Looks like NatWest have stolen my money?

Heypt

I'm a foreigner, I worked for the UK institution for several years and they had opened the bank account for me at Natwest, the UK National Westminster Bank a part of the Royal Bank of Scotland Group.
At very least they took possession of my money for more than a year, unless forever. as they ignore my messages now and refuse to reply.

Here is the Natwest fraudster schema:

1) you move back to your homeland and change your address at bank account for your address in another country

2) then you go abroad for several months and you do not change your address through Natwest online banking as you do not have permanent address abroad connected to your bills, bank account etc.

3) you use your valid Natwest debit card abroad — so they can be apprised of your location (NB: your credit card is completely paid off just recently).

4) they send (Natwest asserts later that they did) you a notification letter that Natwest closes your account to your home address: just a plain letter, with no confirmation of delivery or the like

5) they do not contact you otherwise, though they have your phone number and email — you have no idea of the surprise they have prepared for you so thoroughly

6) Natwest closes your account and deprives you of access to your money.

7) on your requests they request in turn:
A) certified confirmation of your address (the one they have contacted you as the only mean to notify you about the closing of your account)
certified confirmation of your identity (although while you are their client they just call and ask you secret questions)

Natwest requests that documents not like just common legal certifications with affidavits, which can be recognized internationally — but as documents you should get only the way they require:
of course they claim that completely ignoring conditions in your country: for instance that banks do not disclosure their clients address and people sometimes do not pay bills personally but the bills are paid by an owner of the dwelling you live in.
NB: this is them, who holds your money.
But they don't even apologize.
What a civilized conduct, isn't it?

This is all about an important matter, concerning vital things for another human being, let alone Natwest's reputation, reputation of the UK as well.
Looks like demonstrating such disrespect to human being rights they respect neither Human Rights, nor themselves.

After you have complied to the their requirements Natwest still refuses to send you your money.
They promise, they confirm they've got all what's necessary, then suddenly they change their mind, invent new requirements etc.

Now they invent the claim that it's not enough for them to get a copy of your ID certified by «an accountant or local equivalent» as they required first — you have provided them with the copy of your ID certified by a quite known authority, speaking English, having official email, phones and web-page, local official who knows you in person for years.
Ignored.
They claim that your passport must be «re-certified by a lawyer or notary whose contact details could be traced on the Internet». But those contacts can be «traced on the Internet». And not only on the internet.
Ignored.
As soon as you succeed to comply to their requirement they pull out their freshly invented new conditions. Nice, isn't it?

Actually after such their conduct, see above, I do not see any proof of their good will to return my money (not to mention that they procrastinate their replies for weeks, though now Natwest has known how to contact by email a person whose money they withheld…).
I only see that every time Natwest does all their best to get a hold of my money as long as only possibly, possibly for ever,

How this conduct of Natwest should be regarded in civilized countries?
The UK financial ombudsman have just ignored all that and literally signed, that the UK financial ombudsman cannot guaranties that my money will be returned
and there is no guarantor in the UK that the UK National Westminster Bank ever returns my money.

In my country such conduct of a debtor (here we have the UK National Westminster Bank a part of the Royal Bank of Scotland Group which holds your money…) considered as highly questionable unless criminal.

eskbanker

So, cutting through all the nonsense about human rights and theft, is this basically NatWest asking you for certified documents before releasing your money but you're not able or willing to obtain and supply these in the format that they require, and the ombudsman sides with the bank?

I'm not sure what you're expecting anyone on here to be able to say but my view is that you have three options:

1. comply with their requests (even if you feel they're unreasonable)
2. forget about the money
3. take them to court

Options 2 and 3 will both be prohibitively expensive, do you need any more clues?!

xylophone

The title of your thread could be held to be libellous?

Get your passport certified as required by Natwest so that your funds can be released and you can draw a line under the whole affair.

Heypt

Dear eskbanker,

I appreciate your comments concerning «nonsense about human rights and theft».
No doubts, that some bankers do not consider that their intentional refusal to return money has anything to do with theft not to mention human rights.
Thus the income of some bankers is mined. Thank you for your signature under this.

And please read again (hint: look for a word «comply») and please not try to make your comments personal.

As for options so nicely suggested by you:
1) you've failed be adequate (hope you do not conduct like that at your workplace)
2)-3) among persons knowing integrity it's called theft, my dear, and if you fail to recognize that I kindly ask you to not spam here any longer.
Thank you.

Heypt

Dear xylophone,

My passport is certified as they required. Even as they re-required.
So they have changed their mind and require re-certification now on murky grounds.

As for «libellous» — watch your mouth when you don't give a damn to read what you comment on.
Please.

Heypt

Looks like here we have the best of NatWest banker trolls, haven't we?
Quite consistent with their conduct, though.

Unlike them British people used to be quite empathic and not so supportive by default to the fraudsters…

eskbanker

Heypt wrote: »

And please read again (hint: look for a word «comply») and please not try to make your comments personal.

There's no chance I'm going to subject myself to reading all that again! But nothing personal, not sure where you got that from, I just gave you straightforward advice, which you're naturally entitled to ignore if you wish, no skin off my nose [idiom which may not translate well into your first language].

Heypt wrote: »

It is certified as they required.
They changed their mind and require re-certification.

So they've moved the goalposts - obviously inconvenient and irritating but if they got it wrong first time round and don't intend to back down then you're still left in the same position of needing to comply with their most recent requests....

Shakin_Steve

Heypt wrote: »

Dear eskbanker,

I appreciate your comments concerning «nonsense about human rights and theft».
No doubts, that some bankers do not consider that their intentional refusal to return money has anything to do with theft not to mention human rights.
Thus the income of some bankers is mined. Thank you for your signature under this.

And please read again (hint: look for a word «comply») and please not try to make your comments personal.

As for options so nicely suggested by you:
1) you've failed be adequate (hope you do not conduct like that at your workplace)
2)-3) among person knowing integrity it's called theft, my dear, and you fail to recognize that I kindly ask you to not spam here any longer.
Thank you.

What, exactly, is it you are looking for here? Advice? You’ve had it, and thrown it back in the face of the giver.
Sympathy? Not with a stinking attitude like that, I’m afraid.

Heypt

Dear eskbanker,

Thank you for your explanation about «to comply with their most recent requests».
Of course I do my best.
Apparently you do not know yet another words: «extortion», «procrastination», «manipulation» and «fraud» — all for playing with another people money, all from the arsenal of fraudsters.

I'm sorry, but only an idiot can trust a bank which conduct the way Natwest does — which is a clear fraud. They have an absolutely certain confirmation of my identity, even more than just one confirmation.

And because I do not trust them any more and have no reasons to trust, which is I think quite obvious now — I spell out here this case.

However hard you and your likenesses here are trying to compromise me and my issue with NatWest — other people can/should make their inference without your help.
Thank you.

Heypt

Dear Shakin Steve,

I appreciate that you have spent your time delivering me your so nice attitude about me personally (with your so nice concern about what do I look for) and about my story.

I do know that some bankers and some kinds of people may consider getting a hold of someone personal saving and the story about that as «a stinking attitude».
I do not look for advice or sympathy, especially from people with such a nice attitude.

I simply inform another people about my experience.
Let them make their infer without your attempts to throw a stone at me.

Thank you for your input though. It's highly appreciated.

Zanderman

NatWest haven't stolen your money. That is obvious. They 'just' need you to get your documents re-certified.

They may have made mistakes in the way they've done this - but that's not stealing money. That's making mistakes with procedure.

You can get your money by doing what they ask. Complain about the process afterwards. Complaining now doesn't get you anywhere.

Coming on this forum and rejecting helpful advice isn't going to help you either!