Help please!!! transferred £300 into the wrong account.

bengal-stripe

robatwork wrote: »

I have just check the Santander Set Up a New Payment page.

It looks like this:
(*) Payee name:
Enter recipient´s account details here:
(*) Their sort code: - -
(*) Their account number:
(*) Payment reference:

If you would like to make a payment please complete the details below and click "Continue". If you only want to save the payment details then click "Continue" now.


There is nothing to say that the account number and sort code are the only things that are actually used in the transfer - indeed the "payee name" is the first (hence most important?) item, and all are starred, meaning obligatory fields. It's not at all obvious that the payee name isn't checked when setting up a faster payment.

If you hover with your cursor over the question mark, it will say:

"This is the payee name that appears on your statement or a name that will help you remember a payment."

This is your personal reference, which might well be 'Aunt Mary' or 'Electricity' etc.

The other reference is the payee's reference, so account- or invoice number or in the case of Aunt Mary just 'Paul'.

Hominu

matttye wrote: »

Why ask for the information if its not going to be used? Seems redundant at best and misleading at worst.

It is used, and quite clearly stated that it is used.

The 'name' you type in is for your reference. It lets you identify the payment in the transaction list and statements.

The 'reference' field is for the payee's reference. It allows them to identify the payment in their transaction list and statements.

Both very useful fields.

Add to that that pretty much every bank has a confirmation screen that asks you to check your account number and sort code before hitting the 'I confirm' button, then it's pretty much on your back if you decide to enter wrong information and then confirm that wrong information as correct.

John1993_2

matttye wrote: »

Why ask for the information if its not going to be used? Seems redundant at best and misleading at worst.

This has been explained to you, several times. The payee name is for your records, it's what will appear in your statement, to remind you what the payment was for. The "ref" field will appear on the recipient's statement, to show them the source of the funds.

The sort code and account number are the instructions for delivering the money.

You can think of it as analagous to an address on a letter, if it helps you to understand. You can put "Darth Vader" as the first line, and the post office will still deliver it if the address below is correct. They won't carry out a check to see if Darth Vader really lives there.

I know that you'd like the world made fail-safe for the lowest common denominator. I hope, though, that you understand that this is not without cost, and that the rest of us prefer it how it currently is.

BlindLeadingTheBlind

My complaint with Halifax Bank is I gave them a payment instruction to pay I B Legitimate sc 12-34-56 ac no 12345678 not Vlad the Impaler sc 12-34-56 ac no 12345678. If Halifax ignore the first piece of account information they request to make the payment they should:
1. either, not request the account payee's name as it gives the payer the confidence it forms an integral part of ensuring the money goes to the right person
2. or, include a clear and prominent message on the payment screen saying the name is not used to make the payment so make sure the sort code and account number are correct and acquired by a secure means, and they should change the order in which the information is requested taking away the prominence given to the account payees name
3. or, leave the system exactly as it is and take the risk of not following the payment instruction fully.

~Chameleon~

BlindLeadingTheBlind wrote: »

My complaint with Halifax Bank is I gave them a payment instruction to pay I B Legitimate sc 12-34-56 ac no 12345678 not Vlad the Impaler sc 12-34-56 ac no 12345678. If Halifax ignore the first piece of account information they request to make the payment they should:
1. either, not request the account payee's name as it gives the payer the confidence it forms an integral part of ensuring the money goes to the right person
2. or, include a clear and prominent message on the payment screen saying the name is not used to make the payment so make sure the sort code and account number are correct and acquired by a secure means, and they should change the order in which the information is requested taking away the prominence given to the account payees name
3. or, leave the system exactly as it is and take the risk of not following the payment instruction fully.

:wall: :wall: :wall:

Your username really is rather apt!

Hooloovoo

John1993 wrote: »

This has been explained to you, several times. The payee name is for your records, it's what will appear in your statement, to remind you what the payment was for. The "ref" field will appear on the recipient's statement, to show them the source of the funds.

In which case, don't you think "Payee Name" is the wrong label for the form? What you type there has got nothing at all to do with the payee name.

The form should ask for:

Sort code.
Account number.
Your reference.
Their reference.

I fully agree that it is the responsibility of the customer to ensure they enter the correct numbers, but I do think the forms could be made clearer.

John1993_2

Hooloovoo wrote: »

In which case, don't you think "Payee Name" is the wrong label for the form? What you type there has got nothing at all to do with the payee name.

No, I think that it's just fine as is. I would, though, as I'm one of the 99.9% of people capable of correctly typing a few numbers into a box, when I know how important it is to get right.

Those who think that they'll just hit any old combination, and that the bank will somehow sort it out for them are the ones that seem to think that the system needs changing, but I suspect that whetever the system was they'd still get it wrong and then whine that it just wasn't their fault.

As you can tell, I'm quite big on personal responsibility, and yes, quite unsympathetic to people who want the world to hold their hand on even the simplest tasks.

dotdash79

It should be like who wants to be a millionaire with you being asked 40 times if it's your final answer.

CRISPIANNE3

alimahat wrote: »

Am guessing you have never made a mistake in your life!!!. I am no idiot and am not blaming Santander for my mistake, but the fact that they do not care to help me at all, even though when I spoke to Lloyds, I was told that Santander is suppose to sent them a request for a transfer trace, which is what they would have done if I was their customer.

I have made many, many mistakes in my life. However when it comes to using faster payments I double check everything and so far have not had any issues.

Anyway I hope you get your money back.

bengal-stripe

It might be a good idea, not to ask for a newly set-up Faster Payment to go out instantly. Set a new payment up to leave the account the next day, or even the next week. Print out a copy of your instructions; then you have hours (if not days) to check, double-check and check again. It is usually easier to compare printed sources.

Also use "copy and paste" when you transfer the account number / sort code from one on-line document to the other.