This w/e I am "debanked" (now resolved after a 90 hours' wait and many calls. Complaint underway)

Andrea15

Unbelievable, but here it is…

I went to do some shopping and the woman at the till made a mistake and tried to charge my card £5103.49 instead of £3.49. The transaction was blocked, so there was no harm done or was there?

When I tried to use my card (i am still in that shop) I couldn't. I immediately phoned my bank to see what was going on and to make sure I wouldn't be charged an overdraft, end eventually (i.e. an hour later) I discovered that my card had been blocked because of potential fraud (fair enough), but the fraud team had clocked off for the week end, so there is nothing to be done until monday (!!).

Thankfully I have a spare account with a different bank (from my switches…) and I still have access to my banking app, so I could transfer some money there. Had I not had that account I would have been with literally 8p until monday.

I can understand blocking the card, the investigating and all the rest, but I just can't believe there is no way to unblock a card once the fraud team has gone off for fish and chips and a pint.

To top it all up, I was asked 5 times whether I had special circumstances, needed support etc., as the latest fad dictates. In the end I told two different guys that the support I need is for them to stop asking that question, but to no avail… that support is not available.

elsien

Technically speaking, debanked means your account gets closed whereas your card is temporarily on hold but your other banking services are still working.

Yes, it’s a pain. Friend needed to transfer an agreed 20 K and was getting call back messages from the fraud team who were then not answering the phone but I guess it comes from the number of people complaining banks aren’t doing enough to stop them from being defrauded.

Always a good idea to have a second account with an unrelated bank to be on the safe side.

Andrea15

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82081099#Comment_82081099

(How the heck do you quote only one passage?)

Yes, you are right that a spare bank account is always handy however, my main takeaway is that you ought to keep some money under a pillow because you never know...

Rob5342

It does seem wrong, you'd have thought that the app would flag it as suspicious and give you the option to clear it somehow. Which bank is it, is it Nationwide by any chance?

born_again

They should always have a small team that can clear security blocks.

You have not been DEBANKED as per title. 🤷‍♀️🤦‍♀️🤣

zagfles

How did the transaction get as far as being blocked? Even if you'd tapped without looking it's way above the contactless limit, did you enter your PIN without checking the amount?

Always check the amount before tapping and definitely before entering the PIN. Doesn't matter how much you trust the retailer, mistakes are easy to make eg adding an extra 0, just the other day one tried charging me £20 for something that was £2, it was a genuine mistake (I think) and they were very apologetic.

Andrea15

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82081349#Comment_82081349

When you pay contactless (with your phone) you don't really see the amount on the screen, though, do you?

I paid with the phone, so the limit would be higher, but not infinite, I am sure.

Andrea15

@born_again, Yes, I know. It was a joke...

Andrea15

@Rob5342 , I suppose it was (as of not long ago). I am actually with Virgin and they got bought by nationwide.

I have had that account for 32 years I believe, by latterly they have been bought so often I lost count :D

grumpy_codger

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82081364#Comment_82081364

When you pay contactless (with your phone) you don't really see the amount on the screen, though, do you?

I do - on the screen of the contactless terminal.

Andrea15

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82081388#Comment_82081388

I know, but hardly practical most of the times. I do check afterwards, though. I often wonder why they don't make the money appear on the screen.