Current account switch (Halifax to Starling) - Letter from Barclays (recalled payment)

withaspritz

Hi all

My partner recently completed a CASS from Halifax to Starling bank. We're both chuffed with the service with Starling so all good. 

Some days after the switch was completed, his dad sent a PayM transaction (he didn't realise it was PayM and I knowing the CASS forwards payments said it would be fine) of £80 to his mobile number, well - the money left his dad's (also Halifax) account but didn't go into his Starling.  They don't do PayM it seems.  It also seems Halifax failed to de-register him for PayM as part of the CASS (or maybe that's Starling's duty - not sure).  Anyway his dad called up his bank (Halifax) to recall the PayM payment and that's when things get really strange!!

A week or so later my partner gets a letter from Barclays Bank referencing the recalled payment (amount and originating bank) and states we need to get in touch with Barclays to confirm the amount can go back to the originator.  I am wondering if Barclays own Starling bank maybe and this is from Starling's parent company?

Anyway we spent two hours on hold to Barclays total, the first person on the phone number transferred us to the fraud team and then the fraud team hung up on us. What's going on, how do we get the £80 back to the originator account? Who do we ring as Barclays seem to know nothing about their own letter? Starling just blanket "don't handle PAYM" and they deny being linked to Barclays yet we have a letter from them saying they have the £80 sent!

Any suggestions?

EarthBoy

withaspritz said:

 the money left his dad's (also Halifax) account but didn't go into his Starling.  

Did his Dad send the payment direct from his own Halifax account, or did he use Pingit?  Pingit is owned by Barclays, but customers of any bank can sign up and use it.  If he used Pingit, that could explain why Barclays have become involved.
Starling aren't connected to Barclays in any way. 

withaspritz

I assumed it was PayM - he sent it to a mobile number using his Halifax app.  Do Halifax also support pingit?

george9071

withaspritz said:

I assumed it was PayM - he sent it to a mobile number using his Halifax app.  Do Halifax also support pingit?

You can use pingit with any UK bank account also starling have no connections to Barclays what so ever, i would just advise ringing them and writing letters, do it often enough and they will have to respond eventually.

Archi_Bald

Should be easy enough to establish whether the money was sent by PAYM or by PINGIT. Assuming it was PAYM as opposed to PINGIT (which can be used with any current account):

This is from the PAYM FAQ

EarthBoy

Pingit is operated by Barclays, but you don't have to bank with Barclays to use it.  If he sent the payment using his Halifax app then he didn't send it via Pingit. 
Did your partner use Pingit for receiving payments perhaps?  If neither your partner or his dad used Pingit, and it was just a PayM payment direct from Halifax to Halifax, there's no connection to Barclays so I can't see why they've become involved.

EarthBoy

Another possibility is that your partner's Dad accidentally sent the payment to the wrong mobile number, and it's gone to someone who does bank with Barclays.