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Original poster

Bank cashiers do you know the reason for this shocking question?

30 replies

Lasvegas · 10/04/2007 14:05

I have just paid a cheque into my barclays bank account. The cashier asked me How did you come by this money!! I was stunned and replied it is none of your business. I am paying a cheque in my name into my bank account where the money came from is immaterial. She said that banking rules are such that they have to ask people that question. I said what a stupid rule, I could tell you anything and how can you verify it? Anyone know about this banking rule? I am tempted to complain to the branch manager.

OP posts:
charliecat · 10/04/2007 14:06

money laundering? was it a big cheque?

tokentotty · 10/04/2007 14:06

I would have thought this was only an appropriate question if the amount was over £5,000. All financial industries are getting really hot on potential money laundering issues. Was it a very large amount?

Pixiefish · 10/04/2007 14:07

Never heard of this although I do know that there are certain rules with money laundering but I wouldn't have thought that applied to a cheque

Quootiepie · 10/04/2007 14:07

I got asked that. Then they made me find the letter which came with the cheque, asked my occupation (student) then made me find proof, I spend hours running around doing what they asked. I think it is a rule, but it's crap. I wish I was more confident to tell them to bog off.

oliveoil · 10/04/2007 14:08

I would have said I was a high class hooker

ceolas · 10/04/2007 14:08

I've obviously never had a big enough cheque to be asked!

ceolas · 10/04/2007 14:08

LOL oliveoil!

Whoooosh · 10/04/2007 14:09

I currently am holding a fairly large amount of cashe (well for me anyway) as a friend sold my car for me and accepted cash as payment.
I suspect I will be grilled when I go to pay it in-which I must do or will spend it

exbury · 10/04/2007 14:11

Money laundering. I got this with my redundancy cheque. I did ask and was told what the lower limit at which they have to ask is - but now I have forgotten.

Iklboo · 10/04/2007 14:11

Like you'd tell them

"Oh, I'm money laundering for a terrorist organisation and we're going to do x, y & z with it and buy lots of bombs off of t'internet"

For FOOOOKS sake!

Original poster
Lasvegas · 10/04/2007 14:11

I am a company secretary so know quite a lot about anti money laundering. But the point is what ever I said how could she check it was true? Yes big amount. I said I won it on the horses. She said the cheque is from a solicitor, I replied exactly so what it the point asking me a question you cannot verify. Queetiepie - I am gob smacked. I wouldn't have done it.

OP posts:
MrsBadger · 10/04/2007 14:11

They asked me that when I shifted all our savings into the current account before buying the house but never asked for any proof.
Seems stupid but they do have to ask.

MellowMa · 10/04/2007 14:13

Message withdrawn

piglit · 10/04/2007 14:14

Sounds like she didn't have a clue what she was doing. The fact that the cheque was from a solicitor should have been enough to satisfy the money laundering regulations. Might be worth mentioning to the manager that his/her staff obviously don't understand money laundering.

MARGOsBeenPlayingWithMyNooNoo · 10/04/2007 14:15

They could be leading to a selling question. And she could be saying that it is part of the banking rules as part of her "script"

Other than that she could be asking you because of money laundering. When you report a suspicious chequ,e the money laundering dept ask you for as much information as possible.

Although I reckon it's her branch rules to ask anyone who pays a cheque in for an amount over £1000.00 if they want a financial review.

Original poster
Lasvegas · 10/04/2007 14:17

Cheque was made out to my husband and I was paying it into our joint account. I now wish I had said I my husband is a high class prostitute just to see her face.!

OP posts:
MARGOsBeenPlayingWithMyNooNoo · 10/04/2007 14:18

Especially if it was from a solicitor -

  1. could have been an inheritance (investment)
  1. Moving house (mtg or home ins)
Original poster
Lasvegas · 10/04/2007 14:21

Margo - either way- not a question I should have been asked in a public place. I don't want to draw attention to myself that I have a large amount of money. For clarity we have just sold a property and don't complete on new house for a few more weeks - hence the big cheque.

OP posts:
Hallgerda · 10/04/2007 14:22

So what do they do if you pay the money into a hole-in-the-wall machine? I realise that is inadvisable for large sums, but what would they do?

tokentotty · 10/04/2007 14:23

Surely all financial questions asked in branch should be done discretely no ? Am shocked that any private conversations conducted are audible to others. Would not be impressed with that at all....

Original poster
Lasvegas · 10/04/2007 14:25

Or say last 2 times we have sold property we had the funds transferred into our bank account direct from the solicitor's bank account. No one phoned me up from bank and said why have you got this money.

OP posts:
tigerschick · 10/04/2007 14:29

That's the joke isn't it? You could have had the money transferred or but it in the ATM and no-one could have asked you about it. Why could it make any difference if you pay it over the counter? Surely you're less likely to be up to something if you're willing to be so public about it!

chirpygirl · 10/04/2007 14:34

DH had to pay in a large cheuqe (well, for us) and was asked to go and see the branch manager before they woudl pay it in. Turned out they wanted ot sell him there super duper shit loads of money account.

With regards to OP if it was the value of a house it was definately money laundering but she should have had the intelligence to ask you in private.

MARGOsBeenPlayingWithMyNooNoo · 10/04/2007 14:50

LasVegas - Sorry, I didn't mean it to sound as if I agreed with the selling. I agree, it is a private matter. I personally would not ask that directly but guage how the conversation went as to whether I would be reporting it as a suspicious deposit.

Original poster
Lasvegas · 10/04/2007 14:53

Thanks Margo - I want the funds to clear without delay. Should I speak to my relationship manager at Barclays and explain what happened and ask him to ensure the funds clear without hassle?

OP posts:
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