Bank refusing to do a bank transfer for my elderly mother, are they being over zealous?

Tykey

Tykey

Tykey

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Hi, vent time (sorry in advance)

My mum is in the process of buying a static caravan for £10k on a well presented caravan park on the North Wales coast. She's seen it, been inside it, met the caravan owner, the sale is being handled by the site owner as per the rules of the site, she has met the site owner about the sale, been inside the office for the site.

The owner gave my mum the businesse's banking details to make payment, after which the necessary process of safety checks, key transfers, paperwork can be done.

As mentioned she has seen the caravan, been inside it, met the owner and site owner, in the site's premises. She is happy to make payment now and then go to sort out the paperwork, key transfer, etc after the safety checks are done by the sites caretaker. If she makes payment now all of these things will be done by the time she travels to the site to holiday in her new caravan.

She rings Barclays to make a bank transfer over the phone, gets put through to the fraud team, a million questions ensue including asking my mum for her national insurance number (!), she told him several times she had seen the caravan met the owner met the site owner and was happy with the process. The fraud team person would not transfer the money, says my mum has got to be there with the owner and site owner ready to "collect" the "camper van" (told him repeatedly it was a static caravan) or else they might drive off after payment has been made (how do you drive off in a static campervan?).

Note this is not a bank transfer to a private person selling something my mum has never seen, this is a bank transfer to a business and she has seen the caravan and we have confirmed the site is legit (there's 150 caravans on there), the site has many google reviews going back years none look fake and all are positive. She even went into a Barclays main branch today to attempt the transfer, they wouldn't have it.

My mum can't spend her money! I transfered £15k to a reputable business for a motorbike in 2023 for a bike I had never even seen and was delivered to me no problem a week later. I was asked no questions. The caravan site owner has never encountered anything like this she said.

I honestly believe my mum is being treated this way because she is elderly and doesn't do online banking etc. She got upset over the whole thing, £10k is a lot of money to her and what should be a very happy time has been a miserable few days.

Rant over.
 
As much as it's frustrating, take a step back and consider whether you'd rather be posting "Damn Barclay's are making it hard for my elderly mother to send someone £10,000 to buy a caravan before any paperwork has been done" or "Damn, my mother just got conned out of £10,000 trying to buy a caravan with no paperwork and Barclay's didn't even try to stop her".

I would also be wholly unsurprised if your mother isn't making it sound like the most legit deal in history if there's mention of sorting out paperwork and safety checks AFTER paying for the caravan. Payment upfront from an elderly person with no paperwork in place is probably setting off every fraud alarm bell they have.

Perhaps you'll need to visit a branch with her?
 
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It sounds like a scam even if it isn't. Old people get scammed all the time, someone has to do something to protect them.

From the perspective of the bank employee on the phone, there's no way they can confirm if this is a scam or not. They shouldn't be part of the process. Presumably a branch visit is required.
 
But has she been inside it, met the owner and site owner, in the site's premises?

Serious answer though, she should only do the transfer when she has sorted the paperwork and everyone is happy. Barclays are quite rightly being wary.
 
This is the "know you customer" rules... if they (the bank) are not used to seeing large bank transfers from the account then they will stop the transaction, normally a call to the bank and they will allow the transaction to go.
if they suspect that their customer may be being conned, then they will stop the transaction and would like to discuss it.

What they don't want is for the sunday papers to say, bank x allowanced my poor old mother to be conned.. and people will expect the bank to refund the amount lost.

Heck all my accounts with a bank got frozen as they saw that I was trying to a credit card from a forgein IP address. I was only trying to pay my halifax travel card before I got charged interest for cash withdraws.
But yeah I had to call them to quickly explan why I was making credit card payments on a daily bases. I got charged something like 30 pence for cash withdraws on the card for the day as I didn't pay it quick enough but if my bank account was hacked, it saves me 1000s...
 
I think you seriously need to take a moment to think about this.

The bank are doing their job perfectly well. They are protecting your mum not only from a fraud point of view but also they have other checks in place for a "vulnerable" person for instance. (FCA regulations) - Let alone KYC (Know your customer) - another FCA rule/regulation.

It may well we that the business account has been flag as previously dodgy so again they are doing proper due diligence to protect their customer (your mum).

I would ask the business to make a partial payment deposit or alike £1000, then sign paperwork and get it all completed, then make the remainder of the payment.
 
tomparker95 said:
Would it not be possible for her to transfer the money over to you or a family member so your able to do it (assuming you aren't with Barclays) or is that a no no?
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She would have to go into the bank and draw the money out and give it to me, she doesn't do banking apps etc. If she has the cash she may as well pay them with cash which might end up happpening.
 
Kenai said:
As much as it's frustrating, take a step back and consider whether you'd rather be posting "Damn Barclay's are making it hard for my elderly mother to send someone £10,000 to buy a caravan before any paperwork has been done" or "Damn, my mother just got conned out of £10,000 trying to buy a caravan with no paperwork and Barclay's didn't even try to stop her".

I would also be wholly unsurprised if your mother isn't making it sound like the most legit deal in history if there's mention of sorting out paperwork and safety checks AFTER paying for the caravan. Payment upfront from an elderly person with no paperwork in place is probably setting off every fraud alarm bell they have.

Perhaps you'll need to visit a branch with her?
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She went into the main branch near the city where we live and they won't change their stance. I can see what you mean but as I mentioned I bought a motorbike unseen (my mum has at least seen the caravan and has been on the business premises with the business owner) for £15k with nothing like this happening.
 
A2Z said:
Why would she make payment before any paperwork work is sorted? Makes no sense and no wonder the fraud time are not having it as it just screams of scam.
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I bought a motorbike for £15k in a distance sale as have many other people who have bought vehicles.
 
I do find this can be frustrating you have to jump through so many hoops and hurdles just to try and get money out and I'm not even classed as vunerable. Yeah I get its a fraud prevention etc but feels like they don't want you taking your own money out at times.
 
Tykey said:
She went into the main branch near the city where we live and they won't change their stance. I can see what you mean but as I mentioned I bought a motorbike unseen (my mum has at least seen the caravan and has been on the business premises with the business owner) for £15k with nothing like this happening.
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You are not "elderly" mother though.

It's not apples and apples comparison.
 
Thanks for the answers all sorry I am not replying to everyone. So the majority think the bank are right? It perplexes me how just because it is an elderly person (with all their marbles, she is very careful on what she spends on) is treated differently to me who was able to buy a vehicle having not seen it not seen the business not spoken to the owner in person and was paying £15k. Is it fair to judge all old people the same because some aren't able to to conduct their financial affairs? Surely they can work out when they are speaking to someone if they are able to handle themselves or not? Plus I spoke to the fraud team person and I'm not elderly (not far off though :( :D) and explained everything.
 
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Imagine making a post saying she lost 10K and that the banks should be much stricter and check more stuff... it's better that they are strict. This is the correct way round. I've had frustrations in the past too, but I welcome the hoops.
 
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