Strange email from Santander (Business account).

sdd56

I am a sole trader and have had a Santander business account for a long time.

Today I received an email from Santander saying:-

"We've been told by Companies House that an objection has been raised to your company dissolving. You have an outstanding balance on account number ending xxxx. This needs to be paid before your company can dissolve.

Please log on to Online Banking for help and to see what your options are using the link below."

The email is genuine (all my details correctly shown).

I do have a small amount left to pay on a bounce back loan. But as a sole trader I am not registered at Companies House, and I am not dissolving my business.

Only thing I can think of is that I am currently in process of switching the account to Barclays, however that shouldn't affect the BB loan as the direct debit will simply transfer to Barclays.

Has anyone had similar happen?

sgthammer

Definitely a scam. Just because they have your details correct doesn't mean the email is genuine. The "link below" will take you to some kind of clone site that looks legit but isn't.

If in doubt, contact Santander directly NOT using the link. But as you say, you can't be in trouble with Companies House unless you have a registered company in the first place.

Zanderman

Indeed, sounds exactly like a scam.

The words "Please log on to Online Banking for help and to see what your options are using the link below" are a warning in themselves. You don't need a link to log on - you know how to do that. So if they give you a link to log on it's a scam.

And of course if you don't have a registered company it must be a scam anyway.

sdd56

Thanks @sgthammer - I'm beginning to wonder if it is a scam attempt. All the details are correct (account name & postcode) so I don't know how a scammer would get that.

The request to log in using a link is suspicious though (I haven't clicked it !).

Have forwarded the email to Santander phishing dept.

Although if that department is as efficient as their phone line (currently been on hold for 45 minutes), I am unlikely to receive a reply.

I will be very annoyed if it is genuine, as their own security advice (included in the email) says:

"We'll never ask you to log on to Online or Mobile Banking through a link."

eskbanker

Are you able to see the actual email address it's been sent from, i.e. not just the spoofable description but the underlying address itself, usually visible by hovering on it or viewing full message header detail, etc?

born_again

I would not hold your breath on getting a reply from Santander phishing dept.

All they would do is get the site closed down.

sdd56

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81943436#Comment_81943436

I've had a look at the HTML view of the message and the email address looks the same as previous genuine mails from Santander.

But suspiciously, in the email the clickable link is titled as santander.co.uk/business (as you would expect) but in the HTML there are a couple of hashes tagged on to the end.

I'm going with scam for now, if they really want to message me it should come via the message inbox in my online account.

sdd56

Issue now solved. Have had another email from Santander:-

"On Monday March 30 you received an email from us called 'Your BB Account' about a company dissolution. We're sorry, this was a mistake. We want to apologise for any concern caused."

A bit naughty of them to put a link in the original email when their security advice says they never do that.

eskbanker

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81944708#Comment_81944708

Sounds worthy of a complaint if they're sending emails encouraging you to log in using an embedded link, alongside a warning that they'd never suggest that!

businessconcern

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6661907/strange-email-from-santander-business-account

I had exactly the same email as you from Santander on 30th again thought odd as I am a sole trader too. Tried to phone them put couldn't hold any longer. Then today 31st have received one from them apologising for error.

sdd56

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81944737#Comment_81944737

Yes I was on hold for nearly an hour before I gave up. Lousy customer service, glad I am switching to Barclays.