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Erroneus Bank Warning Messages

Grumpy Old Lemons Like You
scotia
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Erroneus Bank Warning Messages

#291611

Postby scotia » March 17th, 2020, 1:03 pm

At around 8am this morning, the Royal Bank of Scotland sent a message to our smart phones telling us that our current account was overdrawn, and that charges would be applied if we did not immediately rectify this state. And certainly, there was a negative number in our current account - but it is linked to a well populated "savings" account which automatically tops the current account up as required - and this has been operating for many years. So what was the problem - had the linking broken down, or was their message system up the creek? So off to the computer, trying to find a human contact - and ending up with an on-line chat to an Indian call centre. I spent over an hour without clarifying anything - apart from receiving assurances that that everything was OK - and that my current account was now showing a positive balance - which it wasn't. So I tried the telephone banking number, and after a substantial wait, I eventually I made human contact, and an explanation was forthcoming. Some governmental body has required all banks to warn customers when charges are likely to be applied - e.g. for overdrafts. But, of course, this should not have been required in our case since there was no overdraft. But apparently the RBS software simply looks for a negative number in the current account, and this triggers the message. It doesn't have the intelligence to understand how the linking operates. Apparently RBS know about this from customer reports. I have filed a complaint and have warned them about elderly persons (over 70) who will be travelling to their local branches to get this sorted out. I am assured that it will not happen again on my account - since they have switched the messaging off.

UncleEbenezer
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Re: Erroneus Bank Warning Messages

#291626

Postby UncleEbenezer » March 17th, 2020, 1:54 pm

Heh.

Actually that link to a savings account is something I could use. Especially since my new Starling current account announced interest on credit balances will be dropping from 0.5% to 0.05% :evil: I wonder if there's a keyword I can look out for on the comparison sites?

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Re: Erroneus Bank Warning Messages

#291635

Postby scotia » March 17th, 2020, 2:15 pm

UncleEbenezer wrote:Heh.

Actually that link to a savings account is something I could use. Especially since my new Starling current account announced interest on credit balances will be dropping from 0.5% to 0.05% :evil: I wonder if there's a keyword I can look out for on the comparison sites?


Royal Bank of Scotland call it "Balanced Banking". When the Current account goes above a certain level (I think we set it at £900), the surplus is transferred to the "Savings" account and vice versa. It made sense (many years ago) when the savings account received a reasonable rate of interest. Unfortunately it now only pays 0.2% - and I suspect even less for sums lower than what we currently hold in it.

Returning to my previous grouse, RBS have now sent me a message "Thank you for updating your preference for text alerts". I didn't - they did, since it seems to be the only way they can stop sending out erroneous overdraft messages!

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Re: Erroneus Bank Warning Messages

#291643

Postby jackdaww » March 17th, 2020, 2:35 pm

we have had no problems with the halifax so far ..

:)

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Re: Erroneus Bank Warning Messages

#291645

Postby Alaric » March 17th, 2020, 2:41 pm

scotia wrote:At around 8am this morning, the Royal Bank of Scotland sent a message to our smart phones telling us that our current account was overdrawn, and that charges would be applied if we did not immediately rectify this state. And certainly, there was a negative number in our current account - but it is linked to a well populated "savings" account which automatically tops the current account up as required - and this has been operating for many years.


Natwest operate the same system. It alarmed me when I first saw it a couple of months ago, but a few hours later the regular message showed up. I didn't waste my time on Call Centres.

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Re: Erroneus Bank Warning Messages

#291657

Postby scotia » March 17th, 2020, 3:45 pm

Alaric wrote:Natwest operate the same system. It alarmed me when I first saw it a couple of months ago, but a few hours later the regular message showed up. I didn't waste my time on Call Centres.

No - nothing has come from RBS countermanding the erroneous message - just "Thank you for updating your preference for text alerts" indicating they have now switched off our text alerts - and effectively blaming me if I don't get a correct alert message (unlikely).
We have received a number of scam telephone calls - supposedly from our Bank or Card issuers telling us we need to take action etc. We know to ignore them - but some of our elderly friends have been alarmed and have travelled to their Bank some miles away to sort out the apparent mistake. Fortunately none of them have been caught by the scam - they have simply been inconvenienced. So when a Bank genuinely sends them a message which turns out to be false - what do you think they will do? I was surprised at the cavalier way in which RBS has failed to rectify a known problem. It probably affects only a few customers, but I suspect most will be elderly, since this Balanced Banking was introduced many years ago, and I am not sure that it is a current offer.

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Re: Erroneus Bank Warning Messages

#291671

Postby Alaric » March 17th, 2020, 4:10 pm

scotia wrote:No - nothing has come from RBS countermanding the erroneous message


I think it's become part of the system. I'm now getting it regularly when the big credit card settlement goes through.

At the end of last month, their system sent me the "arranged overdraft" message at 8:30 am . At 1 pm it sent the "old" message telling me that my account would have a negative balance.

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Re: Erroneus Bank Warning Messages

#291700

Postby scotia » March 17th, 2020, 4:51 pm

Alaric wrote:
I think it's become part of the system. I'm now getting it regularly when the big credit card settlement goes through.

That's what triggered mine.
But they know about the problem - why don't they fix it? Its simple - check the current account balance, then if negative, check if it is a linked account. If so, check the balance in the linked account - is it sufficient to make the current account entry positive - if yes do not send out a warning message. Now hand that brief operational description over to the software team - and ask for a fix. It shouldn't take long. In making a formal complaint I hope I was forceful enough to ensure that a fix will take place - but I doubt it. If others complain, I suspect they will simply switch off their message alerts to "cure" the problem.

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Re: Erroneus Bank Warning Messages

#291892

Postby didds » March 18th, 2020, 9:36 am

I'd have just assumed it was phishing/scam and ignored it TBH - which means sensing such messages is (unfortunately maybe) postrntially redunadnt/meaningless for those like me that just assume aniything that isnt wrotten on paper in the mail is an attemot to fleece them..

didds

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Re: Erroneus Bank Warning Messages

#291941

Postby yorkshirelad1 » March 18th, 2020, 11:16 am

scotia wrote:At around 8am this morning,
(snip)
.


Scam calls are getting harder to fend off, even when you are awake, requiring filtering out the scam/spam, and also the identifying the bona fide ones.
I had a call yesterday showing what looked like a bona fide caller id, with the typical usual message about checking for a suspect transaction on my Visa/Mastercard. I ignored it and got on with what I was doing. A little while later, it niggled me, so I bothered to log on to both card accounts and check: all apparently fine.

On the other hand, one of the credit cards (for which I get a monthly e-mail & online bill saying, paraphrased, "here's your monthly bill, the payable amount is £xyz and we will take this by direct debit in 25 days". All fine. They have now started sending an e-mail 3 days before the DD is to be taken saying "Let's remind you about your DD". This is annoying, and clutters my inbox when I don't need it, I can't opt out of this 3-day e-mail, and looks like spam which I mentally filter out when I see it. I don't want to be filtering bona fide e-mails from my credit card. I've asked them to stop, but they claim "it's part of the BACS process" and "it's mandatory". I smell fibs. Anyway, I've logged a complaint so it may get through to someone who can consolidate feedback and realise they've made a cock-up.

Moral of story: the increasing difficulty of identify the scam calls, and not dismissing the bona fide e-mails

End of rant :-)

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Re: Erroneus Bank Warning Messages

#291949

Postby scotia » March 18th, 2020, 11:33 am

yorkshirelad1 wrote:
Scam calls are getting harder to fend off,


I agree - and hence why I was so annoyed at RBS sending out an erroneous warning message.
A further update - I have received an email from RBS about the "resolution" of my complaint, and apparently I'll receive £20. But there is no mention that they will fix or have fixed the bug that sends out the erroneous messages. And needless to say - its an email I cannot reply to. Apparently the only avenue provided if I want to pursue this matter is by telephone. I give up!!

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Re: Erroneus Bank Warning Messages

#292448

Postby stewamax » March 19th, 2020, 5:05 pm

I once had a 'cash sweep' arrangement set up with Lloyds; interest rates on savings accounts in those days were worth having.
I soon discovered the snag: they swept the surplus daily before debits were applied. Whoops|- then warning letters.


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