Natwest telling me to 'go in branch'

[Lockind]

What do you do when a UK bank restricts your account for security/fraud prevention and tells you to go in branch when there are no branches in the country that you are in?

Bizarrely the debit cards still work fine but all access to the actual bank account is restricted until I can go in branch. I have no plans to go anywhere near the UK anytime soon. I can't cancel or amend any direct debits, see my statements, see my balance; anything.

Any ideas?

I'm guessing this will be moved to banking but for the record I don't want this in banking, I don't think it's appropriate there.

[harrry]

Cancelling of direct debits should be able to be done by written instruction. Send EMS. I would also send a letter closing the account and ordering them to pay the money into another one. If they refuse I understand there is a banking ombudsman. Written instructions should be legal for these orders.

[taotoo]

"I don't want this in banking, I don't think it's appropriate there."

LOL

[Rooo]

No Banking? Not Thailand related either, moved to Home Country Forum.

[rwdrwdrwd]

Have you tried telling them you're on an extended trip out of the country? If you tell them you live abroad they might close your account, but unlikely to do so for a 'long trip' - worth a try.

I rarely use my home country credit cards, and when I do it's for big ticket items and invariably gets refused the first time and I have to go through a fraud check - I always just tell them I'm on a long holiday.

[Lockind]

I've already sidestepped the issue of where I live on the phone to them. That isn't why they've restricted the account anyway, apparently.

Ty for advice, I'll go with the letter.

[Aussieroaming]

This happened to me when I was in Africa and someone used my credit card number in Las Vegas. They told me to go into a local bank branch and when I explained that there wasn't one they told me to suck it up until I was back in Australia. Luckily I also had a Thai bank account and was able to utilise that. I understand they are trying to protect us but they do leave the customer in a crap circumstance sometimes, but it's up to the customer to make sure that they have a back up plan. So my advise to you is open an emergency account with another banking group, preferably an international one.

[Jip99]

Cancelling of direct debits should be able to be done by written instruction. Send EMS. I would also send a letter closing the account and ordering them to pay the money into another one. If they refuse I understand there is a banking ombudsman. Written instructions should be legal for these orders.

Do you normally recommend taking a sledgehammer to crack a nut ?

In the first instance it would be prudent to call Nat West - contact number on the card and on the internet.

Using a CAT telecom card will ensure that call is no more than 30 Baht for a 20 odd minute call.

[Lockind]

Already called, they have an 0800 number so free with Skype. Result was computer says no. 'Go in branch' repeated over and over.

I have considered closing the account because I simply cannot see what is happening in it.

[smokie36]

This happened to me when I was in Africa and someone used my credit card number in Las Vegas. They told me to go into a local bank branch and when I explained that there wasn't one they told me to suck it up until I was back in Australia. Luckily I also had a Thai bank account and was able to utilise that. I understand they are trying to protect us but they do leave the customer in a crap circumstance sometimes, but it's up to the customer to make sure that they have a back up plan. So my advise to you is open an emergency account with another banking group, preferably an international one.

This is why I now bank with HSBC.

[nottocus]

This happened to me when I was in Africa and someone used my credit card number in Las Vegas. They told me to go into a local bank branch and when I explained that there wasn't one they told me to suck it up until I was back in Australia. Luckily I also had a Thai bank account and was able to utilise that. I understand they are trying to protect us but they do leave the customer in a crap circumstance sometimes, but it's up to the customer to make sure that they have a back up plan. So my advise to you is open an emergency account with another banking group, preferably an international one.

This is why I now bank with HSBC.

HSBC…now that's a crap bank. Worst bank i've banked with.

[smokie36]

This happened to me when I was in Africa and someone used my credit card number in Las Vegas. They told me to go into a local bank branch and when I explained that there wasn't one they told me to suck it up until I was back in Australia. Luckily I also had a Thai bank account and was able to utilise that. I understand they are trying to protect us but they do leave the customer in a crap circumstance sometimes, but it's up to the customer to make sure that they have a back up plan. So my advise to you is open an emergency account with another banking group, preferably an international one.

This is why I now bank with HSBC.

HSBC…now that's a crap bank. Worst bank i've banked with.

They are all crap...but HSBC has a branch in Bangkok.

[Ricardo]

This happened to me when I was in Africa and someone used my credit card number in Las Vegas. They told me to go into a local bank branch and when I explained that there wasn't one they told me to suck it up until I was back in Australia. Luckily I also had a Thai bank account and was able to utilise that. I understand they are trying to protect us but they do leave the customer in a crap circumstance sometimes, but it's up to the customer to make sure that they have a back up plan. So my advise to you is open an emergency account with another banking group, preferably an international one.

This is why I now bank with HSBC.

HSBC…now that's a crap bank. Worst bank i've banked with.

They are all crap...but HSBC has a branch in Bangkok.

Sadly, that one closed a couple of years ago !

I too use HSBC (offshore/expats can bank in Jersey or Singapore amongst others), and did also get a letter telling me a problem could be sorted easily, "just call in at your nearest UK-mainland branch", Hah Bloody Hah, only five thousand miles away !

I sent a copy of the letter, which was addressed to me at my home address here in Thailand, to 'Private Eye" who also found it nonsensical & amusing ! I guess that I'm lucky, they didn't want me to call-in in Jersey !

I'm currently discussing an add-on credit-card for my son with them, they want me to pick it up at a UK-branch, and are so-far refusing to post it to my registered-with-them one-and-only address here in Thailand, while I explain that I won't be there in the UK for at-least several months, and that they were happy to post my own (and also my wife's) current cards to us out here. Not much changes, with banks !

[KittenKong]

If your internet banking security has been compromised then you will have to go into a branch in person with proper ID, and quite rightly too. I would not want my bank to reauthorise internet access to my account over the phone or by post once it had been compromised.

[i claudius]

I had a problem like this with Barclays after a number of phone calls they said they had sorted it ,they hadn't two calls later they sorted it and put 25 pounds into my account as an apology, I just told them I was on a long holiday

Edited October 29, 2014 by i claudius

[NanLaew]

I've already sidestepped the issue of where I live on the phone to them. That isn't why they've restricted the account anyway, apparently.

Ty for advice, I'll go with the letter.

Why do you not want to tell them where you live? At the moment your account is locked and your plastic too.

Do you really want them to help you or not? If you are going to rely on registered mail to resolve this matter, then you will have to have an address that you both agree to use. Maybe the bank has a regulation that UK customers must have a UK address for correspondence. That could be for a friend or family member in the UK who could forward on any mail from the bank.

I have had to deal with the same from a US bank and recently from my UK bank. Both were resolved by remaining civil and patient when dealing with someone who probably works at a call center using a very restricted script and thinks Thailand is Tapei. Call them and request that you talk with a supervisor and patiently explain the situation.

If it is serious enough from their point of view that you do indeed need to make a branch visit, then that may be the only solution. While you are back there, open a second account with a different bank as a backup.

[Jip99]

This is a most odd situation.

The account cannot be 'blocked' if debit cards can still be used.

it sounds like online banking has been suspended for some reason.

This matter should be able to be resolved over the phone. Speak direct to 'fraud' or 'complaints' - you can hardly call into a branch when you are 6,000 miles.

Do you really think they don't where you are ?

[NanLaew]

This is a most odd situation.

The account cannot be 'blocked' if debit cards can still be used.

it sounds like online banking has been suspended for some reason.

This matter should be able to be resolved over the phone. Speak direct to 'fraud' or 'complaints' - you can hardly call into a branch when you are 6,000 miles.

Do you really think they don't where you are ?

Don't be so sure. My bank blocked my online banking log-in so I called them up. They had done it because they hadn't been able to contact me by phone regarding some formality. I had been offshore so my mobile wasn't even turned on. Neither my card or the account was blocked but it was their way of getting my attention as they could see I was logging in online.

Maybe the OP wasn't answering his phone either.

Edited October 29, 2014 by NanLaew

[Jip99]

This is a most odd situation.

The account cannot be 'blocked' if debit cards can still be used.

it sounds like online banking has been suspended for some reason.

This matter should be able to be resolved over the phone. Speak direct to 'fraud' or 'complaints' - you can hardly call into a branch when you are 6,000 miles.

Do you really think they don't where you are ?

Don't be so sure. My bank blocked my online banking log-in so I called them up. They had done it because they hadn't been able to contact me by phone regarding some formality. I had been offshore so my mobile wasn't even turned on. Neither my card or the account was blocked but it was their way of getting my attention as they could see I was logging in online.

Maybe the OP wasn't answering his phone either.

I think you will find that is what I described.

It is not difficult to resolve - as you did.

As an aside DWP (UK Pensions) employ the same tactic if you don't respond to them - they stop paying your pension. It tends to help get things sorted.