Urgent- Santander closed my account

lhwrandal

I opened a current account and credit card with Santander several weeks ago.  In fact, I opened the credit card first and have been using for a month without issue.  I then opened a current account last week so I can pay my card easier.  Today all the cards were suddenly blocked and Santander fraud team said that they are closing all my accounts.  They asked me to bring my ID to a branch to retrieve my deposit, but since I am traveling in Asia now, I won’t be able to do this until March.  

What is the possible reason?  Are they accusing me of fraud?  Is there anything I can do now?

MorningcoffeeIV

They can't and won't tell you more - and no one here will know.

Check your CIFAS files to see if you have a wider issue before opening new accounts. Consider if you've been misusing the accounts or making suspect transactions.

lhwrandal

My CIFAS is clean.  I checked it about a month ago.  All I did was transferred £50 from my own HSBC account to the Santander account yesterday so I can pay my credit card bill.

eskbanker

lhwrandal said:

I then opened a current account last week so I can pay my card easier. 

[...]

I am traveling in Asia now

Were you already abroad when you opened this account?  That wouldn't necessarily be an issue in itself, but on top of opening multiple other accounts recently might have raised suspicions....

grumbler

MorningcoffeeIV said:

They can't and won't tell you more

I don't see why not as they are closing the account and giving the money back to the customer.

MorningcoffeeIV

lhwrandal said:

My CIFAS is clean.  I checked it about a month ago.  

That was about a month ago.

They didn't close your cards until today. Any markers will have gone on very recently or in the near future.

cymruchris

lhwrandal said:

My CIFAS is clean.  I checked it about a month ago.  All I did was transferred £50 from my own HSBC account to the Santander account yesterday so I can pay my credit card bill.

What made you check it a month ago?

Did something else happen recently?

lhwrandal

eskbanker said:

lhwrandal said:

I then opened a current account last week so I can pay my card easier. 

[...]

I am traveling in Asia now

Were you already abroad when you opened this account?  That wouldn't necessarily be an issue in itself, but on top of opening multiple other accounts recently might have raised suspicions....

Yes I was aboard when I opened the current account.  But I am a resident in UK, just traveling now.  Even so, they closed my credit card too.  I have been using that card for a while.

Did I commit fraud here if I open account when traveling overseas?  I hope they won’t report me to CIFAS…oh god…

lhwrandal

cymruchris said:

lhwrandal said:

My CIFAS is clean.  I checked it about a month ago.  All I did was transferred £50 from my own HSBC account to the Santander account yesterday so I can pay my credit card bill.

What made you check it a month ago?

Did something else happen recently?

No, I have been checking CIFAS for about twice a year to ensure everything is in order.  I just checked in Dec.  

lhwrandal

MorningcoffeeIV said:

lhwrandal said:

My CIFAS is clean.  I checked it about a month ago.  

That was about a month ago.

They didn't close your cards until today. Any markers will have gone on very recently or in the near future.

All my other accounts are working fine.  Santander is the only new account I opened most recently.  To be precise, the current account was opened on 6 Jan, and credit card on 7 Dec.  I have been using the CC for over a month and paid in full without issue.  I think it all happened after I opened the current account last Friday.

Olinda99

you didn't commit fraud opening from abroad as long as you gave your correct uk address.

Santander may think you live abroad though - are you on electoral roll here?