Help!! Basic account closed from Santander can't get another bank what are my options

Gazham1992

I was banking with Santander for 4 years with a basic account so no debit card or credit facilities, ive never missed a payment for direct debits and put in £1200+ per month from wages.
On Friday 20th July I tried logging onto my internet banking app to find there was a block on it and upon contacting them they said that I am a risk to the bank of committing fraud and have therefore removed my banking facilities and I am no longer welcome to bank with them.

I used to have a bank account with Barclays and was subject to £1104 of fraud in 2014. I filled in all the forms and they put the £1104 bank into my account so I quickly opened up a new account (santander) and withdrew all of the money and put it straight into Santander account. I received no correspondence from the bank other than that they where closing the account. From contacting them they put me through to their collections team who have stated that they had sent me further forms to investigate the matter further and I didn't reply so they rejected the fraud claim and put the £1104 back to the account leaving it -£1104. They have now placed a CIFA against my name and have told me the only way to get it removed is to pay back the £1104 meaning I cannot get another bank account not even a basic one like I had with santander..

I am extremely annoyed with Santander as I have like I said above banked with them 4+ years and never missed a payment and my account is always in plus funds so don't see how I can be deemed a risk especially when I can't use my card for anything other than lifting cash and don't have a over draft or anything like that.... They have said I don't have the right of a appeal which is ridiculous and that I can never bank with them again..

Anyone ever been through this process ?
I spoke to a very nice gentleman at Barclays who said that the Barclays -1104 will be removed from my file in 24months time as it gets removed after 6 years and that the CIFA marker will be removed in 12-24months time ... Any truth?

In the mean time what can I do to receive my wages pay my bills and make small cash withdrawals when needs be???
Any help would be greatly appreciated

Regards
Garry H

colsten

Pay the £1,104 you owe to Barclays. Then ask them nicely whether they'd remove your CIFAS marker as it sounds as if no bank would be willing to take you on as a customer whilst you have the marker.

maninthestreet

I'm not clear whether it is Santander or Barclays that has placed the CIFAS marker for fraud against the OP.

Westie983

Gazham1992 wrote: »

I was banking with Santander for 4 years with a basic account so no debit card or credit facilities, ive never missed a payment for direct debits and put in £1200+ per month from wages.
On Friday 20th July I tried logging onto my internet banking app to find there was a block on it and upon contacting them they said that I am a risk to the bank of committing fraud and have therefore removed my banking facilities and I am no longer welcome to bank with them.

I used to have a bank account with Barclays and was subject to £1104 of fraud in 2014. I filled in all the forms and they put the £1104 bank into my account so I quickly opened up a new account (santander) and withdrew all of the money and put it straight into Santander account. I received no correspondence from the bank other than that they where closing the account. From contacting them they put me through to their collections team who have stated that they had sent me further forms to investigate the matter further and I didn't reply so they rejected the fraud claim and put the £1104 back to the account leaving it -£1104. They have now placed a CIFA against my name and have told me the only way to get it removed is to pay back the £1104 meaning I cannot get another bank account not even a basic one like I had with santander..

I am extremely annoyed with Santander as I have like I said above banked with them 4+ years and never missed a payment and my account is always in plus funds so don't see how I can be deemed a risk especially when I can't use my card for anything other than lifting cash and don't have a over draft or anything like that.... They have said I don't have the right of a appeal which is ridiculous and that I can never bank with them again..

Anyone ever been through this process ?
I spoke to a very nice gentleman at Barclays who said that the Barclays -1104 will be removed from my file in 24months time as it gets removed after 6 years and that the CIFA marker will be removed in 12-24months time ... Any truth?

In the mean time what can I do to receive my wages pay my bills and make small cash withdrawals when needs be???
Any help would be greatly appreciated

Regards
Garry H

You will struggle to get another current account to receive wages, with the marker against you. You will therefore need to look for savings accounts which will allow you to be paid via BACS, you will also be able to make cash withdrawals to pay your bills but you wont be able to set up Direct Debits as it wont be a current account.

CIFA markers stay on your credit file for six years from the date it was added, so it will be on your account till 2024, but your original default from Barclays if no payment has been made will drop off in 2020 (six years from 2014)

You haven't been deemed a risk by Santander I would assume it goes back to the fraud claim you submitted at Barclays which was reversed, and its taken time for this information to get to Santander and as soon as they were made aware of the CIFA marker they have terminated banking arrangements with you.

I would get onto opening a savings account as soon as you can so you can get your wages paid to a new account, and your payroll updated before the next payment cycle.

Westie983

18cc

Until the Marker is removed you won't get another basic bank account

I can suggest you open a Yorkshire Building Society cash card account that gives you a sort code and account number to pay your wages into and a card that you can withdraw cash from the ATM - no direct debit or standing order facilities though

I have heard that monzo only do a soft search when opening an account but they probably would not allow you to have one with the Marker

keith1950

Why did you "quickly" open an account with Santander? .....you make it sound as if you knew Barclays were going to reverse their decision!
As it stands you owe Barclays and paying them back is your only option.

EachPenny

Gazham1992 wrote: »

I received no correspondence from the bank other than that they where closing the account. From contacting them they put me through to their collections team who have stated that they had sent me further forms to investigate the matter further and I didn't reply so they rejected the fraud claim

This seems odd. The bank would have written to you multiple times to chase the fraud claim, then seek repayment of the debt, and unless you'd gone paperless then sending you statements as well.
I did wonder if you'd moved home and not given Barclays the details, but then you say you were informed they were closing the account, so they must have known how to contact you.
Why did they close the account? It sounds an unusual thing to do when the account had a significant debt on it. What reasons did they give you?

Gazham1992

I opened a account with Santander straight away as I was afraid someone had my details and could do the same thing again and clear the account with multiple transactions .. i found out from Barclays that the fraud claim was rejected as it was multiple transactions which where visa verified meaning whoever input the details knew my password to approve transactions and they believe it was me...
Barclays only ever wrote to me once and that was approx 2-3 months after I had stopped using the account in 2014 and that was to say that they where closing the account due to it have a balance of £0 for that amount of time.. I had since moved to another address and didn't feel the need to update or tell Barclays my details due to the fact that my account was closed with a balance of £0 in 2014... I have opened up a account with Monese which is £14.95 per month but has all the features I need to do my general basic banking ... Anyone any experience with Monese and give me advise whether or not it's a good idea to I get my Barclays stuff cleared up and get the CIFA removed .. ??