RBS have cancelled my Google Pay without reason or warning.

r7rok

Hi folks wondering if anyone has any advice on my next steps.

A little bit of background on my issue, I have a terrible habit of losing bank cards or putting them through the washing machine so I now tend to keep my card safe at home and use google pay when I'm out and about as I always have my phone with me.

A few days ago I went to pay for some goods in store and got an error message saying that I cannot use Google pay here which I thought was very strange and to rule out the shop I was in, I tried again in another shop and got the same message.

I called google to see what was going on and they said that I had to contact the bank to find out as no issue on their end.

After 3 phone calls into different departments I was told that upon review the bank had decided to block me from using google pay. I queried why this was the case as I dont have any bad conduct on my account and dont use the service a disproportionate amount (less than a tenner a couple of times a week).

I was told that basically there was no reason given and they didn't need to give one and I had no right to appeal it. I made a complaint which was rejected out of hand on the basis that I had no right to complain because the bank are within their rights to do this.

Understandably annoyed I asked why I wasnt informed of this decision and why I had the misfortune and embarrassment of having payments rejected in store with no other means of payment at the time but was told again that i had no basis to complain.

I am now looking at changing my current account to a different provider as feeling pretty fobbed off.

Upon checking their current account terms it says they will only restrict account services on the suspicion of fraud or account mismanagement, neither of which apply and also that they would tell me before or immediately after suspension of services again this wasnt the case.

Do I have the basis to fight this or am I better cutting my losses and moving bank.

colsten

Switch banks. Find one that pays you to switch to them. Before you switch, verify that they do offer Google Pay though I think all of them do these days.

Note it is not a good idea to rely on a single bank / a single payment method. Something can always go wrong, and a backup is a sensible precaution.

[Deleted User]

Just switch banks.

Little point in "fighting it" as you won't get anywhere.

molerat

colsten wrote: »

Switch banks. Find one that pays you to switch to them. Before you switch, verify that they do offer Google Pay though I think all of them do these days.

Not Tesco, Apple fanboys only https://support.google.com/pay/answer/7351534

colsten

molerat wrote: »

Not Tesco, Apple fanboys only https://support.google.com/pay/answer/7351534

Staggering!

You can get round that, though: Get Curve, register your Curve card for GooglePay, and then link your Tesco card to Curve.

r7rok

Thanks folks.

Have been looking in to it today, probably going to go with First Direct.

DCFC79

colsten wrote: »

Switch banks. Find one that pays you to switch to them. Before you switch, verify that they do offer Google Pay though I think all of them do these days.

Note it is not a good idea to rely on a single bank / a single payment method. Something can always go wrong, and a backup is a sensible precaution.

Or a backup to the backup or even a 4th means of payment.


Not heard of a back removing the Google Pay option.

r7rok

Nor have I

Would have been satisfied with an explanation and would also have understood if I had gone into an unarranged overdraft or had direct debits returned unpaid etc but there has been no unusual activity out with a little extra spend over christmas time.

soulsaver

I'm with you: The bank hasn't followed its terms & its own procedures when denying the payment facility, causing embarrassment and inconvenience.

They can tell you you can't complain, but that doesn't stop you and it doesn't take long: Put your complaint in writing and progress it to a final response.

I'd add into the complaint that the bank said you couldn't complain.

If you are unhappy with their response, refer it to the FOS.

The worst they can do is turn you down.

Get another account opened with a different bank in case they take umbridge and give you notice that they're removing your banking facilities with them.

Good financial practice to have at least one back up in case of IT melt down, if not this current issue.

stclair

What account type do you have?

I think basic customers can register for apple and google pay but don’t think the functionality should work as the cards are not contactless.

r7rok

I have their reward account for cashback on Bills, used to have a packaged account.

Definitely not that as my account hasn't had any changes to it and was using google pay as recently as last week.

They have just decided to stop me from using for what seems like no good reason.