Debit Card cancelled by bank without warning

meer53

Sophie. Banks can and will cancel your card at any time if they feel the details have been compromised. They will try to let you know but if they can't, they will cancel it anyway. If they suspect fraud they won't give you any information, just that it needs to be cancelled for security reasons. Telling you where it has been compromised may jeopardise any fraud investigation which is taking place. Apart from the delay in sending your card, Nationwide haven't done anything wrong.

marlot

its_all_over wrote: »

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.

I never hand over my card to anyone.

Chirpy_Cheep_Cheep

So let me add my own Nationwide tale...

- I was abroad for a while and logged my travelling status on my Nationwide profile so they knew where I was, where the card was being used and when I was returning
- I used my card just fine for the first 10 days of so while away (only chip & pin, no mistakes)
- I logged onto internet banking and the mobile app just fine. No failed login attenpts
- Then one day, with zero warning, the card was declined at a retailer. Then it happened again same day
- I called Nationwide and was told my card had been cancelled "for security reasons" and that a new card had been posted to my home in the UK
- The first person on the helpdesk took my complaint and said a manager would call me back in 5 business days despite the fact that I was nearly running out of funds
- I wrote to the CEO on Nationwide's website and sorted it out with a higher-up who actually knew what they were doing

Now, I applaud Nationwide for acting in my best interests and stopping potentially fraudulent activity. What I strongly object to, is the heavy-handed way they go about it. Without bothering to check my travel status and with no email, call, text or other communication other than mail a card to a place they knew I wouldn't be, Nationwide just cut my financial lifeline off at the knees. I did have access to another credit card, with a bit of a faf but the senior executive at Nationwide absolutely admitted that their process in dealing with this issue was flawed and could have put customers in a very perilous position. He said he'd be taking this up with the fraud team. This was March so I guess not much progress has been made.

I'm now ever so cautious about trusting any card to work 100% abroad so I will always have a backup plan.

OP: I feel for you. It's partly the inconvenience, but also the frustration of dealing with a potentially very serious situation where the institution has taken a "we're doing this for your own good and that's that" approach. Very sorry to hear about your trouble.

meer53

Chirpy_Cheep_Cheep wrote: »

So let me add my own Nationwide tale...

- I was abroad for a while and logged my travelling status on my Nationwide profile so they knew where I was, where the card was being used and when I was returning
- I used my card just fine for the first 10 days of so while away (only chip & pin, no mistakes)
- I logged onto internet banking and the mobile app just fine. No failed login attenpts
- Then one day, with zero warning, the card was declined at a retailer. Then it happened again same day
- I called Nationwide and was told my card had been cancelled "for security reasons" and that a new card had been posted to my home in the UK
- The first person on the helpdesk took my complaint and said a manager would call me back in 5 business days despite the fact that I was nearly running out of funds
- I wrote to the CEO on Nationwide's website and sorted it out with a higher-up who actually knew what they were doing

Now, I applaud Nationwide for acting in my best interests and stopping potentially fraudulent activity. What I strongly object to, is the heavy-handed way they go about it. Without bothering to check my travel status and with no email, call, text or other communication other than mail a card to a place they knew I wouldn't be, Nationwide just cut my financial lifeline off at the knees. I did have access to another credit card, with a bit of a faf but the senior executive at Nationwide absolutely admitted that their process in dealing with this issue was flawed and could have put customers in a very perilous position. He said he'd be taking this up with the fraud team. This was March so I guess not much progress has been made.

I'm now ever so cautious about trusting any card to work 100% abroad so I will always have a backup plan.

OP: I feel for you. It's partly the inconvenience, but also the frustration of dealing with a potentially very serious situation where the institution has taken a "we're doing this for your own good and that's that" approach. Very sorry to hear about your trouble.

You would have been in the same position if a fraudster had used your card and taken all your available funds anyway so, stop the card or not, you'd be stuffed.

Chirpy_Cheep_Cheep

I think you misunderstand my point. It's the lack of any attempted contact by Nationwide that I have an issue with. I have no issue with Nationwide having the right to cancel the card or stop a transaction.

EachPenny

Chirpy_Cheep_Cheep wrote: »

I think you misunderstand my point. It's the lack of any attempted contact by Nationwide that I have an issue with. I have no issue with Nationwide having the right to cancel the card or stop a transaction.

But Nationwide had made contact with you - they had posted a new card to your registered postal address. The problem is you hadn't yet seen the 'contact'.

Contacting you via your mobile or email would certainly be an option of course - but what if the fraudster has taken control of your phone and/or email? Nationwide would then be alerting the fraudster to the fact their attempts to access your money had failed, but that a brand new (unsigned) card was winging its way to you in the post.

sassy_one

Nationwide are very sensitive regards security.

You'll find that if any of your letters ever get returned to them, for whatever reason, ALL of your held products with them will be blocked via a "No Trace" marker.
This will block internet access, all debit cards/Credit cards and prevent any access until you contact them.

They are one of the banks who do not like not having a fully up to date address for customers, and will block accounts on a single letter being returned to sender.

Westie983

SophieK2 wrote: »

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

Hi,

Did you ring or visit the branch on 4th June, you mention ring at the start and then visit in the car?

Just to give you a little insight, when a card in replaced a new card is sent to the registered address and the old card remains active for 21 days so you still have access to the account while the new on is in the post. It seems like the card was replaced and you were still using the old card and it stopped working 21 days after like it was supposed to.

You mention that you havent been notified by the bank before the account card was cancelled, have you checked at your other address to see if they had sent a letter? as this is the address they have on record.

I notice from other posts you have said that you have you bank card registered at one address and your registered on electoral role at another?? this could be the flag that maybe starting off this "security issue" as you havent got a consistent address.

I understand you have been told that you shouldn't update your address due to credit files, who told you this? it cant have been the bank as they always ask for your current address and if you want you can set up correspondence address for statements and paperwork you dont want at your temporary address.

You dont mention in your later posts if your card has been received but I hope I have cleared up some bits, but Nationwide have done nothing wrong apart from protecting your account and sending it to the only address they have, not knowing that it not where you are actually living.

I hope all has been resolved, and you have updated your address, and considered changing to paperless correspondence so your parents cant open your post, and that you have considered getting a second back up card if this issue ever happens again. you could also add your card to your smart phone if compatible so you wont need the physical card.

Westie983

OceanSound

@op (apologize i cannot quote first post for some reason when using smartphone).:
OP (means 'original poster or ' original posting' if you are wondering). First of all welcome to the forum.

Sorry to hear about your woes with nationwide. I can suggest two things. One is to switch banks. Plenty of banks (banking groups) offering perks for switching.

The other is to setup a redirect with royal mail (from your parents address). Note that once setup you cannot change/cancel the redirect. So if you move from the redirected address you will have to setup a new redirect and pay the fee again for the new redirect. So, best to have it redirected somewhere definite to begin with.
All the best (I hope my post was pleasant and you enjoyed reading it)