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Was told this was the only way I could get a bank account.
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clairebeth
Posts: 299 Forumite
Hello,
In 2003 at the age of 22 I moved to the UK. I had no job and no bank account on arrival. Bank accounts were seemingly very difficult to open in the UK, so I went through a service via 1st Contact, called 'Kickstart London'. As well as general info about the practicalities of living in the UK, they assisted with the set up of bank accounts. There were about 30 or so people in the same session as me, and they typed up a letter for each of us saying we worked for them as we earned £17000 a year or something. Then they said the only place we could open the account was NatWest in Putney and that this was the only way we would get a bank account. So I head on over to Putney with this group of people, and I sat in an office with the bank person and a South African guy who mainly spoke Afrikaans and the bank man did our applications at the same time (I kid you not, it was like we were a married couple because he asked us the same questions at the same time, he must have had two windows open on the screen). I got an Advantage Gold account which cost £9 a month. I know I wasn't offered a free account because for a long time I was under the impression that all bank accounts in the UK required a fee and was surprised to learn a few years later that I could get a free one. I assume it had benefits like travel insurance, but I didn't know that at the time.
I have vague recollections of trying to close it in 2005, but I know I didn't actually close it until around 2007/08. I don't know my account details...do, I have a leg to stand on, or was it just 1st Contact who did the misselling, not NatWest?
In 2003 at the age of 22 I moved to the UK. I had no job and no bank account on arrival. Bank accounts were seemingly very difficult to open in the UK, so I went through a service via 1st Contact, called 'Kickstart London'. As well as general info about the practicalities of living in the UK, they assisted with the set up of bank accounts. There were about 30 or so people in the same session as me, and they typed up a letter for each of us saying we worked for them as we earned £17000 a year or something. Then they said the only place we could open the account was NatWest in Putney and that this was the only way we would get a bank account. So I head on over to Putney with this group of people, and I sat in an office with the bank person and a South African guy who mainly spoke Afrikaans and the bank man did our applications at the same time (I kid you not, it was like we were a married couple because he asked us the same questions at the same time, he must have had two windows open on the screen). I got an Advantage Gold account which cost £9 a month. I know I wasn't offered a free account because for a long time I was under the impression that all bank accounts in the UK required a fee and was surprised to learn a few years later that I could get a free one. I assume it had benefits like travel insurance, but I didn't know that at the time.
I have vague recollections of trying to close it in 2005, but I know I didn't actually close it until around 2007/08. I don't know my account details...do, I have a leg to stand on, or was it just 1st Contact who did the misselling, not NatWest?
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Comments
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Since you signed up for this account under totally false pretences, I wouldn't be making any complaint to the Bank about it...
Can of worms...0 -
Ahhh yes, fair enough. I did, of course, get a job a matter of weeks later, but I suppose the blatant fraud may be an issue! Thanks!0
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I would think so...clairebeth wrote: »I suppose the blatant fraud may be an issue!
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I too had my account arranged through 1st Contact with Natwest in 2003 and was only provided with the Advantage Gold Account. 1st Contact obviously had/has an arrangement with Natwest to open these accounts so I do not think that this should cause you any problems in making a claim for compensation. I will be doing so myself.0
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Did you also commit fraud?0
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What evidence do you have that there was an official "arrangement" to accept fraudulent employment letters in order to facilitate the opening of Bank accounts?1st Contact obviously had/has an arrangement with Natwest to open these accounts so I do not think that this should cause you any problems
On what basis will you complain that the Bank mis-sold you the Advantage Gold Account?0 -
What did they say, JohanC?0
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I doubt you'll get an answer, that poster last logged on in July 2017 having made just one post..clairebeth wrote: »What did they say, JohanC?
That he won't have received any "compensation" is a given..0
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