National Westminster Bank blocks accounts and can't get to speak to anybody to sort it.

Holmey101

My daughter had a quite substantial, (£15,000), interim payment of an inheritance she is due paid into her personal National Westminster Bank current account yesterday and when she went online to pay some bills found that she was locked out of both her personal and business account, and despite calling into her local branch and spending at least 4 hours on the phone to them yesterday, she’s got nowhere, her having been told that the payment into her account had triggered a fraud alert which was why her accounts had been blocked. She was told that she would have to speak to the Nat West fraud team.

So, she tries phoning the advertised 24 hour fraud team number she was also given by the local branch, and nobody is answering the phone, only a recorded message saying that they were closed and to contact them via an e-mail address, something she did 3 times yesterday without getting a reply and she’s still locked out of both her accounts, something that is causing her major problems as she’s 3 kids, needs to access her money to pay bills and operate her business, with the Nat West staff she has spoken to, (both by phone and in person), being downright rude, only saying that they can do nothing about it and she will have to wait for the fraud team to get back to her via e-mail.

I don’t know about you, but we think this is a ridiculous situation and one that is likely to lead to consequential losses to my daughter if she doesn’t get access to her bank accounts and money today. Has anybody any suggestions as to how she can get this issues escalated and sorted with Nat West as all the staff she she’s spoken to just don’t seem to give a dam or think my daughter being blocked from accessing they only money she has a problem.

Regards,

Holmey101

scoot65

I've seen several posts similar to your daughter's situation and usually the responses have been that the bank will do their internal investigation and this process cannot be rushed. The customer just has to wait and allow the bank's process to run it's course. The bank won't say what has triggered the fraud investigation.

This is a good example as to why is a good idea to have another bank account held with another banking establishment so that if one account is blocked, you till have access to money in the second account. 

I hope it gets sorted quickly for your daughter.

colsten

Natwest have the questionable reputation of blocking, or closing, people's accounts. There is a Facebook group with over 4,000 members entitled "Natwest closed down my account".

Has your daughter not been asked to provide proof of the inheritance, or has she offered the evidence to Natwest? Who made the deposit?

EssexExile

I was expecting a large inheritance payment into my Santander account which I would then be distributing to my sisters. I phoned the bank to warn them it was coming but they said it still may trigger problems. So far £80,000 in and £15,000 out and all is well. As often advised on these pages, I have other accounts I can fall back on if my main account is blocked.

I have past experience of NatWest in such situations and feel for your daughter.

Fighter1986

The bank are conducting a review of the transactions as part of their Anti Money Laundering obligations.

They have a legal obligation to tell her nothing about this, it would be illegal for them to give you any detail whatsoever - as this could be classed as the bank "Tipping Off" if fraud or money laundering were to be discovered.

In this instance, no crime has taken place, so it's just a very frustrating matter of waiting it out. It can take up to two weeks for the bank to complete its investigations.

I have had this before with Natwest, too. No fraud or money laundering had taken place but they froze my account for two weeks and then said I could come into branch with photo ID to withdraw my funds.

They then closed my account and sent me a letter saying RBS Group (Natwest's parent bank) would not offer me banking facilities in the future. 

They may or may not do this with your daughter. If they do, they're acting within the terms and conditions of the account, and while a very frustrating move that is likely to trigger all kinds of "HOW DARE THEY!?", they're probably doing her a favour. Natwest are the butt of many complaints on these forums for sharp practice of this nature and if it results in her having to open an account elsewhere, bullet dodged.

That being said, there's every possibility that in a day or two her acocunt will be restored to full use and she'll be able to carry on as if nothing ever happened. 

born_again

Holmey101 said:

My daughter had a quite substantial, (£15,000), interim payment of an inheritance she is due paid into her personal National Westminster Bank current account yesterday and when she went online to pay some bills found that she was locked out of both her personal and business account, and despite calling into her local branch and spending at least 4 hours on the phone to them yesterday, she’s got nowhere, her having been told that the payment into her account had triggered a fraud alert which was why her accounts had been blocked. She was told that she would have to speak to the Nat West fraud team.

So, she tries phoning the advertised 24 hour fraud team number she was also given by the local branch, and nobody is answering the phone, only a recorded message saying that they were closed and to contact them via an e-mail address, something she did 3 times yesterday without getting a reply and she’s still locked out of both her accounts, something that is causing her major problems as she’s 3 kids, needs to access her money to pay bills and operate her business, with the Nat West staff she has spoken to, (both by phone and in person), being downright rude, only saying that they can do nothing about it and she will have to wait for the fraud team to get back to her via e-mail.

I don’t know about you, but we think this is a ridiculous situation and one that is likely to lead to consequential losses to my daughter if she doesn’t get access to her bank accounts and money today. Has anybody any suggestions as to how she can get this issues escalated and sorted with Nat West as all the staff she she’s spoken to just don’t seem to give a dam or think my daughter being blocked from accessing they only money she has a problem.

Regards,

Holmey101

So if the department is closed, why would you think they would reply to a email?
Sending 3 is only going to slow things down, as someone will be tasked with looking at them & the more sent the longer they spend before getting onto something useful.
Blocked accounts take as long as it takes. There is no magic way to speed it up. Complaining can slow it down, as you then get the complaints tems spending time talking to the fraud team, rather than the fraud team sorting the issue out.
The only people who can do anything are the fraud team. NO ONE else will be able to do or say anything to help. If she is having money issues, then maybe you could help her while it is sorted out.

Eco_Miser

Fighter1986 said:

They have a legal obligation to tell her nothing about this, it would be illegal for them to give you any detail whatsoever - as this could be classed as the bank "Tipping Off" if fraud or money laundering were to be discovered.

Which is stupid - any fraudsters or money launderers have been tipped off by the account being blocked.

Retiredwelshman

Eco_Miser said:

Fighter1986 said:

They have a legal obligation to tell her nothing about this, it would be illegal for them to give you any detail whatsoever - as this could be classed as the bank "Tipping Off" if fraud or money laundering were to be discovered.

Which is stupid - any fraudsters or money launderers have been tipped off by the account being blocked.

How>? They are unable to spend it until the bank is happy about its legality.

Eco_Miser

Retiredwelshman said:

Eco_Miser said:

Fighter1986 said:

They have a legal obligation to tell her nothing about this, it would be illegal for them to give you any detail whatsoever - as this could be classed as the bank "Tipping Off" if fraud or money laundering were to be discovered.

Which is stupid - any fraudsters or money launderers have been tipped off by the account being blocked.

How>? They are unable to spend it until the bank is happy about its legality.

But they do know that they are under investigation, and may decide to skip town.

Whereas an innocent account-holder is also unable to spend it, but has no idea of what is happening.

I don't see that a simple statement that an account is under investigation for possible illegality is telling a crook anything they wouldn't deduce from the account being blocked, so is no more 'tipping off' than blocking the account is. It would however provide a better explanation for the innocent than the silence or lies they apparently get at the moment.

Thrugelmir

Banks are required to investigate unusual transactions and report as neccessary. Failure to do so leaves them exposed to fines with regards to money laundering activity. Inform your bank in advance if you are expecting a large amount of money. Solves the problem. 

eskbanker

Eco_Miser said:

Retiredwelshman said:

Eco_Miser said:

Fighter1986 said:

They have a legal obligation to tell her nothing about this, it would be illegal for them to give you any detail whatsoever - as this could be classed as the bank "Tipping Off" if fraud or money laundering were to be discovered.

Which is stupid - any fraudsters or money launderers have been tipped off by the account being blocked.

How>? They are unable to spend it until the bank is happy about its legality.

But they do know that they are under investigation, and may decide to skip town.

Whereas an innocent account-holder is also unable to spend it, but has no idea of what is happening.

I don't see that a simple statement that an account is under investigation for possible illegality is telling a crook anything they wouldn't deduce from the account being blocked, so is no more 'tipping off' than blocking the account is. It would however provide a better explanation for the innocent than the silence or lies they apparently get at the moment.

But the law is what it is, and section 333A of the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 is clear that even disclosure of the existence of an actual or contemplated investigation contributes to the defined offence of tipping off, regardless of opinions about what someone can do with that information or how much can be deduced from an account being blocked:

(3) A person commits an offence if—

(a) the person discloses that an investigation into allegations that an offence under this Part has been committed is being contemplated or is being carried out; [...]