Bank accidentally gave me $400,000

[Onatreebyariver]

I just had a phone call from NatWest. They've accidentally credited my account with US $400,000 (an international payment)

I first thought it was some sort of scam but I have put the phone down and called NatWest back using the phone number on their website and spoke to the same woman -so it's definitely real. She said they'd like me to reply to their email giving them written confirmation that they can take the $400,000 back.

So... of course I will send the email and give them permission but just out of interest... what would happen if I said "this all sounds like a scam" and didn't reply to their email and used the money to pay off my mortgage :D

I know, I know, I have to give it back... but why are they even asking me, why don't they just take it?

But if people RTFT (ok I know often this doesn't happen) then they will learn that it's a good idea to go into the branch to resolve instead? Surely that's a good thing?

The chances of everyone RTFT are as slim as my bank giving me half a million dollars

Oh for goodness sake the phone number for my branch is 01481 703800

Happy now @GoBrookeYourself and @planespotting

I hope you both have the decency to apologise to me for saying “branches don’t have phone numbers” after you google that number and see it BELONGS TO MY BRANCH.

Getting dangerously close to troll hunting here 🙄

Do you need a screenshot of the number in my call log for my mobile. Bloody hell.

Yes but some people could just read bits and get “oh it turned out fine” rather than they must go to the branch.
I’m not saying OP is involved in a scam but 99.9% of theses things are and it’s all a bit unlikely
VISIT THE BRANCH PEOPLE!!!!

People don't think you're a troll, I don't think, they are worried you are genuine and have made the mistake of trusting scammers who are brilliant at scamming. I listened to a R4 programme last year of people who believed scammers and in most cases they could see in hinsight they shouldn't havr trusted them but the tricks they employ are so convincing. Many called branches or calledthe police back if the call was from them, but they stayed on the line so any call out to any number was just answered by the original scammer. Usually with recorded messages to sound like the bank or worh receptionists to make it authentic.

I hope it's all above board but scammers are so brilliant at what they do, physically going to a branch is 100% the way to go

Glad it all turned out well for you OP. Don't get annoyed, people were just concerned for you. It seems such an extraordinary thing to happen.

I hope you both have the decency to apologise to me for saying “branches don’t have phone numbers” after you google that number and see it BELONGS TO MY BRANCH.
If you read my comments you will see that I said that even if the thread is legit, it is dangerous.
I did not, even once, spoke negatively about the OP, and I reported the thread, not the OP.
Even if this is all true, it is still dangerous because some trusty people might get tricked if some dishonest person rang them.
I am most definitely not apologising, I was not rude. If your branch has a number then I am at most mistaken.

@singlenotsingle read the post from @GoBrookeYourself where she says I’m lying about calling my branch because she “apparently” works for NatWest and knows branches don’t have phone numbers

I’m just here waiting for an apology because she called me a liar.

Sorry- just to clarify- I posted by accident on this thread. I then reported it. I then posted to say I reported. I think a PP thinks I reported the thread. I didn't not. I reported my post.

As you were.

I don't think @GoBrookeYourself was wrong, that number is a general line anyway OP
You might be passed on to a branch after talking to the computer and selecting options, like any other CS number

Surely, since you doubted the veracity of the call from the beginning, you can understand that people would be concerned for other more trusty or less careful users

I will say OP that the person who accidentally credited your account is now feeling mightily relieved and probably had a very sleepless night. If money is put into someones account in error the bank cannot debit it without the account owners permission.

This should satisfy the disbelievers.

@planespotting the number is not a general number, there is no computer. It is the phone number FOR MY BRANCH. Someone answered and I said “please may I speak to sophie” and I got passed over

I’m sure I’ve explained this. You’re like a dog with a bone when you clearly don’t know what happened.

Thank you @Flobochin.

@planespotting please see above post screenshot.

@GoBrookeYourself see screenshot a few posts up. Awaiting your apology now.

OP, I don't think you are a troll but I just find the whole thing utterly bizarre after hearing the same thing happen and it was a scam (very recently)

If you are 100 percent sure that it's not then great

The person who said she works for Natwest and they don't have phone numbers is the one lying OP.
My branch has a direct number. In fact why have the disbelievers ignored my link above to SayNoto0870. You can find a landline number to all the Natwest, any other bank and business landline numbers to avoid paying 08 charges.

I can believe this as it's due to things like this that I don't bank with Natwest any more. In my case it was a particular branch, not my local one now but the one where I used to live (and still have friends and family near) that would do this. I'd get general advice from Natwest not to follow instructions like that over the phone, then have the branch be shirty with me for not following instructions like that over the phone.

That said, I would still caution anyone who receives a call like this to go into branch to confirm.

All branches will have geographic numbers allocated to them on the exchange, that's how telephony systems work. It may be usual for them to give out a non geographic central number that then routes calls out (to the geographic number), but the geographic number can still be dialled directly. And as others have pointed out, these numbers are available online even if not given out by the bank.

Glad it's sorted OP. Yes, we do have to be careful about scams, but you used common sense rather than the hysteria shown by some on this thread.

(And the thing about callers keeping the line open when you put down the phone only applies to landlines. On a mobile, if either person ends the call both parties are disconnected.)

Glad it worked out and was genuine OP.

Sorry to have been a it's a scam poster but I like to err on the side of caution.

Don't post screenshots, you've nothing to prove.

OP, glad you got it sorted. I'd have done the same thing as you. Even if I was sure it was a legit call etc I would have still gone into the branch.

I know this thread has turned a little off but at least you will get a great dinner party story out of this all. 😊

I’m glad it was sorted out OP

I enjoyed fantasising about paying off my mortgage for a while anyway it was with a heavy heart that I signed for the money to go back I can tell you!!

Thanks OP for coming back to update us nosier members
I'd have been temporarily tempted to leave it resting in my account earning interest for a while (to compensate me for the inconvenience )
And I do think you deserve an apology from some who intimated that you were lying. But that's MN for you!