Can’t transfer?

[nosleepforme]

I bought an expensive item through a family member. (About £3k)
the family member acted as an agent for someone else who owned the item, but they obviously get a %, I’m not sure how much.
I have enough funds in my bank account to pay for the item.
I took the item home as the family member confirmed with me I wanted it, and would transfer the money immediately. I agreed.
my banking app wouldn’t allow the transfer so I phoned the bank. The representative basically told me that since it was a large amount it sounds like a scam so she couldn’t allow it. (Makes no sense to me!) I explained I had the item already and I bought it from a relative and I just want to pay. I don’t want to return the item.
she kept asking how do I know it’s not a scam, and I explained that I already had the item in my possession after being in my relatives house that day to pick it up, and I explained that I’ve known my relative since I’m born so it’s not a random stranger calling me and asking me to transfer funds.
she won’t allow me to make the transfer.
I got a call back from the bank to follow up and had to have the same argument again. On that call they also didn’t allow the transfer.
is this normal? I bought a business with the same account and that was obviously way way more than 3k (more like tens of thousands to invest) and it allowed me to make the transfer online no questions asked.

Any chance of going into a branch?

Could you try doing several smaller payments?

Came here to say smaller payments too.

£3k won’t go through but £500 a day for the next six days shouldn’t be a problem.

Is the transfer to the relative or the third party though? If they are insistent it may be scam potentially the receiving account is flagged as such and your relative or the third party are known scammers.

Could they be sceptical that you are not who you say you are on the phone and are oart of the scam? It doesn't seem right as they should have enough security questions to satisfy that but it's all I can think of!

I think its great the banks are protecting people but it can be very frustrating. I was on the phone with The Halifax after they blocked a £2000 payment to Spain.
I went through all the questions and they still weren't happy even though I assured them I understood the risk (there was none) and if I lost the money then I knew I couldn't try and reclaim from the bank. The man on the phone said that it was about protecting "other people" not just me but couldn't tell me what that meant exactly. It took me over half an hour to persuade the man I knew the recipient and that the bank details were genuinely theirs.
He eventually agreed to unblock the account but they payment still wouldn't go through so I had to go into a branch and do it.

I dont think that's normal no. Mine would just make me confirm that I know the risks of it being scam, but they'd allow the payment.

3k should go through if I could purchase my business for tens of thousands on the app.
the transfer is directly to my relative’s personal account. There’s no reason it should be flagged.
they haven’t said they are sceptical it’s me. She said she can see I’ve called from my number and I went through security three times.
I asked to speak to a supervisor so she said I’d get a call back. I have a feeling the rep is new and doesn’t want the blame for doing this wrongly. Let’s see what the supervisor says…

I had a similar thing with someone who had done some work, no where near your amount. They said about it being a scam, I'm saying but the works been carried out? It's a right pain sometimes. It seems ridiculous that you have to transfer small amounts of your own money though.

So the same lady called back and said she spoke to her supervisor (not what i asked, but ok) and said it was allowed if I understood that I can’t get my money back.
so transfer is done.
probably what I expected- new worker who doesn’t know what she’s doing.
im debating a complaint about the way she dealt with my request.