Overseas bank and transfers

Anyone had problems of late!
I have always managed my money well up to now but now have found myself with one hell of a problem that I thought would never happen.

My landlord gave me a small extension to pay the rent and bills, that time is due this week.
Never mind the lack of food we may have.
This harsh problem I find myself now in was for what, they, the bank put me has a high security risk.
It is not like I have a little savings in the bank. But not a amount such has a millionaire, But an amount to keep me here has I like to live and take care too of my partner and her illness, the pharmacist also gave me her medicine in IOU of payment.
How did this ever happen.

Bank

The bank asked me online to change my password, I didn't want too, but following their instructions, why because there are no other options given.
Once I did what was asked of me, I was locked out of my online account.
I contacted the bank and was given confirmation to try logging in again after 20 minutes and I would be able to access my account.
But no such luck of getting into my account.

Then following another night of phone calls to my expense of approx $40+ over two nights I am locked out of my account with no means of monies to be able to transfer to one of my two Cambodian accounts of different bank's. One I can close and take the balance I think! I have $70 left in the account, but I have to go to Koh Kong to do so.
My main bank account that I transfer money from the UK into has not got the balance to cover my rent.
I usually transfer a year's living expenses, which is a good lump sum.
Also my EOS is due at the end of the month.

This is the latest message from the UK bank team on messenger.
(Bank)
I can certainly understand that the situation you’re in at this time is not ideal. Is there any way that any friends or family members could help you out until you’re able to provide us with those new details? For us to be able to help, you would have to follow the process mention by my colleagues. ^Colin M

The details that they ask is a simple UK address, so I gave them my daughter's and she can confirm, but "NO" was their answer, I need to put it in writing by sending them a letter.
This is a bank I have been with for countless years, the bank that I trust to manage my savings, and keep it safe.

The full conversation up to now on messenger.

(Me)
I am in Cambodia and I have been trying to access my account. But without success, I have called the advisors, first time it's sorted, but no, second time I ran out of money on my phone.
Can you help me with this situation?

(Bank)
Thanks for getting in touch. Our colleagues are doing their best to help, but may not be able to answer everyone. Thanks for your understanding. Please only contact us if it’s urgent or you’re in a vulnerable situation. You can visit https://bit.ly/3aU29qq to keep up to date with how we can help you at this time.

A copy of this message will be stored by Halifax and Facebook. Please don’t disclose any account information, such as PINs, passwords, account numbers or card numbers.

(Me)
Well this just puts me back to the same situation has before

(Bank)
Hi Andy. I'm sorry to hear you're having trouble accessing your accounts. Are you trying to sign in to Online Banking & having trouble? If so, what happens when you try it? ^AndyM

(Me)
It keeps saying change your password, now I have to call by phone. I am not overjoyed with the additional cost to me

(Bank)
Are you not given the option to complete the reset by receiving an automated call to your registered number? ^Michael

(Me)
Yes I am. But they don't call my number on the records in Cambodia, but that of my none existing old English number. Telling me then to call them quoting a reference number, my last call was heading to sort out the problem, but ran out has I was to be transferred. But the call I made hours before that one was apparently already, that the problem was sorted, just was told now to wait 20 minutes, try to log in and all would be fine! But not so at all.

(Bank)
Are you able to use a landline and make a reverse charge call? You would need to speak with our Online Banking team on +44 (0) (7am - 11pm) where my colleagues are best placed to help. ^Brian

(Me)
Well this service is appealing. I have been cut off on every call. My landlord is waiting for my rent, my visa for the country is soon due, I have been a banker of your establishment for many years, thinking I was in the best hand's possible, end result I can see you putting me in a position of not being able for me to get access too my own money, being in deubt in another country and being imprisoned because of the banks incompetence too handle the matter of giving me access to my own money.

(Bank)
Thanks for getting in touch. Our colleagues are doing their best to help, but may not be able to answer everyone. Thanks for your understanding. Please only contact us if it’s urgent or you’re in a vulnerable situation. You can visit https://bi to keep up to date with how we can help you at this time.

A copy of this message will be stored by Halifax and Facebook. Please don’t disclose any account information, such as PINs, passwords, account numbers or card numbers.

(Bank)
I can certainly understand why you're frustrated & I'll record your experience as feedback here. Are you trying to make a UK payment you've made before or is the money being sent overseas? Have you been able to arrange a reverse-charge call from a landline? ^AndyM

(Me)
I can't get a landline

(Me)
Also I keep getting cut off

And yes I wish to transfer some of my money to myself because I am now without in a overseas country

(Bank)
Can you access a payphone to call us, as you'd be able to reverse the charges? What number have you been calling us on, and are you getting disconnected immediately? ^Claire

(Me)
I am getting disconnected at all times. Now I have been told by your advisor I have to write to the bank with a English address

I have been calling with the number the bank has for me. Costing myself $30+ of my expenses, when I owe rent and bills in this country and my visa to stay in the country is up for renewal. Talk about being vunrable

(Bank)
Can you tell me the number you’re dialling? Are there any payphones that you can access where you are? ^Colin M

(Me)
There's no payphones

I am locked out of my own account

+44112 and +4411

I am in a terrible situation with little money, owing my rent and bills my Cambodian visa due shortly. What else could go wrong when I don't want to leave the country due to covid-19, but there is no way out anyway, being no flights or too expensive, oh wait I have no money because it is in my bank account in the halifax in the UK

(Bank)
Have you tried asking a local hotel if you can use their phone to make a reverse charges call? Which city are you in or nearest to? ^Paul


(Me)
I am in Phnom Penh

But you don't obviously know Cambodia nor it's people. I can tell you that would never happen

I am told by me own bank I may be not who I am. Also the postal address is no more for me, due to my so called friend selling the property. Though they can have my daughter's address and it can be confirmed, but no. I have to put it in writing from a country that has no proper postle service. Maybe fedex or UPS will do, but wait I have no money

(Bank)
I can certainly understand that the situation you’re in at this time is not ideal. Is there any way that any friends or family members could help you out until you’re able to provide us with those new details? For us to be able to help, you would have to follow the process mention by my colleagues. ^Colin M

(Me)
No

I have the address from my daughter.
I hold halifax bank totally responsible for this mess, believe me it can only get worse, and you put their on the site for the vunrable situation. I believe you have put me in more of that type of situation has you are holding money that belongs to myself. Needing it so badly in this situation.

I was asked to change those details that I didn't want to do in the first stage. You can message me here, when I have wifi. I have to add extra expenses, such has $40+ to get the answers I am already aware of, such has being locked out of my account, parted from my own money, with a bank I put my whole trust in, the bank should be ashamed of putting me in a very valuable situation that I see no way out until I have the access to my own savings I have in my account that you deprive me of access because you say I have tried my password too many times. I think you should look closely to what was asked of me on the computer screen. Now you ask me if my family can help me! I have my own support, monies in my account that I can't get too, although I have been told after much expenses of my own, tommorow I can call again and try for a transfer of money from my account. I hope that is the case, because if not I will surely be at risk that I should have never have been in, imagine owing money to a landlord and bills to pay, then my visa due to stay in the country, not forgetting it is safer for me to stay put because of the covid-19 situation.
But let me ask you what will become of someone in a foreign country with no means of support, a person who owes money and is without a visa to stay there, then also no money to hand over if it comes to that stage of deportation.

You can see I am so concerned and annoyed that this is all because you asked me to change my password

(Bank)
I appreciate the situation you're in, but I'm confused with what you've told us and I'm not sure I understand exactly what's happened. You've mentioned that each time you call your calls are disconnected and every call has been cut off, but also mention that you've spoken to one of my colleagues and have been asked to put something in writing.

Can you tell me exactly what's happened when you called? Were you asked questions to confirm who you are, and if you were, were you unable to pass this stage? What have my colleagues asked you to put in writing?

Whilst I appreciate you do have funds in your account, and that you ordinarily support yourself, but given that you're unable to access these at the moment, and that you feel you're now in a vulnerable position, are you unable to seek support from a friend of family member? ^Colin B

(Me)
Yes I was asked questions about the account. They want me to give them an address in the UK. I had a postal address, CO my friend, but he sold the property but didn't mention it until I asked if my credit card had arrived.
So now I have my daughter's address, and she will confirm, but they want that in writing, but you know Cambodia has no real postal service, I could try by UPS or FedEx or something, but need to look into it, and also need the money to do so.

(Me)
What happens tomorrow when I call the bank again in the UK is basically my life. If they like your colleagues say will do a transfer like the last one I had sent here. I transferred approximately 10,000 to last me the year, but I am doing this all blind without knowing my own monies only what your colleague told me on the phone. This is bad enough for my uncertainties and worry's. When I believed in my savings being kept safe, I never once thought that they would be so safe that they would be kept from myself at my time of need.

How this has panned out your bank has put me in the most vunrable situation, keeping me from my own savings because of a password.

What about I go to the British Embassy to confirm who I am? Would they be in a position to help with me having access to my own account and my own money?

(Bank)
Thanks for confirming. You can find the options to update your address on our website: http://spr.ly/6182H9uZg. Unfortunately, we don't have access to your details through Facebook. I appreciate you've already tried; however, if you contact our PhoneBank service again tomorrow, one of my colleagues will be best placed to advise on your options. ^AndyM

(Me)
I have tried to update my address where you say, and can't and it's also not exceptable

Only in writing your colleague says

You sound has though you are dismissing me, is it now because I mentioned the British Embassy to confirm that I am me? The Halifax bank is putting me in a very valuable situation, at my costs and the lack of also my own money.

For a bank I had trust in all these years I have certainly made the wrong choice

The bank I may add that holds my money from me, that of the rightful owner whom is in need.

(Bank)
You would need to put your request to change your details in writing. With regards to verifying who you are, this is something my colleague over the phone would do by asking questions. Once they do that, they would be able to look at the account and discuss your balance.

I understand that this has all happened at an unfortunate time, but we still must follow the processes we have in place to ensure our customers accounts remain safe. ^Colin M

(Me)
Yes that is what I would expect, but in doing so in this instance, you are putting me, the customer at very great risk.

(Bank)
If you feel you're at risk, you may wish to seek support from a friend or family member, or as you've mentioned, visit the British Embassy.

If you're unhappy with the security processes we have in place, details of how you can make a complaint can be found on our website here: http://spr. ^Colin B

(Me)
You don't seem to understand the situation! The bank has put me in to a risk situation over asking me to change my password. It's funny how a simple situation like this can stop me having access to my own online account, costing myself expenses and prevent me from making an overseas transfer of my own fund's that are to keep me safe and sound.

(Bank)
We're limited to the support we can offer through Facebook. To look into your accounts and get you back online, we'd need to ask you to follow the advice provided. ^AndyM

(Me)
I have given you the answers to the questions

Why is it you can't make it simple, such has message my phone, take copy of my passport or so.

Anything just get me online of my own account so I have control over my own savings, you also have this number, and it was only yesterday the phone call with the halifax in the UK that I was told to wait 20 minutes and I will be back online. But NO I have been put into a situation where I have been told the amount in each of my accounts and today I can call your time 8am and ask for a transfer, again costing me my own expense

All night I have been awake answering questions, about my account that I have no access too.
I am worrying about what is going to happen next. And yes I do hold the bank responsible for this situation.

(Bank)
Please call tomorrow as my colleagues can access your details and provide advice on what you need to do. ^Brian

I hope you haven't been the victim of a 'phishing' exercise and unwittingly given someone else access to your account. Next contact with them maybe ask them to confirm there haven't been any transactions/withdrawals since this started.

timmydownawell wrote: ↑Mon Feb 15, 2021 6:50 am I hope you haven't been the victim of a 'phishing' exercise and unwittingly given someone else access to your account. Next contact with them maybe ask them to confirm there haven't been any transactions/withdrawals since this started.

timmydownawell that was always at the back of my mind, but with them asking the questions I seem to think it was the bank, but still I can't get to my own money.

Get a Skype account and call through there, has UK packages unlimited for £5 a month, or if you've never had before the 1st month is free

I didn’t read all of your original post , but when I ever have a problem with my bank or credit card I get thru to them that there is no
“ toll free “ in cambodia and tell them it costs me $1 a minute to call them and can they please call me back , which they do ..

I even got apple to call me back to straighten out payment problems , now if I could only get one or two of them sweetheart apple tech supports chicks in the phillipines to call me back sometimes

cautious colin wrote: ↑Mon Feb 15, 2021 8:04 am Get a Skype account and call through there, has UK packages unlimited for £5 a month, or if you've never had before the 1st month is free

Or if you have Viber, put some credit on "Viber out" to make calls.

Best of luck, I hope it's nothing nefarious.

Yes I agree with the others, it makes no sense to call your bank with a normal phone line. I usually use Skype to call to phone numbers overseas but as Timmy says there are other services like Viber that do the same thing. It seems to be 2.3 cents per minute for Skype to call the UK. https://secure.skype.com/en/credit

After that, you need to be sure you are really calling your bank. This should be fairly easy as you can call the number from their website, as long as you can clearly identify their website.

Then you can follow their instructions- you may need to borrow some money from someone and send the letter they are requesting by DHL.

And agree that it's probably a good idea to make sure you weren't a victim of a phishing attempt and that no money has been withdrawn from your account. Perhaps contact their fraud department and forward the email you received asking you to change your password?

Why, and how, did the bank contact you to change your password? Smells fishy to me.

You were asked online how? Via email? If so then you may have been scammed.

I agree. You say you were "asked online" to change your password. Do you mean by email?

If you were asked by email to change your password then there is a strong chance you were a victim of a phishing attack.

Again, use Skype to call your bank and address this issue first. You will want to alert them immediately to avoid losing any money from your account.