FirstSave - concerns!

happysal20

I have opened an account with FirstSave and they have sent me their welcome pack and login details. When I login and try to download a direct debit form I get the error website not found. So I clicked on the link to customer services to email a request for the direct debit form. However it has bounced! The message is
Remote host said: 550 customer.service@firstsave.co.uk... No such user

I am a bit worried that they might be dodgy or I am being directed to some sort of clone of their web site. Luckily I have not yet deposited any money with them.

Please can anyone comment? Are there any FirstSave customers out there who can vouch for them?

Thanks all!

ukdutypaid

UK company, going since about 1850, covered by the FSA (have to be, to operate)...

Okay that statement was very sloppy, of me, to the point of being complete rubbish....
Yes FBN Bank UK Ltd, is a UK entity, which began trading in 02.
Disingenuous, but indicating they are not a fly by night organisation.
http://www.firstbanknigeria.com/aboutfbn/au_history.asp
"The Bank was incorporated as a limited liability company on March 31, 1894, with Head Office in Liverpool", quite what significance that has I'm not sure.
Sounds like you just had one unlucky experience. Hell sometimes, I've not been able to get to the Abbey's system, either...

I don't know whether it's significant or not, but the email address I've seen on their site is [EMAIL="customerservice@firstsave.co.uk"]customerservice@firstsave.co.uk[/EMAIL]
No . in the middle, as in the one you've quoted there.... Could it be as simple as that?

However... I have not had experience as a user of FirstSave....

Paul mentions that they wouldn't let him have a second linked account, is that really a reflection on them being rubbish. I mean do any of these online banks, let you have more than one linked account? ICICI, Icesave, Kaufhedge. I'm not sure they do, either, do they?

Jonbvn

ukdutypaid wrote: »

UK company, going since about 1850.......

The above is completely incorrect!!!

FirstSave accounts are provided by FBN Bank (UK) Ltd, a UK bank that began trading in 2002 and is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority.

FBN is First Bank of Nigeria.
http://www.firstsave.co.uk/about_firstsave/

Paul_Herring

happysal20 wrote:

Remote host said: 550 [EMAIL="customer.service@firstsave.co.uk"]customer.service@firstsave.co.uk[/EMAIL]... No such user

There probably isn't. Their contact page gives an address that doesn't have the full stop between 'customer' and 'service'.

Are there any FirstSave customers out there who can vouch for them?

I have used them in the past, but ditched them for being useless (wouldn't accept the first email address I gave them, wouldn't let me have a 2nd linked account.) Other than that, nowt wrong with them. I wasn't put off by the 'Nigerian connection.'

ukdutypaid wrote:

UK company, going since about 1850, covered by the FSA (have to be, to operate).

I think your message found it's way onto the wrong thread. Perhaps you'd like to move it yourself or get one of the Mods to do it.

notis7

I will ask this again as I did in another post....with all the economic upheaval could you honestly trust an African Bank? I have nothing against the Bank of Nigeria....It is keen to replicate the Landsbanki ( i think i spelt it right ) and ING success....but times have changed and we are now facing a severe credit crunch with major economists not being able to predict an end to this chaos.....An African Banks savings offer is not the solution!

ukdutypaid

Don't put more than 35k in then....... That's a better guarantee and coverage than an IoM bank, or any institution not covered by the UK's FSCS .


http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/savings/safe-savings#foreign

.

notis7

ukdutypaid wrote: »

Don't put more than 35k in then....... That's a better guarantee and coverage than an IoM bank, or any institution not covered by the UK's FSCS .


http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/savings/safe-savings#foreign

.

exactly! nothing more needed to say!

ukdutypaid

I'm terribly sorry but I don't understand what you mean.

Surely, there are sufficient safeguards built in, above and beyond many of the new entrants, to assuage any fears you might have.
" If you've less than £35,000 don't worry, it's covered by the compensation scheme.", be they a UK Ltd company or not.

Paul_Herring

ukdutypaid wrote:

It's only 15-16K you're covered with Icesave, or 30k with ING, so where does that leave you...

Once again you're giving out incorrect information. You are fully covered to 35K with both institutions. (Unless you're alluding to the passport scheme which is largely irrelevant since the UK scheme makes up the difference.)

ukdutypaid

Jeez.. Give me a break man... I edited/corrected/deleted it from both of my posts.. As well as doing a public apology.. I even went so far as to call myself an idiot... I can't edit somebody else's post, if they've quoted me, can I?

Paul_Herring

ukdutypaid wrote: »

I mean do any of these online banks, let you have more than one linked account? ICICI, Icesave, Kaufhedge. I'm not sure they do, either, do they?

I still have 2 linked accounts from when Icesave allowed you to have 3, before they arbitrarily dropped it. (Money goes in from one linked account once a month and out to the other once a week.)

FirstSave is using identical software to Icesave, and there's no technical reason for either to not allow more than one linked account.