BEWARE OF TSB BANK

I am tearing my hair out with frustration ,Long story short as pos.
Mid October I moved to Australia, before I left I checked with TSB that I could still access my internet banking, I was told yes ,just provide a mobile number when you get there.
Start of November I tried to access my account ,number not accepted ,bought another number,same result. Emailed TSB only to find out that customers going to Aus have the same problem and being locked out of their accounts. Its clear their system does not recognise the +61 prefix. To verify my ID I have provided the following;
1. Passport 2. UK driving licence 3. copy of NHS medical card 4. copy of cheque book 5. copy of debit card.6. copy of business card provided by manager when account was opened 7. Provided the questions and answers associated with passwords etc.8. photo of myself ,date verified .
They have previously upon request cancelled a DD on the account ,sent 3 statements. Sent to my new address passcodes for telephone banking .
Today I am still locked out of my account , and are insisting I either set up an adobe link with a third party (tried this twice and it failed )or arrange a video link with a branch ,after admitting I have supplied verification.
They will not answer the question ,’what possible further verification can they possibly require’
they have had everything except a DNA sample.
They are refusing to transfer my funds to another account & close the account.
My phone number was verified long ago by me talking to them for 2 hours and them leaving me a voicemail on that number.

Emails are being exchanged almost daily, and they have been informed I am a vulnerable customer.
& also I require my funds as I have hip replacement surgery expected in about 4 weeks and will be unable to have it without my funds therefor continuing my pain.
Of course their CEO who has been emailed several times is a spineless POS who will not respond.
2 Years ago they were find 48 million for people being locked out of their accounts ,and still they dont give a dam.
The FOS have been informed and as expected are dragging their feet and doing nothing.
By contrast I opened a bank account here today with only passport as ID.

you could go back to the CEO directly and now start to threaten them with causing you actual harm because of the hip operation

opens another avenue as causing someone actual harm is very serious. just a thought .

Thanks waylander, i have tried that ,he will never ever respond to an email.
I know i always advise against emails ,but its a time and distance problem with postal.
Its with the FOS who inform me that when they hear back from TSB they will appoint an investigator ,in maybe 2-3 months.

This was sent Monday ,notice 2 goes out thursday.

To Hannah Kelly and Robin Bulloch
ref no 9972292
11/2/2024

Please read this Notice carefully .It is a Notice, not a letter or complaint.

NOTICE-OF -CONDITIONAL- ACCEPTANCE

I accept your perceived right to withhold my money, upon your admittance and proof of such right.
I now require you provide answers to the questions listed below under your full commercial liability.

1. Have you since October 2023 ,provided to me via email ,three (3)copies of bank statements relating to my account numbered xxxxxxxxx . Please answer yes or no.

2. Have you in 2024 refused to provide via email a copy of the most recent statement of account ?
Please answer yes or no.

3. Were you satisfied when you provided the three said statements that you were satisfied as to my
identity provided. Please answer yes or no.

4. Do you admit that I have provided , and you have received from me the following listed
identification. Please answer yes or no.
(a) Copies of TSB bank card , cheque book, business card from manager at xxxxx branch.
(b) Copy of British Passport, copy of UK Driving licence ,Copy of NHS Medical card.
(c) Been provided with Visa Grant number for Australia.
(d) Been provided with a recent date verified photograph of myself.

5. Do you admit that TSB received 2 calls from me ,made using an Australian Mobile phone no.
and that Hannah Kelly has left a voicemail message on that number. Please answer yes or no.

6. Do you admit that TSB informed me that there have previously been problems with their
customers who have travelled to Australia and been unable to access their accounts.
Please answer yes or no.

7. Do you admit that on numerous occasions you have been informed I am a vulnerable customer,
Please answer yes or no.

8. Do you admit you have been informed on numerous occasions that your actions have and are
causing me anxiety, distress and embarrassment. Please answer yes or no.

9. Do you admit that you have been informed of my medical condition and that unless you release
my funds needed for surgery. That I will continue to be in constant pain and unable to walk more
than a few yards. Please answer yes or no.

10. Do you admit that in October 2023 you informed me that work is being carried out to correct
your faulty system ,and that as of the date of this Notice ,the correction has not been made.
Please answer yes or no.

11. As a Data Subject Access Request has been made ,do you intend to comply within the required
time frame . Please answer yes or no.
page 1 of 2
page 2 of 2
12. As you are constantly insisting that I speak to TSB via the telephone or by a visual computer
live stream ,which I am unable to record for evidential purposes,the purpose of such
interaction and what is required from me that has not already been provided.
Please state a valid reason .

13. Please state why you assert that I must now engage with a third party corporation and provide
to them my personal information. Please also state where this forms any part of our contract.
(you have been made aware that I attempted this twice and it failed both times)
Please answer under your full liability.

14. Please state whether your system recognises and accepts the +61 prefix for Australian phone
numbers. Please answer under your full liability.

15. Please state where in our contract it requires I purchase a smart phone in order to access my
account or contact TSB. Please answer under your full liability.

16. Have you upon my recent instruction cancelled a former Direct Debit to Settle Group ?
Please answer yes or no.

17. If you answered Yes to questions 1 / 5/ &16 ,Do you accept that you did so because you were
satisfied that all information and ID I have provided was sufficient to verify my status.
Please answer yes or no.

A full response is required within three (3) working days

By :
all rights reserved.

D.xxxxxxxxx
Implied admission by lack of response and compliance. Non-negotiable

Good luck with that Dave. As we know, they usually fail to respond and I will be gobsmacked if you get a reply.

My only other suggestion is to open a new account with a UK based bank and do the 7 day transfer. HSBC have been good in the past when I travelled and needed to do all sorts of banking whilst abroad. Ok, the bank cards go to a UK address but surely a trustworthy Uk based friend could fed ex to you?
Such a nightmare but then once you have funds you can proceed with your surgery? So sorry you are in such distress.

Just sent this ,
NoCA 2 will follow later today.

To Robin Bulloch acting as Chief Executive Officer.
Hannah Kelly
Rebecca Wellington

Ref; xxxxxxxxxx
Date 15 / 2 / 2024


You are hereby put on Notice that I am awaiting hip replacement surgery. My present condition renders me unable to walk for more than a few yards & I suffer continuing pain .
The funds in my account are essential to finance the surgery. You refuse me access to my funds despite me supplying all personal identification you could possibly require,and refuse to disclose to me what further identification you require.

A date for surgery is expected to be supplied very shortly and surgery will follow shortly after.
Should my funds not be released immediately I will have no choice other than cancel the surgery.

Take Notice that due to your actions I will continue to suffer pain and disability it will amount to Assault which you will be held personally liable for. Under Offences Against the Person Act 1861 sec 47.
See also R v Ireland [1997] 3 WLR 534 House of Lords
R v Constanza [1997] Crim LR 576
Smith v Chief Constable of Woking (1983) 76 Cr App R 234
R v Roberts [1971] EWCA Crim 4 Court of Appeal

The Assault will be deemed to have started the day following the planned surgery date.
Being the date my suffering will continue solely as a result of your actions. Such actions are subject to Criminal Law and carry a prison sentence , and will also be pursued under Civil Law for compensation.

To avoid Court action both Criminal & Civil ,I require you to transfer the totality of my funds to my new account in Australia details below

Bank ; xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Account name ; Account type Westpac 55+ Retired
Branch name
BSB/Account no ;

Home address ;

By : d ;
all rights reserved
D.
Implied admission by lack of response and compliance. Non- Negotiable.

Quick update ,TSB still trying to ignore notice , notice 2 sent.
FOS have now placed it on their priority list
Complaint made today to the PRA .

Good morning, With reference to the fine imposed upon TSB in 2022.whereby customers were locked out of their accounts due to problems with their IT system.
I wish to draw your attention to the fact that the problem still exists today for customers traveling to Australia .I am myself a victim of this and have been locked out since October 2023,with TSB putting obsticles in my way at every turn. Because of their actions i may have to cancel urgently needed medical surgery.
This has been reported to the FOS ,but clearly TSB have no intention of complying with you.
I believe the whole matter needs further investigation.

Well done mate, keep up the fight. You’ll win, of that I have NO doubt.

Up date on this ,I have managed to get most of my funds via telephone banking although i dont use a smart phone.TSB actually told me to get my daughter to do it for me.
Thats a massive data breach. I only went along with it because i have surgery booked for thursday and it has to be paid for in advance.
I am still locked out of my internet account.

Did you try the service I suggested, to get a +44 mobile number which can receive texts?

flyingfish wrote:Might be worth looking at this.  Use the free service just for a one off, for example to get the app registered ...

https://onlinesim.io/free_numbers/united_kingdom

Hi FF, No i did not ,i was going to try using my ex's number whilst she was visiting recently ,but it looked like it was getting sorted.unfortunately that did not happen.
They insisted i use their adobe system to further confirm my ID via their fraud dept ,all they asked was what i had previously supplied. They told me all restrictions had now been
lifted from my account. Clearly untrue as the same problems still exists.
I have deliberately kept the account open to prove their system is flawed . It needs the regulators to make it fit for purpose ,so others are not put in this position if they travel to Aus.

daveiron wrote:Hi FF, No i did not ,i was going to try using my ex's number whilst she was visiting recently ,but it looked like it was getting sorted.unfortunately that did not happen.

It would have been interesting to try, but actually you might have had to do so in advance. The free service only gives a temporary shared number so would only really work to validate something else. If they do voice verification like Lloyds "please say or key in the four digit number displayed on your screen" then another option might be something like Sipgate Basic (free) giving a UK number accessible anywhere in the world.

Probably any of these would need to be set up in advance. It would be a massive security breach if they "authenticated" using a newly added phone number with no other checks.

So i guess the moral for us is (1) TSB are still broken. (2) for any bank it's probably worth checking in advance if you need to access the account from overseas. Even if you have fully configured Internef Banking, smartphone app etc there's still a chance an unexpected transfer initiated from abroad might trigger a security block.

How's it going with FOS? I think the key point there is that TSB originally advised yoiu that you could add a mobile number once in Australia. Tey should have known that their systems dont permit that, but there was no way you could have known. It followed that you had no reason to expect an issue, and no reason to put anything else in place in advance. All the following problems and harm follow from that incorrect advice.

FOS are investigating ,just waiting now.

I hope the surgery was a success my friend.

Sending you healing vibes Dave and a response from FOS in your favour.
Cheers,

BB

Finally got to access my account yesterday, after 5 months. All went through with the same number they have been refusing for 5 months.
Just waiting for FOC now, and also ICO have received a complaint as they have not responded to my DSAR requiring a copy of contract / agreement pertaining to this account.

Whilst it caused me considerable stress, what i find alarming is ,i am living with my daughter . What happens to someone going to Aus with no one as backup.
They would be stranded 10,000 miles away with very limited access to funds and no support from TSB .

I got a response from the FOS this morning , 'TSB did nothing wrong'

Here is a draft i shall probably reply with.

Thank you for your Email received 17/3/2024.
The contents of which are saved to my records.
Your findings come as no surprise ,given the source of your funding.
I require this matter is referred to the Ombudsman or the FSA I also require you answer the questions listed below .

.. Are you employed by a public body or a private corporation ?

.. Are you subject to the The Seven Principles of Public Life (also known as the Nolan Principles)

.. I require your justification for your comment ‘that the bank did nothing wrong, Despite they knowingly failed to advise me that there was a known failure in their system

.. You claimed “TSB has explained that its digital banking terms and conditions state that services may be unavailable from time to time and that the bank wouldn’t be responsible for any resulting losses.” Please provide evidence of that claim ,As a Data Subject Access Request requesting a copy of all contracts / Agreements between myself and TSB has been submitted and not fulfilled as of this time,which is in breach of the regulations ,and complaint has been lodged with the ICO.

.. Are you aware that on many occasions ,TSB were informed and were aware of the fact I am a
‘Vulnerable Customer’ also are you aware of the FSAs stand on the treatment of Vulnerable Customers ?

.. Do you agree or disagree that that TSB were in breach of the FCA requirements regarding Vulnerable Customers.

.. Do you consider 5 months locked out of my account acceptable ? If you answer yes ,please state what length of time you consider unacceptable.

.. As I completed due diligence by ascertaining the method of accessing my account from Australia and were in full compliance of advice given , Why as it was known by TSB of ongoing issues with customers in Australia was I given such advice and why was I not informed of those issues ?

.. Please explain why you believe when I received statements and cancelled a standing order both on
19th Dec 2023 that TSB were totally satisfied with the not inconsiderable identification I had previously provided, ,But from that point onwards the same information was not satisfactory.
On that basis do you deny or admit that TSB were in serious breach of GDPR or not,as it can only be one or the other.

.. Are you comfortable in your decision making that I was told by TSB to share my personal banking details including but not limited to passwords ,unique identifiers ,user ID ,memorable information and more, be shared with a third party and that information being captured in their mobile devise, Therefor compromising the security of my personal data ? Please give your reason why you believe such a directive from TSB is not alien to every part of GDPR. You have been made aware previously that my compliance was made under duress.

.. Whilst its agreed I was able to use my account for small purchases .Please inform me why you believe it to be acceptable that I had no other access to my account or even access monthly statements,manage other elements pertaining to my account . Also as of the date of this email I am still unable to purchase groceries on-line as it requires a verification code which TSB fail to supply.

.. Are you aware that information supplied to and insisted upon by TSB for their Fraud Team via adobe ( again under duress and involving a third party being not only adobe but my daughter also)
the information requested and supplied was ALL information previously supplied to TSB . Are you therefor aware that as a result of a breach of my rights under GDPR ,i have no idea who now holds copies of by personal banking data.

.. Are you aware of the existence of the unrebutted Tacit Agreement I have with TSB in which all my allegations are admitted .Are you aware that as all is unrebutted it stands at law ?

.. As I regained partial access to my account this week ,are you aware this was gained by using the same phone number TSBs system rejected for 5 months?

.. As you are aware of the large fine imposed upon TSB in 2022 for locking some customers out of their accounts .Please explain your rationale behind your decision in believing what was a serious matter in 2022 is no longer serious in 2024.

.. Are you aware that all identification documentation supplied to TSB was submitted some months ago and as such there was no valid reason for the withholding of my funds.

.. Will you confirm that there exists a Trust situation ,where the DWP places funds into my account for my benefit ,therefore TSB acts as a Trustee. A fudiciary duty which they abused.

.. As I was fortunate to have family here in Australia .Please state whether you have considered in your assertions that TSB did nothing wrong ,what would have happened if I or anyone else was alone here and unable to access funds for 5 months.

..