Debit Card cancelled by bank without warning

SophieK2

Hi all,

I know this topic has been covered before, but not very recently. After the whole Visa saga at the weekend, I was trying to pay for an online order on Sunday night. It wouldn't go through on my debit card, so I tried Paypal instead, and this too was not processed. It was 11.30pm so I didn't feel like calling Nationwide. Phoned them this morning and found out my debit card has been blocked, and a new one sent out....eh what? Apparently it was for "security reasons". Thanks so much for the notice, Nationwide! I am a low earner, and this is the only debit card I have (absolutely no credit cards and I don't carry much cash), so this is extremely inconvenient for me.

Just to add to the woes, the new card will take 2-3 working days to arrive (the girl on the phone acted as if it had already been sent out, but pretty sure she went off to check with her manager, and then only sent it this morning), and it's been sent to a different address to the one I currently live at (my granny's address, from when I lived with her). I am currently living with my parents and I get my bank statements sent to my granny's as I cannot trust my parents not to open my bank statements and read them (yes, I know it's illegal, but that's what they're like). This means when the new card does arrive I will have to drive 25 mins to her house. All this would have been fine if they had actually TOLD me they were going to cancel my card. I live in a rural village, if I didn't have a car to get to my local branch this morning (who were totally rude about it), I would have been stuck for cash/paying for things for the next while).

I just don't understand why they can't TELL me in advance they are sending me a new card. I don't believe a second of this "security" tripe - I am EXTREMELY careful with online banking and paying for things online. I reckon it happened when the teenage idiot in the supermarket on Friday night tried my card contactless about 30 times - I couldn't pay for my shopping or get cash out because of the Visa issue, so they just had to keep trying my card.

This is the second time Nationwide have cancelled my card without warning. The first time, I was in England for a year doing my teacher training. The new card got sent to my Belfast address, I could not process any payments in England and had to keep getting cash out in branch until my mum eventually posted the new card to me (so much for security then, especially when I was told not to keep changing my residential address because it affects your credit rating).

Has anyone else had this issue where your debit card was cancelled this weekend after the Visa saga?

I am starting to get rather fed up with Nationwide, I feel that they are not willing to be helpful when I call them. Sorry to be a moan, very frustrated rn!

Sophie

[Deleted User]

Hello

Did they advise why it was cancelled beyond the security reasons? It seems a bit odd that they would cancel a card because you tried to use is contactless.

Ive had no problems my end but it didnt really effect me anyway.

bluffer

you seem to be somewhat harsh on them


someone tries a transaction 30 times and you dont think the bank might find it suspicious?
you dont live at the address you tell them but its their fault you are having to go on a 25 mile trip?
you expect them to know in advance there will be a security issue and warn you?


hmmmm

antrobus

SophieK2 wrote: »

I am a low earner, and this is the only debit card I have (absolutely no credit cards and I don't carry much cash), so this is extremely inconvenient for me.

The lesson to draw from this. Get yourself a back up.

KJSmith

SophieK2 wrote: »

I don't believe a second of this "security" tripe - I am EXTREMELY careful with online banking and paying for things online.

You might be careful with your card details. But the retailers that you use might not be. If Nationwide is notified of a possible data breach it's sensible for them to cancel and reissue your card.

agrinnall

antrobus wrote: »

The lesson to draw from this. Get yourself a back up.

The other lesson is to hold onto YOUR card and do the contactless payments yourself, rather than handing it over to someone else.

alanq

Whilst 30 times would be excessive it may not have seemed unreasonable to retry the card several times as, from what I heard, the VISA issue was at times intermittent. (Although it turns out that for some customers each attempt reserved the amount of the failed transaction).

If contactless had failed I would have at least given Chip and PIN a go.

As you say you carry little cash and only one card could it be that part of the reason the shop assistant retried so many times was because of your desparation?

EachPenny

SophieK2 wrote: »

I am currently living with my parents and I get my bank statements sent to my granny's as I cannot trust my parents not to open my bank statements and read them (yes, I know it's illegal, but that's what they're like).

I don't think it would be illegal to have your bank statements sent to your granny's, but it might result in you tripping various fraud prevention systems.

Presumably you are on the electoral register at your parent's house rather than your granny's (that would be illegal) in which case not appearing on the electoral register at the same address you use for your banking may well have a greater impact on your credit scoring than changing address.

To stop future problems you should open an additional account with a different banking group, and also regularise the addresses you use. If you cannot trust your parents not to open and read your bank statements then go paperless and get them electronically instead.

its_all_over

agrinnall wrote: »

The other lesson is to hold onto YOUR card and do the contactless payments yourself, rather than handing it over to someone else.

You know, after reading that I suddenly realised I have never seen a person hand over, or a cashier ask for, the card to do a contactless payment.

[Deleted User]

Darn banks (sorry, building society) - trying to protect us from our money being taken fraudulently.

Fuming I tell you

musketeer7

Sorry to hear your having problems with Nationwide.
At last someone else has got issues with them.
Check out my posts title.
Nationwide and Vodafone and see how helpful they are.

As for your postal address,it shouldn't matter. Homeless people can have a temporary mailing address.
You are only on the electoral register if you want to vote in elections and then recently I discovered homeless people can vote too. Not sure how they go about it. Shelter deals with that.

It is illegal to open mail addressed to someone else without permission.

I heard some good advice on TV that it's wise to have more than one card. Visa, Mastercard and cash. Just in case. I would add you can have more than one bank account as long as it's not to commit fraud.

Hope you have it sorted soon.