Santander Poor Service

missile

Santander 

• For security reasons your Online Banking access to your accounts has been blocked.
• I have no idea why

Been on the phone for 45 minutes and still no Fkng answer 

missile

I EVENTUALLY GOT THROUGH after nearly an hour.

After giving my account, sort, name, address, DoB. I was asked to
"confirm last payment into my account" 
"I don't know I cannot access account"
"What is last payment from your account"
"I don't know I cannot access account"

She hung up the phone and I am on call.

After another call, answered after "only" 30 minutes, I passed security and I am now on hold awaiting Fraud Team.

I feel a switch coming on

Zanderman

missile said:

After giving my account, sort, name, address, DoB. I was asked to
"confirm last payment into my account" 
"I don't know I cannot access account"
"What is last payment from your account"
"I don't know I cannot access account"

The whole point of those questions is that they're a test.

If you could access the account to answer them the test would be pointless.

You surely have some idea of the last payments in and out of your account, without looking at it?

missile

3 hours since I first phoned and still on hold ........... but my time has not been totally wasted. I have completed an online switch request. 

[Deleted User]

I can't say I could tell you what the last payment out of my account was. I used my credit card for purchases, so I only check the balance on my current account. It will be good to switch, Santender are one of the worst banks going. So many issues with them in the past. I left long ago.

lr1277

I would hope I wouldn't be stumped by such a question. That is because I use a personal finance tracking package. This does require 5-10 minutes a day in terms of adding data and reconciling transanctions, but after previous experiences I find it worth it.

There is a thread on this board called 'Personal Finance Tracking package' at this moment, which you might find useful.

The reason I started using such a package was back in 2004, some fraudulent transactions appeared on my account. I caught it and informed my bank. The bank were very good by revesing those transactions, closing that account and giving me a new account and card. However whilst I was pleased with their actions, I wasn't sure they put me back in the position before the fraudulent actvity. And I cound't tell tell because the 'old' account was no longer viewable. So to me, tracking all my transactions is worth the effort.

Olinda99

I, too, would have absolutely no idea of the last payment in or out of any of my accounts

missile

Fraud Team:
"We will have to phone you back to confirm it is really you"
They did phone and after I answered yet more security questions.
"The problem is you tried to make a payment to Chase Bank"
"It is my money. Why is that a problem?"
"Because it is a new account we raised it as possible fraud. Do you want me to authorise payment? Please confirm sort and account number"
"Just unblock my account"
"You are not listening to me, I cannot arrange payment without account details for payment"
"Please, just unblock my account"
"I am only trying to help you, I cannot arrange payment without account details for payment. Do you have those details?"
"I cannot access Chase Account whilst I am on the phone to you. I don't need you to arrange payment. Just unblock my account"
"Your account is now unblocked"
"Bye"

What a pain in the proverbial.

kaMelo

It's not mastermind, these type of questions are not designed to catch you out.
Even though they may be asking for the last payment in/out of your account, answering with the last  payment in/out that you can remember (stating as such to the call handler) alongside other questions will likely get you through.
Frustrating as it is, and it is frustrating, there really isn't much you can do about it other than hold on the phone.
Changing banks won't change anything as they're all bound by the same regulations. If you really want to direct your irk, aim it at the FCA.

Futuristic

Santander does have very sensitive 'fraud' detection, you can see the countless threads/posts here with the same account blocks/long waiting times. Incl. myself. They seem incompetent and waiting an hr on a fraud/security line is unreasonable (and normal since last year with them). So yes I'd recommend switching banks too, Chase are pretty good even after being flooded with new signups. 

However if its one of your main accounts you should be able to easily answer what they're asking so you don't keep going around in circles. 

Lightning360

It seems to me that you are to blame for some of this as you seemed unwilling to answer questions or listen to what Santander were saying.

And going to another bank won't help. You will get stories like this with every single bank. You will also get good stories about Santander were the fraud team were really helpful. You will also get people saying they have never had any issues with Santander's fraud detection system (e.g. me). 

Feel free to switch, but you could face the exact same issues at any of the other banks.