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Santander has frozen all my bank accounts

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  • GeoffTF
    GeoffTF Posts: 2,051 Forumite
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    edited 14 July 2023 at 4:40PM
    I telephoned several time every day and ensured I talked so much I drove them insane
    They may have considered that to be a red flag: someone desperate to get money out to a scammer as quickly as possible. Nonetheless, the fact that they have paid compensation indicates that they accept that they messed up on this occasion.
    When Confirmation of Payee was introduced, I had a payment stopped and my online access frozen. The payment was to a bank that MSE had listed as a top payer. I do not remember how long it took to fix the problem, but it was sorted out. My credit card with another bank was not affected, and interest rates were low at that time, so it was not a big problem.
  • eskbanker
    eskbanker Posts: 37,282 Forumite
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    GeoffTF said:
    I telephoned several time every day and ensured I talked so much I drove them insane
    They may have considered that to be a red flag: someone desperate to get money out to a scammer as quickly as possible. Nonetheless, the fact that they have paid compensation indicates that they accept that they messed up on this occasion.
    I don't think that token gestures of goodwill have any such significance, and will often be used simply to close down a dialogue that absorbs disproportionate time and effort!
  • grumbler
    grumbler Posts: 58,629 Forumite
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    edited 14 July 2023 at 5:25PM
    Two further phone calls have got me nowhere apart from them raising two more complaints.  I have now submitted a claim through the Resolver platform.  With this I was able to include a copy of my contract and before and after photos.
    If you have 2 open complaints. What is the point of resolver?
    They are a 3rd party company who do nothing other that forwarding you complaint on. They do not get involved in solving it for you.

    ....
    At the end of day three, I submitted a claim through : www.resolver.co.uk, and through this I was able to attach a copy of my contract and photos as proof of the work being done


    born_again said:
    That is exactly what I've said to them, stop the payment, yes, but do not close off my access to all my funds. 
    Why would you say that if it was a genuine payment???

    I think it's obvious. They suspected that the OP was a victim of ongoing fraud and wanted to protect the OP.  Why on earth did they freeze the account instead of just stopping the payment to make sure that it was genuine? 

  • DullGreyGuy
    DullGreyGuy Posts: 18,613 Forumite
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    The headline also says all their accounts... sounds like more than simply thinking the OP may have been duped is being investigated. 
  • GeoffTF
    GeoffTF Posts: 2,051 Forumite
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    edited 14 July 2023 at 6:45PM
    grumbler said:
    Why on earth did they freeze the account instead of just stopping the payment to make sure that it was genuine? 
    If the bank suspected that the OP was the victim of a scammer, stopping the payment would not be enough. The scammer might coach the OP in other ways to get their money out.
  • born_again
    born_again Posts: 20,519 Forumite
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    grumbler said:
    born_again said:
    That is exactly what I've said to them, stop the payment, yes, but do not close off my access to all my funds. 
    Why would you say that if it was a genuine payment???

    I think it's obvious. They suspected that the OP was a victim of ongoing fraud and wanted to protect the OP.  Why on earth did they freeze the account instead of just stopping the payment to make sure that it was genuine? 

    From OP, this was a genuine payment. Set up by the OP, who said followed the banks instructions.
    So why say "Yes" to stopping the payment?
    Life in the slow lane
  • To born_again - 

    2 complaints, what is the point of Resolver - 2 complaints the day before and nothing further.  The Resolver platform enabled me to include attachments which proved the payment was genuine.  I had repeatedly asked Fraud for a means to send this directly to Santander, but they were not interested. Nor could I get them to make an appointment with Branch so I could physically show them the evidence.  I just could not get through to them that this was a genuine contract.

    The reasons why I said (in desperation) they could stop the payment are:
    a) - I know paying this type of Company is like a red flag, so I understood why they were stopping the payment
    b) - So I could transfer funds to another account and make arrangements for payment that way.  In fact, in the end, I was scraping together smaller amounts borrowed from my family so I could at least make some payments in good faith.  I also had payments due to other workmen who are refurbishing my bathroom, so I needed access to my funds.

    Regarding Resolver, once my before and after photos were received by Santander as well as a copy of the contract and quotation, the block was lifted from my account (after a further call to Fraud - but this call, I felt they were more going through the motions - it was entirely different to my Tuesday and Wednesday calls).

    I hope this explains my actions. 
  • GeoffTF
    GeoffTF Posts: 2,051 Forumite
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    edited 14 July 2023 at 8:45PM
    grumbler said:
    born_again said:
    That is exactly what I've said to them, stop the payment, yes, but do not close off my access to all my funds. 
    Why would you say that if it was a genuine payment???

    I think it's obvious. They suspected that the OP was a victim of ongoing fraud and wanted to protect the OP.  Why on earth did they freeze the account instead of just stopping the payment to make sure that it was genuine? 

    From OP, this was a genuine payment. Set up by the OP, who said followed the banks instructions.
    So why say "Yes" to stopping the payment?
    Because that is what Santander does. I had two debit payments stopped this week, both in favour of one of the biggest investment platforms. I have been making debit card payments to that platform for more than ten years. I phoned Santander and was put through to security on both occasions. On the first occasion, I was asked sensible questions and they quickly removed the security flag. On the second occasion, I was asked a very long list of questions from a script, e.g. have they promised you a huge profit in a very short period of time with no risk? I patiently answered all the questions, and the security flag was removed. That cost me time and them money. Hopefully, they will improve their systems.
  • grumbler
    grumbler Posts: 58,629 Forumite
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    grumbler said:
    born_again said:
    That is exactly what I've said to them, stop the payment, yes, but do not close off my access to all my funds. 
    Why would you say that if it was a genuine payment???

    I think it's obvious. They suspected that the OP was a victim of ongoing fraud and wanted to protect the OP.  Why on earth did they freeze the account instead of just stopping the payment to make sure that it was genuine? 

    From OP, this was a genuine payment. Set up by the OP, who said followed the banks instructions.
    So why say "Yes" to stopping the payment?
    Because IF Santander don't believe the OP (i.e. despite all assurances still think that the OP is a victim of some sophisticated fraud), blocking the payment makes some sense. Blocking all accounts makes no sense.
  • GeoffTF
    GeoffTF Posts: 2,051 Forumite
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    grumbler said:
    grumbler said:
    born_again said:
    That is exactly what I've said to them, stop the payment, yes, but do not close off my access to all my funds. 
    Why would you say that if it was a genuine payment???

    I think it's obvious. They suspected that the OP was a victim of ongoing fraud and wanted to protect the OP.  Why on earth did they freeze the account instead of just stopping the payment to make sure that it was genuine? 

    From OP, this was a genuine payment. Set up by the OP, who said followed the banks instructions.
    So why say "Yes" to stopping the payment?
    Because IF Santander don't believe the OP (i.e. despite all assurances still think that the OP is a victim of some sophisticated fraud), blocking the payment makes some sense. Blocking all accounts makes no sense.
    If Santander believed that the OP was the victim of a sophisticated fraud, and desperate to get their money to the fraudster, blocking just one payment would not make sense. The OP would just set up more payments, or draw out cash. Blocking all the OP's accounts would make more sense.
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