Online bank won't return my £!! What are my rights?

analogueauntie

When it works, online banking is great. I was able to set up a prepayment card with Transferwise (now just WISE) so my HomeHelp could buy things for me without needing access to my personal bank account. Unfortunately I then had to change my phone number and was offline for a while.

NOW. I am locked out of my account and they are refusing to return the balance. I rang and simply asked them to CLOSE THE ACCOUNT and issue a cheque to the name and address they hold on file but they refused. Surely this isn't unreasonable? There has to be some sort of backup mechanism if you are locked out online.

All they are interested in is to reset my online details. Unfortunately WISE want me to send a photograph of myself holding my passport which just screams "identity fraud, don't do it" to me so I've tried a national ID card instead. They don't seem to be accepting this and the person on the phone couldn't make himself understood. Am I being unnecessarily paranoid? Don't I have a right to close my account and get the money back? =8-(

wmb194

analogueauntie said:

When it works, online banking is great. I was able to set up a prepayment card with Transferwise (now just WISE) so my HomeHelp could buy things for me without needing access to my personal bank account. Unfortunately I then had to change my phone number and was offline for a while.

NOW. I am locked out of my account and they are refusing to return the balance. I rang and simply asked them to CLOSE THE ACCOUNT and issue a cheque to the name and address they hold on file but they refused. Surely this isn't unreasonable? There has to be some sort of backup mechanism if you are locked out online.

All they are interested in is to reset my online details. Unfortunately WISE want me to send a photograph of myself holding my passport which just screams "identity fraud, don't do it" to me so I've tried a national ID card instead. They don't seem to be accepting this and the person on the phone couldn't make himself understood. Am I being unnecessarily paranoid? Don't I have a right to close my account and get the money back? =8-(

You should do as you’re asked. A financial institution verifying your identity is normal.

eskbanker

If they're wanting you to prove your identity before they return funds to you (via any mechanism, including closure) then you don't have any choice other than to comply.

Stargunner

You changed your phone number, so Wise are just taking precautions that there is no fraudulent activity going on. If you want your money, do what they are asking for.

eDicky

analogueauntie said:

There has to be some sort of backup mechanism if you are locked out online.

Yes, that mechanism is to verify your identity in the way they are requesting. No danger of identity fraud, as long as it's the genuine Wise that you're communicating with. How did you verify your identity when opening the account, if the process was actually completed - was it not by presenting your passport..?

Ayr_Rage

Changing a mobile phone number always results in some degree of hassle with secure accounts on devices.

Just follow their instructions to verify your identity and you'll be able to access your account and spend/retrieve your money.

You have rights to your funds but also have to comply with Wise's security and verification procedures, they are acting in your best interests in protecting your account.

You also need to realise that Wise are not a bank, so don't issue cheques.

penners324

There are certain pieces of ID they require. A passport being 1. Then 1 you used isn't acceptable to them.

Changing phone numbers on an account immediately indicates possible fraud and thus you have to prove it isn't .

Wise are doing the right thing here.

Eyeful

1. What about those persons who do not have a passport to show them?
2. Surely these institution must have alternative means of proving your id by now
3. Where did the OP say they changed their phone number immediately the account was opened?

born_again

Eyeful said:

1. What about those persons who do not have a passport to show them?
2. Surely these institution must have alternative means of proving your id by now
3. Where did the OP say they changed their phone number immediately the account was opened?

https://wise.com/help/articles/2949782/guide-to-getting-verified

Eyeful

analogue auntie:

1. Which countries national ID card did you use, as the UK does not have one?
2. If you supplied your passport photo page to open the account, why are you reluctant to send it to them now?
3. Why does it scream "identity fraud, don't do it" now but not at the time you opened the account?
4. Just what id did you use to open the account?

PRAISETHESUN

It's a perfectly reasonably request as they need to verify your identity before they release control of your account back to you. This IS the backup approach. They are verifying you are who you say you are - imagine if they gave control of your account to anyone who called up and pretended they were you. Or worse still, imagine if they listened to some random person who asked for your account to be permanently closed when you didn't ask for it!

It's not really different than if you presented yourself in person at a branch. They would need to see your ID and they would likely make a copy of it as well. It's just through an app rather than a person in an office with a photocopier. As long as you are going through their official app/website then there's nothing to worry about from a fraud/scam angle.

I'm also curious why you suddenly care about this process now, given you would have had to go through the same process to initially open the account?