NatWest Willing to oass on a death sentence

chrisrsmith

I was unable to perform an online bank transaction so I called the NatWest fraud team - I spoke with somebody called CHARLOTTE (20/08/20).

She sent me the OTP which I 'passed' - then we went on to check other aspects. She said I failed security and as I was only asked to advise my age at next birthday and two DD's which I answered correctly, I am usnsure what happened.

She went on to tell me I failed security and that I needed to go into the branch with ID to 'unlock'/confirm my ID - I said we are 'sheltering due to Covid 19' and couldn't do this. She went to check with her superior (manager?) and came back and said it didn't matter!!! I still had to go into the bank.

I said she needed to check this again and suggested she ask me more security questions and check my previous answers - she refused.

I repeated what she said to me back to her just to confirm that I heard her right - yes I did!

I pointed out that NatWest were putting my life at risk and that of her branch colleagues - she said, I had to do it. I asked to speak to her manager and she said he/she wouldn't speak to me and she refused to give their name or her own surname.

I explained I could not buy food, do any online banking etc and she said as we are going around in circles, she was hanging up - which she did!

tacpot12

I would suggest you call again without mentioning you have called before. See if you get the same answer. 
If you do, I would make a formal complaint to them, and ask to explain in writing why they wouldn't try to authenticate you by all the means at their disposal, but this isn't going to help you in the short term. 

You should be able to do buy food with a debit or credit card. This is a good example of why a second current account (at another bank) or a credit card is useful. 

You may well need to go into a branch, but you can stand your 2+m away and put down any items of ID they want to see. Don't forget your mask. Take a bag and get them to drop items they have seen back into the bag. Keep the bag safe when you get home. After seven days any virus on the items will have died. There is very little chance of you needing the items of ID again within that short space of time, so just quarantine them. 

JamoLew

shielding ended 1st August - no reason to not go into the branch if you take reasonable/sensible precautions
If you start throwing in phrases like "death sentence" they will probably refuse to engage with you

silverwhistle

A couple of reasonable answers above. A lot of people have used COVID as an excuse for various behaviours so you may be suffering a bit from that, but leaving the house is not a 'death sentence' and wouldn't be even if you didn't take precautions, although I am doing so myself.

London7766551

If you take precautions there is no reason why it is a "death sentence".

All banks operate social distancing, get a cab there and a cab back, wear a good mask and gloves, very simple.

Thrugelmir

chrisrsmith said:

I explained I could not buy food, do any online banking etc and she said as we are going around in circles, she was hanging up - which she did!

Because only you can resolve the matter. Being intransigent isn't going to enable you to get your own way. 

[Deleted User]

Do they carry out the death sentence themselves in branch?

I'd have thought that would be distracting for other customers who have only gone to pay in a cheque.

elsien

Natwest are not allowing lots of people in branch - in my local branch the door is locked and they are only letting people in one at a time with the appropriate precautions. It is not a death sentence either for you or for branch staff. 

The up-to-date shielding (not sheltering) guidance is here.
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-on-shielding-and-protecting-extremely-vulnerable-persons-from-covid-19/guidance-on-shielding-and-protecting-extremely-vulnerable-persons-from-covid-19

PRAISETHESUN

 @chrisrsmith Being overly dramatic isn't going to win you any friends here.

As has been mentioned above, going to the bank is much like going to the shops or anywhere else these days - take a few sensible precautions (mask, gloves, social distancing, etc) and you'll be fine. Otherwise you need to deal without account access until you deem it safe enough to venture outside and sort it. The bank is just following their protocols which are ultimately in place to protect you from someone else making off with your money - imagine if someone else called up without enough information and persuaded the bank to give them access to your accounts - you'd be complaining that they weren't strict enough!

Robin9

chrisrsmith said:

I was unable to perform an online bank transaction so I called the NatWest fraud team - I spoke with somebody called CHARLOTTE (20/08/20).

.............................

I explained I could not buy food, do any online banking etc and she said as we are going around in circles, she was hanging up - which she did!

Why the Fraud line for a online issue ???????

From your other posts I see you have several properties  -----   but you have only one bank account.

If you don't like the way NatWest do business - move.

born_again

tacpot12 said:

I would suggest you call again without mentioning you have called before. See if you get the same answer. 
If you do, I would make a formal complaint to them, and ask to explain in writing why they wouldn't try to authenticate you by all the means at their disposal, but this isn't going to help you in the short term. 

If they are unable to verify the customer then they can not log a complaint. As it could be anyone.
Op could send a letter in, but that would require them to go out, as well as taking weeks to get exactly the same response.