I had to phone my bank this week because I got a message saying their fraud department wanted to talk to me.
I put my account number and sort code into the automated system and was then put through to someone in the fraud department. I explained why I was phoning and she then asked me for the long number on the front of my card. I explained that I didn't have this with me. She then asked me for the same number again, and I again explained that I didn't have it.
She then somewhat sarcastically said to me, "So you just put in random numbers when you phoned then?"
"Er, no", I replied "I entered the numbers I was asked for, which were my account number and sort code."
"That's what I asked you to confirm were correct", she said
"No it wasn't. You asked for the long number on the front of my card. But the details are correct."
She then proceeded to ask me six security questions, which I "passed". I then explained what I thought the transaction was they were likely to be querying.
She told me it wasn't that and that she would look at my records. She then told me the details of the transaction - which were exactly what I had just told her it would be. She seemed completely oblivious to this.
I then explained that I needed to make another couple of payments to the same organisation. She replied "I can't do anything about that. It's another department that flags the problems".
There's customer service for you.
