old bank account fees texts

JAMES_CLOSE

Hi, newbie here!
hoping for some advice please... I had a bank current account (and possibly still do) with a well know spanish bank in the uk which i opened over 13 years ago. i stopped using the account over 9 years ago and the account balance was left at zero and i wasn't in the red. around two years ago i started to receive texts alerts from the bank saying i had entered into an unarranged overdraft in 2010 and i need to pay in money to cover this. I'm assuming they may have been charging me account charges and interest for the last 9-10 years???? I've moved at least four times since i opened the account, ive received no statements or emails and only a text once a month. my credit rating is very good. the last thing i want to do is contact them to look into this as surely ill then be acknowledging receipt of the texts and possible debt?
not sure where to go with this? sit them out or make contact?
many thanks
james

[Deleted User]

Contact Santander and ask.

Don't call on the number on the text message (if there is one) in case it is a fraudulent text

JAMES_CLOSE

frago wrote: »

2 years ago you received text alerts that you were in un-arranged overdraft and you haven't contacted the bank yet? If you're in debt, it won't magically go away...

thanks Frago,
yes, i didn't hear anything for the first seven years after not using the account and then out of the blue started receiving texts. ive not used the account or had any kind of contact since 2010 when the account was left dormant and at a zero balance

JAMES_CLOSE

!!! wrote: »

Contact Santander and ask.

Don't call on the number on the text message (if there is one) in case it is a fraudulent text

there isn't a number on the text. it just says santander

PRAISETHESUN

What Gary meant was to make sure not to contact Santander using any of the details in the message - make sure to visit their website and only use details provided there - even if it says "Santander" on the message header, this can easily be spoofed by scammers.

If you never closed the account then technically you still had an obligation to inform them of your current contact details in case they needed to get in touch. I'd recommend checking your credit files from all 3 CRAs as if there has been debt for this long, it's likely since defaulted. Check all 3 agencies as you might only be looking at one where Santander doesn't report - and make sure to ignore your credit "score/rating"! It also might be worth requesting a copy of your personal data from Santander using a DSAR - just be careful how you word anything in case it is construed as "acknowledging" any potential debt.

JAMES_CLOSE

PRAISETHESUN wrote: »

What Gary meant was to make sure not to contact Santander using any of the details in the message - make sure to visit their website and only use details provided there - even if it says "Santander" on the message header, this can easily be spoofed by scammers.

If you never closed the account then technically you still had an obligation to inform them of your current contact details in case they needed to get in touch. I'd recommend checking your credit files from all 3 CRAs as if there has been debt for this long, it's likely since defaulted. Check all 3 agencies as you might only be looking at one where Santander doesn't report - and make sure to ignore your credit "score/rating"! It also might be worth requesting a copy of your personal data from Santander using a DSAR - just be careful how you word anything in case it is construed as "acknowledging" any potential debt.

many thanks PTS- Im in business and constantly cross reference my credit ratings and information. there's nothing anywhere on credit referencing regards this. contacting them is what's worrying me, i don't want to accept liability for undue charges that may could been wiped out under a statute period by merely enquiring and finding myself entering into a protracted legal wrangle over charges they have administered to an account that was not overdrawn 10 years ago when i stopped using it. i don't have any of the account details any longer and have no information as to the type of account other than it was a current account. it was over 10 years ago! surely this account should have been closed a long time ago and charges they (not me) administered to the account to make it go overdrawn would have been wiped out by the 6 year statute?

eskbanker

Personally I'd read up in more detail at sites like https://www.stepchange.org/debt-info/can-i-write-off-debt/statute-barred-debt.aspx - as explained there, contacting the bank by phone doesn't count as acknowledging the debt (which needs to be in writing, or by making repayments, etc), so you could simply call them and ask to reset your online banking details and/or current home address (they or debt collectors will find you anyway if they chose to).

Once you get to see the state of the account in more detail you can establish what's happened and decide whether the debt is worth challenging, or settling. Statute barring doesn't wipe out the debt as such in any case, but prevents them from chasing you through the courts, so ignoring it doesn't make it go away, although it does seem odd that it hasn't been recorded on any of your credit files.

Terry_Towelling

JAMES_CLOSE wrote: »

Hi, newbie here!
hoping for some advice please... I had a bank current account (and possibly still do) with a well know spanish bank in the uk which i opened over 13 years ago. i stopped using the account over 9 years ago and the account balance was left at zero and i wasn't in the red. around two years ago i started to receive texts alerts from the bank saying i had entered into an unarranged overdraft in 2010 and i need to pay in money to cover this. I'm assuming they may have been charging me account charges and interest for the last 9-10 years???? I've moved at least four times since i opened the account, ive received no statements or emails and only a text once a month. my credit rating is very good. the last thing i want to do is contact them to look into this as surely ill then be acknowledging receipt of the texts and possible debt?
not sure where to go with this? sit them out or make contact?
many thanks
james

Well how would you expect to receive statements if you've moved several times and not once notified them of your new address?

In the time since you allegedly last used the account, your debit card will have expired and they may well have re-issued it to one of your old addresses (although you'll probably tell us you didn't have a debit card on the account). They will also have been contacting you about the effects of GDPR at your old address.

Dubious.

DCFC79

Why did you not close the account rather than stop using it ?

I take it the account had a monthly fee hence the charges, is that correct ?