Santander blocked my account

eskbanker

Best place to start is to get hold of whatever CIFAS are recording against you (and who provided them with the relevant information) and take it from there - if you have a CIFAS marker then it'll likely prevent you from accessing products from any financial institution:

https://www.cifas.org.uk/dsar

Devongardener

Were Santander aware of the cryptocurrency scam, or involved in recovering attempts?  If so its very likely this is the root the account being blocked.

tracy1624

Devongardener said:

Were Santander aware of the cryptocurrency scam, or involved in recovering attempts?  If so it’s very likely this is the root the account being blocked.

Yes, they were the ones who dealt with it.

Kim_13

tracy1624 said:

The investigation has now been sorted but I was told today that Cifas have informed them of some issues on my information and someone else, I guessing my husband and unless I can have the marker removed my account will be closed in 60 days.  I now cannot go online to look at my account or my direct debits or anything.

The woman said the block would be lifted and I could go online to remove any money I wish too.  

I am not sure what these markers are and have never heard of Cifas until today.  Yes, I have brought cyprocurrency but I was scammed.

We were bankrupt 17 years ago but otherwise I have no idea what the problem can be.  Could I get some advice?

You can’t get a CIFAS for being bankrupt nearly two decades ago - the bankruptcy is wiped from your credit files after 6 years. 

If Santander are your only account, it’s likely them that has placed the marker - but you’d need to verify and see what for as a first step. Grounds for the placing of a CIFAS are things like lying to the bank, e.g. if the question was had you ever been bankrupt, you’d need to answer yes, but if it only asks for the past 6 years then you have a clean record; or misuse of the account. Banks do tend to react when crypto is involved and some have blocked such purchases altogether. If the marker was for misuse of facility, it may well be the crypto and you’d be challenging it on the basis that you haven’t done anything illegal and that you were scammed.

if Santander’s own Ts and Cs say that customers will not attempt to buy crypto with the account, it’ll be harder to challenge if you made the purchase yourself - but given the effects of these markers, anything is worth a go. 

I don’t have a current account with Santander, so can’t say what their terms are.

As they’ve mentioned someone else, do a SAR on your husband also and check your credit files to see if there are any accounts opened by scammers that shouldn’t be there: https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/loans/check-free-credit-report/

eskbanker

tracy1624 said:

Devongardener said:

Were Santander aware of the cryptocurrency scam, or involved in recovering attempts?  If so it’s very likely this is the root the account being blocked.

Yes, they were the ones who dealt with it.

What are you able and willing to share about the scam, in terms of how it worked, how much was involved, and the basis on which Santander were prepared to deal with it?

castle96

I often read these horror stories (all Banks). My main/10 years) a/c is with santander. I have paid in a cheque for 1/2£m (inheritance) and maybe millions, in/out/in/out... as rates have changed over the years, same as many others I suspect. Thankfully no probs, though sorry for those thatr have had