I am an easy going lad. Not much rattles my cage.
Like a lot of people, I have started saving hard, you never know when you might need to draw upon savings to make ends meet.
I opened up the maximum five Halifax Wevsavers, they had a rate of 5% or there about, so I put a collective £20,000 spread over the five accounts. I walked into the bank last week with a folder of ID.

They opened everything up and I was away.
Yesterday, I logged into my account portfolio on line to check all is well and my accounts have been FROZEN !

I rang them up asking for an explanation. They eventually put me through to RETAIL FRAUD.

They said that there had been suspicous activity with the accounts and that I would have to verify my details again. at my branch.

Reluctantly I went down to the branch and showed them my ID, they said that the "Suspicous activity is that I had spread my money over 5 savings accounts".

I replied "Hardly fraud is it".

They said just a precaution. The woman spoke to retail fraud on my behalf and they said.

I had to fill out an authority form so they can contact the inland revenue regarding my account. I refused to sign it, because I am not inviting the inland revenue to have fine tooth comb run through my affairs unless I have too.
They also said they want authority to talk to anyone that enquired to release information to them as this is suspected fraud.
Again I refused and demanded my money back.

The postiton now is they got a fax from my solicitor this morning threatening them with court action and I also contacted a friend of mine at the Manchester Evening News, who also sent a fax saying they would be interested in running this story unless my money was returned asap.

I was contacted by Retail Fraud this morning saying that they have concluded their investigation and that my accounts have been returned to normal. I opended a passbook account and transffered the balance to the book.

I withdrew the amount in full in £50 notes and put it in my Nationwide current account, ready for alternative arrangements.

My advice to this site members is DONT EVER BANK WITH THE HALIFAX.

You are market forces in action. Good work. That's 20 big ones the Crapifax can't leverage. Put it in Premium Bonds - gotta be in it to win things and stuff!

you are not INJIN are you? I told you you would get caught!

http://www.housepricecrash.co.uk/forum/ind...62890&st=10

The computer says no in this case...

We are being treated as a number rather than as people - horrible this 21st Century living

No I am not INJIN, has he/she had trouble with the Halifax too, I am not surprised if they had.

Did they elaborate on what fraud they suspected you of? Could you not demand redress for this false accusation?

You are right, I was treated like a criminal. I might be a criminal (joking), but I at least want to be arrested, charged and convicted before being punished.

no here is the link http://www.housepricecrash.co.uk/forum/ind...62890&st=10

Yes, they said they suspected fraud because I opened up five saving accounts and put £4,000 in each.
they said this was suspicous, but wouldnt go any further into it.

I am staying well away from them crooks.

It did a quick read. No I am definitly not INJIN. Good idea though. He is listed as looking at this thread aty the bottom.,

Just out of interest, why did you have five accounts?

I think they were surprised you actually had cash rather than debt...

How could they possibly make money out of you? Er can I interest you in a loan or cerdit card - Doh No I actually have the money...

I suppose you stook out like a sore thumb!!

I do have a problem with the Halifax at the moment.

My ofspring went above the OD limt by £20.

That brought a £28 arrangement fee plus a £20 paid item fee.

My sprog says they fracked up cos theyd agreed to up the limit.

she had other payments going through, £5, here £10 there.

had 6 more letters this week, 6 more £20 payment fees

Thats £168 of charges for going over the OD Limit by about £130.

Going in to bash a few heads on Satruday.

people opening 5 different accounts not wanting the IR to 'go through things with a toothcomb' should not be posting on open sites with their photos attached, imho

actually, looking again, everyone knows that geezer fiddles his taxes.

love his mince pies though.

They were offered, I took them. No reason to or not to, they were just there.

I dont have a problem, with the inland revenue sifting through my accounts with a fine tooth comb, if they request to do so, I have nothing to hide. But what is possibly wrong with opening 5 different bank accounts.

I mean its just 5 bank accounts. Or is that like saying, I just rob banks for a living. Help me out is there anything wrong with having 5 bank accounts, because at the moiment, all my cash is with the Nationwide in a current account or is that wrong too.

Having 5 bank accounts doesn't mean that you rob banks for a living, but people who do rob banks for a living probably have 5 or more bank accounts. It's like buying a car with £10,000 cash. It's not illegal, but it is unusual. Banks and Building Societies are probably required by law to report customers who open multiple accounts to make it more difficult to launder money, or evade tax. (I'm guessing).

sounds wierd

I say report him to customs and excise anyway

lol..just because a bank has 30 savings accounts doesnt mean i walk in with £30 and put a £1 in them all...

Any money movements over £9k is reported for money fraud purposes (and more than likely for tax investigation i would assume)

Oddly enough, I'm intending to open a brace of web-saver accounts, too. And partly on the advice of one of their financial "advisers". They have some attractive fixed rate accounts, so I can split a lump sum over multiple fixed terms on different accounts to free up cash for my ISAs.

I do most of my banking with the Halifax, and I've found them reliable and careful. Here's hoping the same thing doesn't happen to me (!)