Active discussions

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To tell you to block gambling payments on your banking app

32 replies

AgingLikeGazpacho · 31/03/2025 21:55

Unless you're a gambler?

After getting defrauded almost £500 last night through 24 separate payments I've been on the sorry side of online gambling fraud.

I've since found a feature on many banking apps where you can block online gambling transactions if you go onto your Manage Card settings (at least with Santander, Lloyds and Nationwide).

I received no OTPs or communication from the bank as this was happening and have never gambled. I have banked with them for 12 years so should know this doesn't fit my pattern of behaviour. And yet I caught it by chance as it was happening and froze my card. The bank has been about as useful as a chocolate teapot and have made no guarantees I'll get the money back.

I've not lent the card to anyone and not share my details with family members etc . But having worked in payments myself (the irony!) I know that online gambling is one of the easiest ways to launder money as you can redirect it to another bank account.

Sharing this in case it helps anyone else. Of course I'm not being unreasonable.

Feel free to discuss whatever you want below just to get traction and save someone else the stress of what I'm going through

OP posts:
New posts on this thread. Refresh page
Ferro · 05/04/2025 19:20

And if you do gamble, have a separate account for it. It's so easy to open accounts now that there's no reason to have it all mixed up with your other spending.

Hohofortherobbers · 05/04/2025 19:06

Thank you OP, Did this when you cautioned earlier this week, also limited my atm daily withdrawal to £100 as an extra precaution Halo
However.....went for my annual flutter today on the grand national and discovered there's a 3 day cooling off period to reinstate transactions Blush
Had to go to cash point for my £10 stake.
It's a top tip but do be aware it's more than a little effective Grin

Glittertwins · 01/04/2025 16:16

GreenLeaf25 · 31/03/2025 23:25

Thanks for the warning! Just done it with HSBC. I had no idea this was an option. Appreciate you sharing OP

Same here with HSBC, thank you
And good news in getting your money back.

Original poster
AgingLikeGazpacho · 01/04/2025 15:25

Update: I got my money back 🥳

OP posts:
Trovindia · 01/04/2025 08:29

AgingLikeGazpacho · 01/04/2025 00:24

Here you go

Show quote history

Thank you! Done.

Original poster
AgingLikeGazpacho · 01/04/2025 00:24

Trovindia · 01/04/2025 00:19

How do I do it for Lloyds?

Here you go

To tell you to block gambling payments on your banking app
OP posts:
Trovindia · 01/04/2025 00:19

How do I do it for Lloyds?

TheWolfHouse · 01/04/2025 00:16

That’s a good tip OP, I’ve just done it on my Barclays App.

Original poster
AgingLikeGazpacho · 01/04/2025 00:02

MuddyPawsIndoors · 31/03/2025 23:57

I make a point of going through my banking app every week just to check the 'money out' bit.

In January I saw a rogue £27.40 to Dominos Pizza that was nothing to do with me.

I froze the card immediately, contacted Barclays and they sent me a new one and said they'd refund within 5 working days.

The second I hung up the phone, my app flashed up to say they'd already refunded me.

I was glad I spotted it within a week of it happening though.

The crazy thing is I spotted these transactions while they were still 'pending' and Santander claimed they couldn't block them, or at least try and get the acquiring bank or the gambling company to block the transaction! In fact they said their fraud team couldn't work on the case until the payments went through!

So yeah... whilst I thought I'd managed to catch it before it left, I'm still £500 down and am waiting for an update from the bank 27 hours later.

OP posts:
MuddyPawsIndoors · 31/03/2025 23:57

I make a point of going through my banking app every week just to check the 'money out' bit.

In January I saw a rogue £27.40 to Dominos Pizza that was nothing to do with me.

I froze the card immediately, contacted Barclays and they sent me a new one and said they'd refund within 5 working days.

The second I hung up the phone, my app flashed up to say they'd already refunded me.

I was glad I spotted it within a week of it happening though.

Maray1967 · 31/03/2025 23:47

GreenLeaf25 · 31/03/2025 23:25

Thanks for the warning! Just done it with HSBC. I had no idea this was an option. Appreciate you sharing OP

Same here - thanks, OP.

Negroany · 31/03/2025 23:46

Thank you, I have just done this in two banks, three cards. Might as well block anything I don't need to use!

Original poster
AgingLikeGazpacho · 31/03/2025 23:40

EmeraldRoulette · 31/03/2025 23:37

Thanks for letting us know

your bank didn't flag up 24 separate payments in one night? That's pants.

I am set up for 2FA on everything though.

I'm set up with 2FA as well! I have no idea how they didn't flag it as they've previously made me do OTPs on a £5 john lewis transaction!

I made an official complaint with the bank immediately as this is an unacceptable lack of fraud control.

I'll be swapping to a provider that sends text updates for each transaction to prevent this happening again.

OP posts:
EmeraldRoulette · 31/03/2025 23:37

Thanks for letting us know

your bank didn't flag up 24 separate payments in one night? That's pants.

I am set up for 2FA on everything though.

SpringIsSpringing25 · 31/03/2025 23:27

loropianalover · 31/03/2025 22:48

…

Show quote history

Cute cat

SpringIsSpringing25 · 31/03/2025 23:26

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

GreenLeaf25 · 31/03/2025 23:25

Thanks for the warning! Just done it with HSBC. I had no idea this was an option. Appreciate you sharing OP

InSpainTheRain · 31/03/2025 22:53

Thanks, I've just done this. I hadn't seen the setting before.

Original poster
AgingLikeGazpacho · 31/03/2025 22:49

Contentment1628 · 31/03/2025 22:44

What are lottery tickets if they’re not gambling?

Show quote history

I think this is a surprisingly common perspective. Same applies to people who don't see bingo as gambling!

I remember a recruiter once reaching out about a job at the Postcode Lottery and being perplexed when I gave them an outright no as I don't believe in gambling. "Ah but it's basically charity" they replied 🤪

Not the point of the thread, but I do find it weird how pervasive gambling is across the UK (having lived abroad for a while in a country where there were no betting shops!)

OP posts:
loropianalover · 31/03/2025 22:48

SpringIsSpringing25 · 31/03/2025 22:21

I'm not a 'gambler' but I won't turn it off on my First Direct cards because I buy lottery tickets online.

…

To tell you to block gambling payments on your banking app
Contentment1628 · 31/03/2025 22:44

SpringIsSpringing25 · 31/03/2025 22:21

I'm not a 'gambler' but I won't turn it off on my First Direct cards because I buy lottery tickets online.

What are lottery tickets if they’re not gambling?

Phase2 · 31/03/2025 22:42

I use mine for the lottery or I would do

MuddyPawsIndoors · 31/03/2025 22:26

Thank you, I'll do this tomorrow.

For some weird reason I'm getting spam texts 2 or 3 times per day offering me 'free spins' and shite.

I keep reporting and deleting but it's a 'new company' every time.

So best to protect my bank just incase 👍

Createausername1970 · 31/03/2025 22:23

Thank you, have just done this.

SpringIsSpringing25 · 31/03/2025 22:21

I'm not a 'gambler' but I won't turn it off on my First Direct cards because I buy lottery tickets online.