To think it’s nobody’s business what I do with my money?

[ToffeePennee]

I went in to my bank to withdraw a large amount of cash. I explained to the cashier what I wanted to do and she proceeded to ask some security questions - all fine.

One of the questions was what I wanted the cash for so I said I was having building work done. She then started saying that I should pay by bank transfer, it was tax avoidance etc. etc. When I insisted I still wanted to withdraw the money, she sighed and rolled her eyes and I felt really judged and like I’d done something wrong.

I’m glad now that I didn’t admit the real reason is in case the banking system collapses and it’s now stuffed under my mattress.

Please tell me I’m not wrong to think she had no right to judge me and if she did, she should have been professional and not passed comment?

If the entire banking system were to collapse, then your cash would be worthless anyway, because nobody could do anything with it. Chances are that inflation would be totally out of control and the value of the cash would plummet.

Not that you'd earn much interest by leaving it in the bank anyway.

[quote HelloFrostyMorning]@VanGoghsDog

They can block for pretty much as long as they want. They do whatever investigation they deem necessary, including involving the polic.

Thanks for that. Now I know this, I shall ensure I withdraw even MORE money now, and put it in my house, and only leave what is needed in the bank. Like fucking hell am I letting the bank control and with-hold my money![/quote]
It's astonishing that you didn't know this. How could you have been so ignorant as to put your money somewhere without reading the terms and conditions?

You make it sound like this stuff has been kept secret. It hasn't. It's law. It's in the public domain. It's in the banks terms which you will have signed to say you read.

‘When I insisted I still wanted to withdraw the money, she sighed and rolled her eyes and I felt really judged and like I’d done something wrong.‘

Eye-rolling is rude.

Her behaviour was unprofessional, and probably the last thing you needed.

There’s nothing you can do about the way other people behave, so try to put it out of your mind.

You could complain to her manager.

With inflation going the way it is, you'd be BONKERS to store money as cash. If inflation is 5%, you'll lose 5% of the Cash's value every year. Make your money work for you better! You could be earning interest on it in a term deposit, not eroding it away.

[quote AutomaticMoon]@VanGoghsDog This scammer from ebay WANTED a bank transfer, PayPal would’ve been covered for refund (which they know) but bank transfers are not. My dp did tell his bank and ebay and it was they who advised him that it’s too bad for not using PayPal, nothing can be done.[/quote]
So, previously you said he didn't talk to the bank, now you're saying he did. Odd.

But your financial decision making is none of my business, so.

I had a similar thing a few years ago, I wasn't withdrawing mega money.

But the cashier (HSBC) bought into the conversation what I was doing with the money.

[quote AutomaticMoon]@VanGoghsDog Yes, I’m very aware of banks freezing accounts for spurious reasons (am guessing stupid AI) and this is why I use wise for large transactions. Natwest and their carbon counting is extremely tiresome, I was calculating my carbon footprint since I was a teenager in Africa in the 90s so don’t need them calculating my social credit score or whatever their eventual plan is for this data. I know about all the freezing for larger transactions but it’s different from what you said, that they can block your account and refuse to give you your money if you decline to answer their questions.

Banks are disgusting, truly. They take part in criminal activity and then meddle with regular people trying to live their lives.[/quote]
I didn't say they could refuse to give your money if you decline to answer their questions.

You're just making stuff up to get het up about.

AutomaticMoon "Natwest and their carbon counting is extremely tiresome"

What do Natwest do on carbon please?

@VanGoghsDog

You seem incredibly over-invested in other peoples financial affairs.

Are you a bank cashier by any chance?

[quote HelloFrostyMorning]@VanGoghsDog

You seem incredibly over-invested in other peoples financial affairs.

Are you a bank cashier by any chance?[/quote]
No, I am not a bank cashier. Not that it's any of your business.

And I don't think I have shown ANY interest in anyone's financial affairs actually.

Is your tin foil hat a bit tight tonight?

@ClariceQuiff

Personally I would far rather have extensive questioning about unusual activity on my account, than have my bank let me/someone pretending to be me withdraw large amounts of cash from my account willy-nilly.

Interesting, I’ve been in this situation when I was homeless and didn’t have a card and no safe address to send it to, bank staff power tripping over my combination of marriage certificate and passport to prove my ID and refusing to give me my money. Thankfully a lovely manager lady apologised profusely and gave me my money and arranged for a card to be sent to her bank for me to pick up. She was very kind but all my other experiences with banks over the years have been awful. They used to regularly take £40 if there was just a few pence overdrawn, when I had no OF facility. Why let the payment through? Then I would get paid my measly jobseekers allowance and they would keep over £40 which was supposed to last me almost a week for all expenses. They did this regularly. I just thank God I’m not in that position anymore but banks caring about people is just a bizarre proposition. Is that why banks did what they did with the world economy in 2008?

Noone has suggested banks do this because they care about people, they do it because they are compelled to by law.

@AutomaticMoon

That does sound a lot like many banks/bank staff. Power trips/power crazy, giving you fuck-all help when you need it, but crawling up your arse when you come into a bit of money, advising you on how to 'invest it' with them. Bore off banks. My money's going in my house, in my secret hiding place!

You are paying in cash in order to get a lower price. So the builder can dodge tax and pay cash in hand to casual labour.

This screws lots of people.

How do you know that those who are working on your house aren't being exploited and are all legally employed?

Not only this, but you also are exposing yourself to problems if the builder doesn't do the work properly. You have no real proof of how much you've paid.

But OP she didn't "believe you" and suspected, quite rightly, that you were lying. Sure take it out and do what you want with it but don't take umbrage when a bank clerk is very good at their job.

@tttigress

I had a similar thing a few years ago, I wasn't withdrawing mega money.

But the cashier (HSBC) bought into the conversation what I was doing with the money.

They always do don't they? Nosey as fuck.

As I say, they HATE it that you're taking YOUR money out of THEIR bank! Like fuck do they care if you are getting scammed by someone!

@EmmaH2022

AutomaticMoon "Natwest and their carbon counting is extremely tiresome"

What do Natwest do on carbon please?

Carbon Footprint calculating and guilt tripping me that I apparently could’ve charged a billion mobile phones with this energy. No idea where they’re pulling numbers from as I’m disabled and don’t go anywhere other than work and don’t drive or ever go on any holidays, here or abroad. I couldn’t even go see my mother on her death bed cause care workers in this country are almost worthless (minimum wage, even cleaners get paid more)

Oh dear, I’m sorry for the ranting. If you want I can send you a screenshot of it on my app, perhaps only happening to app users. Which I hated to get but their website is extremely hard to log on to and I just couldn’t access my statements without the app.

But it’s too reminiscent of CCP style social credit score and frightens me as I was born in a communist dictatorship and it’s not fun.

I’m not actually paying for building work but even if I was, the last workman I used said he was happy for me to pay cash or BT and quoted the exact same price either way. He also gave me a receipt.

@RedToothBrush

You are paying in cash in order to get a lower price. So the builder can dodge tax and pay cash in hand to casual labour.

This screws lots of people.

How do you know that those who are working on your house aren't being exploited and are all legally employed?

Not only this, but you also are exposing yourself to problems if the builder doesn't do the work properly. You have no real proof of how much you've paid.

The OP didn't say she is paying any builder ANYTHING. She lied because she didn't want to tell the nosey cashier what the money was for.

Crosspost with OP!

Tradespeople wanting paid in cash can be to facilitate tax evasion.

A trades person doesn't have to register for & charge vat if they can keep their revenues below a threshold, among other reasons.

@TheHateIsNotGood

But OP she didn't "believe you" and suspected, quite rightly, that you were lying. Sure take it out and do what you want with it but don't take umbrage when a bank clerk is very good at their job.

Being very good at what job? Being nosey?

Do you really think that 56yo Joan who works as a bank cashier three mornings a week gives a shiny shit that you're taking money out? Do you think banks tell their staff "be really difficult, we don't like people to withdraw money, we want to keep all the money"?

They don't. They really don't.

She believed I was paying for building work and shouldn’t do that via cash, I assume because she believed it an attempt to avoid tax.

Why do PPs never believe what’s been posted? Why would I bother posting a thread about a normal banking transaction with boring normal questions? I’m not stupid and I left feeling judged and like I’d done something wrong because of her tone, mannerisms, and her not accepting my answers, trying to dissuade me from making a perfectly legitimate transaction.