to think Natwest are being absolutely ridiculous?

[montgomerymadison]

I have two accounts with Natwest. One I haven't used in a long time and had around 60p in it. I had pretty much forgot about it.

I rarely use online banking but needed to check something on my other account when I noticed that the unused account had over £100 in it. I clicked the statement and it shows there were 2 cheques deposited into it back in October.

I have asked 3 times over their "web help" and by calling them and still they won't reveal to me who put the money there. I've been told I need to contact them again in 24 hours. Surely I have a right to know who put the money there.

Like I said it's an account I never use and has zero DD going out of it so it's quite worrying for me that someone obviously has my name, account number and sort code.

Aibu to expect them to provide me with this information and not have wasted over 5 hours over 2 days chasing this up and still getting no where?

If it requires investigation, it requires investigation.

Let them get on with their job of looking into it (I'm assuming they are) and stop calling them every 10 minutes.

NatWest are rubbish on the phone / email. Are you able to go in in person? Their customer service at actual branches has been good enough to make up for their total inability to communicate in any other form.

stop calling them every 10 minutes

I haven't

I used web help on the 18th twice, as the first person flat out refused and said to call.

The second person said the systems were down and to contact them the next day.

And then on the 19th

I got told on their web chat that there is nothing they can do what so ever and that I needed to call.

I then called and got told again to call back in 24 hour.

I've contacted them so much because they asked me too. Even now I'm the one whos expected to call back. If I knew it was getting resolved and they would contact me then I would just leave it.

Dormant accounts are open to abuse and fraud by unknown parties. You are right to be worried about mysterious activity, and your bank should be able to tell you details of your recent transactions without your having to expend too much effort on trying to access this information. Tell them you're worried about fraud. Tell them also that you can take you banking elsewhere!

Fraudsters rarely put money into your accounts, but it can happen if money laundering is involved. It sounds more like someone has made an error, but they perhaps have not realised it.

They will be able to find out, but it'll take them time and for such a small amount they won't be too worried. It was back in October, so hardly recent.

I bet you might get a call saying some harassed person / staff member has put it into your account in error.

But Natwest are rubbish.

My ds works on webchat for banks (not NatWest, sorry) and basically, from what I understand, they cannot discuss anything where confidentiality is an issue, so webchat can't answer your questions. You need to ask for banking security, and you need to do that by phone.

Sorry that's not helpful, I do understand your frustration.

Someone doesn't need your name to pay money into your account. Most likely it's a mistake - the payee has written the account number/sort code wrongly (so it matches yours) and there's not been a check to see that the name on the cheque matches the one on the account.

It might be something more sinister (e.g. money laundering) but a mistake is much more likely...

I've found Natwest customer service generally quite good compared to others, Im sure they are investigating.

It doesn't seem that terrible being asked to wait 24 hours while they investigate?

If it is a cheque, without an investigation the bank staff can only see what you can see, the date the money was put in and the amount. They wont have instant access to the copy of a cheque credited to your account. Therefore it may need to be passed to a separate team rather than a phone person to look into.

Have they said they have logged it as a query for you? And given you a reference number?

I would be concerned. On a different issue, I bank with Natwest and am increasingly irritated with having to run the gauntlet of staff (up to three sometimes) who accost customers entering the bank hoping to divert them from dealing with a cashier. I understand ... mechanisation...online banking....etc. However, I don't trust paying in machines and want to be reassured that my money is going to where I want it, when I want it to.
I'm not alone; was recently in a queue of 3 and all of us were muttering the same thing. There was only one cashier.

I've always found them pretty good but I've only felt with them in branch.

I agree with indigo though about having to go through two or three people before getting to the queue for the cashier. It's not just natwest though, Halifax is just as bad if not worse as the ones in our branch speak to you as though you're a child.

I'm still cross with Natwest for bringing in that £6 month charge for using your arranged overdraft. Sorry to hijack the thread OP

I'm lucky with my branch then. 3 cashiers on, and no other staff to get past before reaching the queue.

That's interesting Fry- I assumed it was a company-wide strategy. Sounds as though it is actually down to the branch. I just find it irritating; even if I just want some cash from the machine I don't see why I should have to announce it when I'm asked "what can we help you with today?" as I walk into the lobby.

it's quite worrying for me that someone obviously has my name, account number and sort code.

This may feel unsettling but don't be worried. This poses no threat to your security whatsoever.

I too have experienced the 'helpful' encouragement in branches to use the machines. I have found staff to always be polite an not insistent if you explain briefly why you prefer not to. Frankly, if converting 10 customers a day across all of their branches to using the machines means they keep their operating costs lower and my bank account free to use, then I don't mind.

From the sounds of it, you were contacting web help. Web help is primarily for issues using online banking. They would have been unable to help with the specific account queries such as yours.

I have found Nat West to be nothing but helpful and fair in the 30 years I've banked with them, and on several occasions they have gone out of their way to accommodate non-standard requests.

I have no affiliation or vested interest whatsoever.

I'm entirely happy to use machines to deposit cheques rather than queuing up to hand them over the counter. I was dead impressed with my bank (Barclays) the other day: I had stupidly left my account number off the paying-in slip, and they took the trouble to phone me only a couple of hours later to sort it out.

Barclays are good at contacting customers when they spot unusual activity on an account.

We've been Natwest business customers for several years and when we opened a joint private account I wasn't to thrilled to see that they appear linked on line with all details showing.
We both use local branches often and are known by face and name in them.
Last week I go in with the business paying in book and pay in a large amount of cheques. Then I want to pay in a personal cheque for £11 something. There's no paying in book and I'd forgotten my pin to put in the counter machine.

The hoops I had to go through to pay the £11 in you'd have thought I was a total unknown trying to deposit thousands in brand new notes.
I suppose it's all protective measures because of the amount of personal responsibility that's put on the shoulders of bank employees.

Your name, account number and sort code is on every cheque you write. That isn't secret information.

As PPs have said, you don't need a name to deposit money in an account, and this is most likely an innocent mistake. It could be more sinister but lost likely not.
Mo suspect the rightful owners of the money will be very grateful you've alerted the bank.

If you want an answer go to a branch. You get much quicker service when there's a physical queue building behind you.