WARNING: Rant

[MuddyWitch]

I've just been to my own local branch of a certain high street bank, (the one where our joint account is), to pay four bills.

Cashier: 'I'll need to see some ID'

Me: 'Why? I'm paying bills'

Cashier: 'They come to more than £5000'

Me: 'They come to £5006.63, I agree, but I'm PAYING from my account, via debit card, at the counter, & you have the four bills in front of you and can see they are all addressed to either me or my husband'

Cashier: 'I'll get the manager'

Manager: 'We'll need to see some ID, as you're withdrawing over £5000'

Me: 'but I'm paying bills!'

Manager: 'Well technically you are withdrawing the money & then handing it us back'

Me: 'OK pass me bill A back, then I'll just pay the others'

(This happens. I then hand the cashier bill A back)

Me: 'Now I'll pay this bill'

Casier: 'I'll need to ask the manager if I can do that'

Manager: 'I'll do you a favour this time and let her do it, but in future you'll need to bring ID'

Me: 'No, I'm doing you a favour, using my local branch so that it isn't closed, & using my debit card rather than four seperate cheques, as that saves the cashier a huge amount of paperwork.'

So now I know why their slogan is 'For the Journey'...you need to carry your passport to access your own money!

MW

[niknik]

sorry........ butmade me feel better.at least I know Im not the only one thatfinds bank staff totally inept!

Think you need one of these

[MuddyWitch]

It was worth it to know I cheered you up,

MW

[Berti]

SHEESH!!! But yeah, whenever, they DO have to ask for your ID, even when you are just paying bills.
BASTARDS!

I live in netherlands, same happens here too, thats why internet banking is such a blessing, you can pay all bills online and no one is asking for ID.................weird world we live in huh, nowadays.

[fran]

I was chatting to someone today who tried to pay a cheque for £5000 in to their account and the cashier refused saying that it was too much money and they couldn't take it!!!!!! All down to money laundering apparently!

[dave45]

Its probably their house rules on money-laundering regulations - where BY LAW everyone working in a financially related industry has to act as an unpaid informer for the "authorities" on penalty of fines or imprisonment. The 5000 is probably their trigger level. Common sense is not normally allowed. Strange thing is that they are not supposed to tip you off if they think your transaction is suspicious. The ML legislation is immoral IMHO - its a secret police force on the cheap. We didn't vote for it - it just happened. And has it reduced financial crime?

[Berti]

good point, dave.

[123sologne]

Me: 'No, I'm doing you a favour, using my local branch so that it isn't closed, & using my debit card rather than four seperate cheques, as that saves the cashier a huge amount of paperwork.'

MW

I have to remember this for when I next visit my branch if ever I need to have a battle with the bank!

[snapdragon]

Oh how ridiculous it's well known that money laundering is mainly done via the buying and selling of football teams not personal accounts

[Green Aura]

Oh MW this all drives me nuts! Why are banks and other financial institutions all hell bent on making ordinary folk look and feel like criminals

I've just spent the afternoon doing my tax return and by the end of it I feel like I'm guilty of something - despite having every scrap of paper that backs up what I'm saying!

[dave45]

they actually had the cheek to ask me what I wanted it for

that'll be the "unpaid secret police" money-laundering rules again. If they are not happy with your explanation they are required by law to report your transaction as suspicious.

Not a lot of people know this.

[dave45]

Why are banks and other financial institutions all hell bent on making ordinary folk look and feel like criminals

because its now the law - they have to, or they could get fined or imprisoned. They could get 5 years inside for failing to do these checks. This is part of the "red-tape" that most businesses moan about bacause it just adds costs with no benefits to them. It is supposed to make us all feel safer from organised crime.

Because I work for a financially-related business I have to undergo compulsory ML training every 12 months. I did mine today. Everyone around me seems to think this is a "good thing". I think its bo//ox.

I was particularly appalled when this was first introduced and we had to endure a lecture from an ex-plod whose attitude was that everyone was automatically guilty until he decided otherwise... and he referred to the supposed bad guys as "chummy". yerk.

Dinosaurs do exist.

[Archanejil]

If it makes you feel better, MW, had a bit of a bump into inept staff the other day myself.

To give background -- My mother and I have a joint account where she is the main account holder. I've moved and so wanted my card to go to my address, and her card and account details to go to hers. You'd think it'd be simple enough to change my address... so, I go in and ask for it to be changed...

Bank Lady: Sorry, we can't change your address.

Me: Um, why not? Not being funny, but I've moved 300 miles away and don't like the thought of my card going to my old house with random people living in it.

Bank Lady: Well, the system doesn't appear to let me change it... let me get someone...

(returning after several minutes)

Bank Lady: What we *can* do is change the main address on the account...

Me: We don't want that. Is there any way we can change both addresses to be at my mother's house so the card isn't going to randoms?

Bank Lady: Sure, I can do that, if you've ID.

Me (produces ID): There we go. So, if you can change my record for my address to the address for my mum's house, could you change that record to my new address?

Bank Lady: Yep, no problem (changes address).

My mum was absolutely stunned as she was with me, but very glad I got my way over it. Or at least, will be happy until we find out that the dippy Bank Lady has changed both addresses to mine or somesuch

[boboff]

Hmmmm.

I am not sure I see the issue here. If I go to the Bank Branch I always take ID. Even getting a £100 Building Society Passbook updated!.

It is not just about policing.

Fraud costs this country so much money.

When a fraud is undertaken at a bank, they have to pay you the money back, if they didn't take care, they woud be stuffed.

If you had paid your 4 bills, and these bills were actually in effect transfers to a Mafia Account, and you saw £5k come out your account you would say "Why the hell didn't you ask for ID"

Allot of Fraud is actually undertaken in the Branch, and the naughty boys know some staff are better than others. Once I wrote a cheque to a book company for about £3. It was intercepted, changed crudely with felt tip pen to cash, and taken to the branch and cashed for £800 or something, looking at the cheque it was unbelievable that they cashed it, and without ID, it wouldn't happen now.

As for the cash thing........ The black economy costs at least £40 BILLION a year to the UK economy, and the cash the builders were being paid was so they would not pay tax, so they could pay the people working for them and not pay PAYE, also allowing that person to claim full benefits, including housing benefit, council tax benefit, getting on for £1000 plus a month, also so the builder could slip the guy at the builders merchant a bung so he could nick a load of gear from Travis Perkins, putting the price up for everyone else.

I agree that some rules are daft, but it's all done on a decision tree, and once you remove common sence and replace with these things you will always have branches that you have to retrace and go down another one to get to where you want to go, if you do this with a smile, and a knowledge of the fact that it is just a game, that the relationship with you is a valued one, and the rules are there to protect us and the bank, it can be less stressfull all round.

[niknik]

I don´t personally have a problem with the rules.........

It´s jsut the inept way the staffapply them!

Here ID is necessary at all times. you have to carry photo ID. Cant use debit/credit card without it, albeit tat is changing with the nes pin machines.

The bank ask for Idas well for each transaction, unless they know you of vcourse, so in a small town, thats quite rare. (they even tend to know everyone´s names!)

I recently had an occurence via telephone with a UK bank ( well now taken over by a Spanish bank) re removal of O/D facility

we sent you a letter.......NO

Its standard policy to be reviewed after12 months .neve rhad a letter other years either......
AND it wasnt 12 months anyway.either 8 or 20 since last changed!) via internet banking.
you cant apply for O/D via Internet banking , or an extension.
I did in both cases, ansd why does your website offer the possibility then?

It was removed, as part of the 12 month renewal conditions, and basically it wasnt felt you should have it anymore ( words to thateffect). and THEN .offers to reinstate about 3/4 of previous limit

What the ******...... what are they playing at..... have they not heard of staff training!

I dont have any money as such. bt if I ever did. it wouldnt be invested in a bank!

No wonder the black economy thrives so well!