Santander - onerous security checks

GeoffTF

I have a long track record of large cash transfers to and from Santander. I have never had any problems with money coming in. Sending money out can be an issue. I did a series of £20K debit card payments to iWeb last week. No problems. I have never had problems with £20K Faster Payments online to Marcus. If I remember correctly, I also had a £20K online Faster Payments go straight though to an account in my name with bank that I have never used before, when Confirmation of Payee succeeded, a few months ago. If there are likely to be problems (e.g. if Confirmation of Payee does not work), I do not transfer money out in dribs and drabs (except for a £1 online test transaction). It is possible to transfer up to £100K on one go using Faster Payments over the telephone with Santander. I ring them up and tell them about all the checks that I have carried out (FCA register etc). They usually call me back, and I had to speak directly to security on one occasion. If I do everything in one go, that does not happen repeatedly. I have not transferred more than £100K for several years, but I was able to do that in branch using CHAPS. It helps to have a track record of transferring large sums of money, know the system, and do everything right.

Band7

GeoffTF said:

It helps to have a track record of transferring large sums of money, know the system, and do everything right.

I am offended by the suggestion that I don't know the system, and that I don't do everything right. Like you, I have a long track record of large, and frequent, transactions in and out of Santander, and like you, I found that generally everything works well, including the occasional verification of transactions. There's no question in my mind, however, that they have increased the severity and frequency of their checks, and they have now taken to lock your online/app access if they need to check a particular transaction. They then don't have enough staff to answer the phone within an acceptable timescale (IMO, more than 5 minutes wait for such instances is unacceptable), they treat you like a fraudster rather than like a customer, and they make ridiculous statements such as "Santander doesn't recommend the use of Open Banking". 

They have this morning offered me £30 for the time I had to spend to get my account access re-enabled and my payment processed as requested, but not any apologies for the way I was treated, and for the false information I was given by their operative. I have declined their complaint resolution findings, so it's now going to the FOS.

grumbler

happybagger said:

To be honest it's not just on the payments front Santander have become a PITA with.

As my parents have got into the habit of using contactless, when my mother came to pay in a cafe it was an occasion she required a PIN to be entered. She'd forgotten it. The process to get a replacement PIN sent was very distressing for her.

I went and asked at the branch, they didn't need to bring up any details, I simply passed on her account number and asked them to send that person a PIN. They point blank refused. She would have to come in. Despite the fact that she can only walk about 50 steps. My dad went in, a joint account holder (!) but no, "Then she'll have to phone them"

She did. It failed due to her hearing. She tried again, with me writing down the answers so she could say them. The bloke at the other end implied that she was being forced into asking for her pin number and went off for 20 minutes. She got very stressed at all this.

It has led me to go down the general power of attorney route. We'll see how they do with that.

What's wrong with online banking?
https://www.santander.co.uk/personal/support/contact-us/cards-pins/pin-management/view-or-change-your-pin

Rollinghome

GeoffTF said:

I have a long track record of large cash transfers to and from Santander. I have never had any problems with money coming in. Sending money out can be an issue. I did a series of £20K debit card payments to iWeb last week. No problems. I have never had problems with £20K Faster Payments online to Marcus. If I remember correctly, I also had a £20K online Faster Payments go straight though to an account in my name with bank that I have never used before, when Confirmation of Payee succeeded, a few months ago. If there are likely to be problems (e.g. if Confirmation of Payee does not work), I do not transfer money out in dribs and drabs (except for a £1 online test transaction). It is possible to transfer up to £100K on one go using Faster Payments over the telephone with Santander. I ring them up and tell them about all the checks that I have carried out (FCA register etc). They usually call me back, and I had to speak directly to security on one occasion. If I do everything in one go, that does not happen repeatedly. I have not transferred more than £100K for several years, but I was able to do that in branch using CHAPS. It helps to have a track record of transferring large sums of money, know the system, and do everything right.

Geoff, I don't think it's just a question of doing "everything right". 

If you read my post, you'll see I got the 2FA code to my mobile, and entered my pw. The request was accepted, but the transfer was then blocked without telling me.  I then got an automated phone call to my land-line asking for my DOB and confirmation of the transfer request, was told the confirmation was accepted, but the transaction would need to be made again.  When I did that, all access to my account was immediately blocked, and I was dumped out.

Once might have been acceptable, if eccentric. This happened not once, but time after time for near identical transfers of around £20k each and one for just £8k.

Then they have the problem of insufficient, adequately trained staff.  On one occasion, the process of getting a payment authorised took a full two hours.  I was transferring and repositioning the proceeds of a large investment.  I have a substantial amount invested, and money does need to be moved. Having spoken to security once, I do not expect the need to do that every time for identical transfers.

Nor is it simply a lack of experience, either my own or that of others posting here.  I've had a current account with Santander for 10 years and other accounts with them from well before that - since before António Horta-Osório arrived as UK CEO and announced it was his hope to raise Santander from the worst-rated bank in the UK to the second-worst bank within two years.

I hadn't had problems with their current account, until I did.  Stick around long enough and your experience may turn out to be similar.

happybagger

grumbler said:

What's wrong with online banking?

nothing, for someone with a computer or a smartphone

Futuristic

Terrible bank, you should switch. Similar issues multiple times, have complained and received compensation. 

grumbler

happybagger said:

grumbler said:

What's wrong with online banking?

nothing, for someone with a computer or a smartphone

Well, for a person with poor hearing who "can only walk about 50 steps" it's, possibly, time to think about getting one and using it with your help.

happybagger

Er no, people with mobility issues have managed for hundreds of years without the need to start using mobile banking in their mid-80s. As I've explained this will be dealt with using an Ordinary Power of Attorney as that is acceptable to her, and that is what is the most important thing.

Band7

Futuristic said:

Terrible bank, you should switch. Similar issues multiple times, have complained and received compensation. 

Despite my ongoing issue with their now overzealous fraud procedures, I would absolutely not agree that they are a terrible bank, and I have no plans to switch.

There's no such thing as a perfect bank, and Santander have many advantages for me that I wouldn't get / wouldn't have got at any other bank. I do have plenty of other current accounts which I use as and if they are offering me something I don't get at Santander, such as Halifax Rewards, FD/HSBC/Natwest/RBS/BOS/Halifax/Lloyds Regular Savers, Chase cashback, Barclays RDS, Starling Euro etc. But none of these are offering me cashback on my DDs, and none of these had a 4% ISA when I quickly needed one, or a 2.75% instant access account when the best you could get was 2.5% elsewhere, like I could get at Santander. They also had superb interest rates on their current accounts when nobody else paid interest on current accounts. And not to talk about the rather amazing switch offers they had for a while. Rather than cutting my nose to spite my face, I am keeping my options, and my Santander accounts, open.

bristolleedsfan

November I set up a new payee from e-saver to The West Brom B,S. sent £20000 went through fine.

Above funds returned via ISA cooling off period, couple of weeks later  I set up a new payee from e-saver to The Cumberland B,S. sent £20000 went through fine.