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?

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

BIG RED FLAG

you can't trust anyone but yourself these days, but then i don't trust myself to keep away from any chocolate in the house .
sorry op this is really awful and worrying for you,hope it all works out in your favour.

Thought it might be ilkboo but I wasn’t sure

My son works for a bank call centre - very unlikely you would get through to the same woman after googling the number, branch or not.

I would definitely want to sort out in a branch....but so many branches are eitjer closed or open extremely customer unfriendly hours that im sure incidences of this kind of scam will increase. Coincidentally i got a recorded message today saying i have won £150,000 on the US lottery!🙄🤔

If it is a business account, you need to be more careful as they are more likely to hold you responsible for being taken in by scams.

with my bank it went centralised years ago, you can't get the branch number for love nor money. there was a suspected fraud on my account several years ago and i ended up speaking to three different people in the same call centre, i asked to speak to the first one as they knew about the case but was told this was not possible.

Do nothing for a couple of days and then go into branch.

See if the money actually shows as available funds.

www.theguardian.com/money/2014/jul/19/telephone-fraudsters-banks-response

Currently, if you phone some two-thirds of BT numbers you can remain on the line for several minutes, even if the person taking the call has put down the handset. This has allows the scam to succeed. The victim hears a fake dialling tone, and calls what they think is their bank. Ofcom says its has been working with the industry to tackle the problem.

Do nothing for a couple of days and then go into branch

OP needs to go there immediately - she has already given them verification info over the phone.

On the subject of scams, just had a robocall inform me I’m about to be arrested for hmrc fraud, if I didn’t press to provide my details. Quaking in my boots.

Hope OP has sorted this out with her bank

OP needs to go there immediately - she has already given them verification info over the phone

You need to get your card blocked and log in details changed ASAP ignore my earlier advice if you have already give your card details out over the phone.

@boringlyboring I've had that one dozens of times!

To all those saying a bank wouldn't ask for an e-mail like this - I can assure you that they do!

I had a double refund paid into my account by mistake when switching gas & electric provider. Old provider had gone bust, Ofgem switched all accounts to another provider, but I switched again almost straight away. This meant that the credit balance from the original provider was paid directly to my bank account instead of being placed as a credit on the second provider.

Anyway, somehow the refund was credited twice which I did notice, but wasn't sure what to do. My bank phoned me and I gave them permission via e-mail to remove the overpaid amount from my account. I did do the usual checks (called them back like OP - I knew it wasn't an open line as I called them back from my mobile - they had called my landline)

No scam, no fraud. Just a banking error.

I guess e-mail addresses are stored as info just as much as phone numbers these days

Ofcom says its has been working with the industry to tackle the problem

Which isn't much use if the calls originate from outside of the UK ...

When you phoned Natwest did you give any security details?
I had to call them last week about a lost debit card and they only ask for 3rd digit of your PIN or 2nd digit, never the whole number.
What did they ask you?

I didn't think they asked for PIN info?

To all those who say a bank wouldn't ask for an e-mail like this - I can assure you that they do!

They will also be more than happy for any customer so affected to make absolutely sure that it is legitimate before providing any personal information, either over the phone or by any other means. Especially when a sum as large as this is involved.

People can (and do) get caught out like this. Money appears in their bank account, they are asked to transfer it out again, which they do, or even draw it out in cash and give it to a 'courier'. The original transaction is then cancelled by the bank as it was fraudulent/erroneous and the customer is left with a monstrous overdraft they have to pay back. The customer is liable as they authorised the payment.

I hope I'm not too late to add to the voices telling you to do absolutely nothing at all until you've been to a branch and spoken to a real person.

This could easily be a scam

I didn't think they asked for PIN info.
It's not your card PIN but a PIN you have for access to on line banking. Other banks may be different but I'm with NW too.

Sorry if you got scammed OP, remember even ex bank managers have been scammed, it’s ridiculously convincing tactics. Bastards. Hope they didn’t get anything and that you have your account secured.

I saw in my bank recently, a new way to scam people, is that after the phone call they actually stay on the line, so whilst you think you called the proper number, you just end up calling the people back. I would definitely go into the bank. Fraudsters are getting better at this all the time. I've recently had a txt message that looked like it came from my bank, but thankfully I went into the bank and it wasn't them.

I saw in my bank recently, a new way to scam people, is that after the phone call they actually stay on the line, so whilst you think you called the proper number, you just end up calling the people back

This has been going on for years, I'd be a bit worried if my bank had only just found about it, Which bank is that?

This is one of the first links on Google - from 2014!

www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/saving/article-2647329/Fraudsters-hijack-phone-lines-steal-money-vishing-scams-rise.html