Nat West Scam

Banking & Financial
1

I had a savings account with the Nat West in the UK that I used occasionally in the 90s.


I stopped using and left a balance of about £150. Once a year the bank would write to me asking if I wanted to keep the account open, and every year I answered yes.


Around 2010 they wrote informing me that they had closed the account and were keeping my money until I claimed it back, which I did, straight away.


I was informed that I had to send certified copies of my identity papers and a utilities invoice.


As that year I had renewed my passport before it had expired, I sent the old, but still valid original, with a telephone bill.


They wrote back saying that they wouldn’t accept originals and sent me back my documents.


I then went to the “Mairie” Town Hall, and persuaded them to make certified copies and they did, very reluctantly.


After these were sent to the Nat West they contacted me saying they needed the telephone number of the Mairie in order to contact them, to check that my certified copies were real.


This I gave wondering why they couldn’t google it like everyone else.


The Nat West then contacted me again saying that no one in the Mairie spoke English (I had warned them of this), and still couldn’t refund my money.


So, in 2014, whilst on a trip to the UK, I went into a Nat West bank where they copied my papers, and sent them directly to their “Special Closed Account Monies” (SCAM!) office.


The SCAM office has now said that they didn’t receive this and still won’t pay me back.


I know it’s not a huge amount, but still, it is mine and I want it back.


Does anyone have any ideas on how to get it back without it costing me more than £150?



Many thanks,


Tobias


2

Tell them you want paid direct to your French bank account and make more on the XR transfer!

That’s if you get it of course. I’d also send a copy of the letter (to the ombudsman) to the NatWest chief exec.



A look at Companies House if not a phone call to Nat West in UK, may give you a name. also have you a family member in UK you could post it to and ask them to send it either registered post or recorded delivery.

3

Don't forget to give them a 14 day 'Notice of Intention' in your initial letter, apparently it's only fair to let them know you'll take it to the ombudsman if they don't respond within the specified time limit!!!

4

Thank you every one, I'll be using the complaints leaflet, and then the Ombudsman if that fails.

I should add than the SCAM acronym is an invention of mine…

5

This is perfect, thank you

6

NatWest made a monumental cock up with regards to mortgage payments on a flat I owned jointly with my children and my eldest girl lived in. They Blamed Nationwide for this and after going as far as the ombudsman Nationwide offered a £200 ex-gratis payment. It turned out as confessed to me on the telephone, hence no record, by the local Natwest branch manager in Tilehurst near Reading that the whole thing was a mistake by one of his employees who, strangely enough, had left the bank by this time. I turned down the offer from Nationwide, as none of this was their fault, but got embroiled in things here and never did follow it up. This is what they hope for by procrastinating that you will just give up and do away.

Similar to Barclays and Barclaycard when they stopped supporting the card because I had moved to France even though I had had a card since they first appeared back in the 60's. They are a law unto themselves aided and abetted by the so-called government. RBS supporting sports? Give that money back to the taxpayers who bailed them out first. Bankers bonuses……..Grrrrrrrrrrr.

7

We have recently closed several accounts in the UK as in this day and age of theft and fraud even a bank account with very little money in may be useful to someone and if you rarely check on that account then you cannot be sure what is happening in it - and it certainly is not earning much. A good example would be if your account has an overdraft with it then even if you only have £100 in it but an overdraft of £1000 then if someone steals the details they could use up to your overdraft or whatever else these thieves get up to. Also if you have several old accounts of various types which address details do the bank have on their books for you. If you have not changed it on moving house then you could have a real problem if you do decide to withdraw or close the account. Don't procrastinate - much easier to do it asap!

8

Tobias

How extrodinary for a bank to close an account in this manner in the first place however you are where you are.

I endorse Melissa in writing to the bank head office and maybe this link would help. natwest.com/Downloads/global_options/complaints_leaflet.pdf

If no resolution is found I suggest financial-ombudsman.org.uk

9

Yes, I would send a strong letter first, asking for lost interest over 4 years then copy the ombudsman.

BTW, I tend to leave plenty of small accounts I don't use, like a rabbit, smaller than your balance, just because I can't be asked to go and close accounts myself and have never been told by any bank that they had closed the accounts, let alone that they were thinking of closing them down, nor asked me to come and close the accounts.

Having done that, NatWest is probably treating you as a "dead" person and need all the guarantees that you're not, before they commit. But that is no excuse for their behaviour and lack of efficiency.

Good luck with finding names up the pyramid.

10

I would first send a long explanatory with all references, very assertive letter to (find a name if you can) the NatWest bank where they copied and sent your papers and tell them you have been a customer for years and are very disappointed in their service etc. Post the letter and email it if possible and wait for a response. Using good clear English usually works eventually. You could threaten to copy your letter to the Sunday Times (or other paper) but it is probably best to wait for an initial response first.

11

If you have have detailed dates of all your attempts to recover your money send these to the the Financial Ombudsman. I would ring the bank once more and inform them that this what you are doing. This usually works.