason the OP is being declined for all but the most expensive of credit is far more mundane, and even better actually confirmed by information they've supplied: they have multiple debts which are all on payment plans (likely reflected as such on their credit file) along with payday loans, both of which make virtually any lender other than payday lenders and the Provi run screaming.

Spreading scaremongering rubbish about banks CIFAS "blacklisting" people for no good reason helps nobody.

Cate1976

The Argos card & Halifax overdraft are both being paid to the recovery sections of the companies (Financial Recovery services for Argos & BLS for Halifax). There's 4 debts which are with DCA's but there's payment plans in place with all 4.

I do need to get the full list of debts and amounts outstanding typed up, then I'll post on both DFW and the Credit Rating boards to find out which debts we should be paying off first. I'm not sure whether to go for the high interest ones or the ones that'll help improve credit rating.

Wheres_My_Cashback

Seems pretty plain and clear to me. The banks are rightly concerned about your financial conduct/history (use of PDL companies etc) and numerous applications. It smacks of desperation and will quite rightly ring alarm bells.

Banks can put a block on any account/card if they have reason to do so. They don't actually have to tell you why either, particularly when it comes to fraud type incidents.

Cate1976

Got the problem with my HSBC card sorted, I had to phone them to get a D/D cancelled and when asked if there was anything else I needed, I mentioned the problems with my debit card. The man I was talking to said that there weren't any blocks on the card as my monthly payment to LoveFilm has still been going out, he said that if the chip was damaged or worn out, it will be declined in shops. He's ordered a new card for me which will be here this week.