Just a word of warning about Nationwide's water tight account security!
We've just come back from Santorini yesterday (We have to get a practice holiday in before we come to Arillas!) and the first day I was there I used my Nationwide Flex card (I opened a joint account) as recommended by loads of happy customers from the Arillas forum. Well, it just spat it out refused to give me one cent!!! GGGRRR....(and yes there was money in it! It just rejected my card for two whole weeks!) Luckily, Pete had his card with him so we used his card to get our Euros out!
When I got back home there was a letter behind the door from Nationwide telling me that they have put a stop on my card due to illegal activities on the account. I rang them and asked what sort of illegal activities and they said that someone had tried to draw out two hundred and eighty Euros in Greece from my account..........I explained that it was actually me that was trying to get my money out.......They said "OK" and activated my card again...(Ha! Ha! Good service hey?).......I am now scratching my head as to what went wrong.
They have made a note on my account that I will be in Corfu at the end of the month.
Have they done this to anyone else?
I don't believe it!
The only problem we have had with Nationwide is that, before we left England, we were asked to give a maximum daily amount for withdrawal.
We opted , I think, for 280 euros, an amount which i soon forgot until I then tried to draw 400 euros. The machine then told me "insufficient funds" and retd the card.
When I tied again, it with a reduced amount, it was OK
So... Maybe check your max cash withdrawal.
Negg
They admitted on the phone that it was their mistake! They blamed their security software! (Pete withdrew cash from the same account without any problems)
I asked them if it's OK if I call them every time we want to use it abroad and we will give them the dates we will be using it but they said that it wouldn't make any difference as they still could be used fraudulently anyway by someone in Greece ..........(eh?)
I wouldn't mind but a month after they initially issued us with two new cards for our new account they send me a new one due to "security problems".........
If it can go wrong...it will!!!!
It's not just Nationwide - we had similar trouble with the Co-operative Bank - I posted on another thread (Exchange rate P.4 in Currency, Cash & Exchange).
It seems to make no difference whether you tell them you are going or not, you can't argue with a computer that decides someone else is using your card abroad. We had informed our bank before going, as had John the Ref's son to his bank, who telephoned him at home while he was trying to use his card abroad - makes as much sense as your letter found on your return, doesn't it!
All I can say is, Better luck next time!
Lynn
So far so good with my flexaccount card - my account is in Blackpool - I live in Vienna - holiday in Arillas - used the card in Paris, Bratislava, Hungary and the Czech republic with no problems. The only problem, when I lived in Corfu for 5 months, was when the atm in Sidari was not pushing cards out far enough for anyone to get them back! Cards cancelled automatically and new one to be sent from England. That was a problem for a couple of weeks! Like the five foot judge, little things sent to try us!
Oh boy! Think I may take a few travellers cheques with us (just in case!)
Hi Margaret. I do not bel......ieve it.
Have loved to hear your views on here. Keep them coming please. You make Anette Crosbie and Richard Wilson into the Arillas "Foot in the grave." Jen and me are the Arilllas hippies from Glastonbury.
We do Womans Weekly, hostess trolleys and flameproof nighties. And represent the spirit of Arillas.
As for Nationwide we have taken SandyX advice and opened an account. Best exchange arrangement avaiable just now. Security is b******s. It makes on difference whatsoever.
best wishes
Phil
My bank's (Yorkshire ) security is red hot.
They rang me 2 week's after I got back from Arillas and asked if it was me using my card over there !
Peace of mind.........priceless !
I remember reading about something similar happening to someone else sometime ago and for the past few years I have always called my bank few days before I travel to let them know that it is me who is cavorting around Europe with my debit card and no else. So far no problems ever :)
first time i decided to use my flex card abroad,i told Nationwide that we were going to greece and would be using it,i have never had any problems and as mentioned earlier best rates going.
Once you have told them i think they flag the account and you should have no trouble after that.
When I opened my account I made no secret of the fact that I only wanted it for my trips for Greece. I have used it a lot paying for things for the house out there and have never had a problem. I was able to take out 370 euros a day last week but like Eggy said....it wouldn't let me have 400 as that put me over the £300 daily limit.
We must just be unlucky then, because we couldn't get at our money AFTER we had told our bank beforehand where we would be.
Ah, I love all this advice myself and Victor are receiving here!
So basically, every time you want to spend some money, you have to call the bank and ask them if this is OK for you to do this and then you have a 50% chance of actually getting your hands on your hard earned cash anyway.....EASY!
Kind regards
Annette Crosby aka Mrs Meldrew
XXXXXXX
I don't believe it....
i think the Greek way of looking at this is:-
"Just be happy that you have some money in the Bank anyway"
and......
"If you can't get to it you'll have that little extra in the Bank tomorrow"
( This is probably OK 'till the occassion I go to the "Hole in Wall" and it's out of order )
I'm sure Dimitris would lend me some cash though!
Negg
Thanks Eggy......Now I know where to go for a loan when Nationwide misbehaves again!!!!
We only need money for 14 bottles of Retsina, 14 litres of Brouklis red house wine, 14 kilos of Dimitris's grub and a few Euros for copious amounts of lager at Graziella's after a hard day on the beach.......
(Only joking!..........about the loan!)
Kind regards
Annette Crosby
XXXX
Hello Chris & Mark's Mum - sorry to hear you had problems with your Nationwide card. I had the same problem as Eggy - asked for more than I was allowed, but reduced it and no problems. Last year I had my card swallowed (entirely my fault) and so had to use a credit card instead. Within 30 seconds of leaving the ATM I had a call on my mobile from HSBC asking if I was in Greece - now that's HOT security!!
Enjoy your holiday in Arillas - and take care of those potatoes!!
Fiona xx
For the sake of a phone call (provided that you can get through to customer services!!) it's always a good idea to notify your card provider, whether it be a credit card or debit card, that you're going abroad.
They will ask you when and where you are going and will flag your account(s) accordingly.
Steve
Sound great advice, Steve. Just a shame that didn't work for Colin and me!
Lynn
No you do not need to ask everytime with Nationwide,We just told them the once we would be using it in Greece and have had no trouble at all and we have used it about a dozen times since,just keep to the limit and its all fine.
I'm going to call them next week to check that they have still flagged my account!
I love the fact that their security is so tight that you can't even get your own money!
I tried to open an ISA with Intelligent Finance but it was so difficult to access my account on line with all the security checks that I dumped them! (Shows that I'm not fit to have an Intelligent Account! Ha! Ha!) I bet Fiona agrees with that one!!!!
I agree with you Harold. So far I have had no problems with mine and I have withdrawn quite substantial sums in Arillas to pay my mortgage there.
Talking about getting hold of your OWN money. Sent Mick to get the currency today. he spent ages getting the best rate then went to Abbey National to get OUR money out of OUR account and they said that that we need to order it!!! The bloody cheek!! So now we have to go back on Tuesday. Surely if I wanted to withdraw 20K I should be able to. Makes me sooo mad!!
Ha! Ha! We did the same when we banked with Barclays...."Oh I'm sorry but we don't have any cash on the premises.....Can you come back tomorrow as we aren't allowed to give you a lot of money in case other people need it and we might run out?"
Total rubbish the whole lot of them!
I don't believe it!
Yours faithfully
Mrs Victor Meldrew
Exactly! Tell you what, you have our hard-earned money, play with it on the stock markets, earn squillions off it then dont give us it back. That sounds fair eh. NOT. Oh and by the way 20K is purely hypothetical (I wish).
Jo,
Don't start me off moaning! I will never stop!
Tee! Hee!
Ooooh you've started me off now !
My Dad's recently gone into a care home so I've been trying to sort out all his finances.
Barclay's and Abbey would not entertain the idea of talking to me.
So I've had to see a solicitor to get power of attourney so I can sort his money out.
Cost of power of attourney (which takes 6 months to process) £600 !
Ker.... ching !!!!!
OMG Barry! There must have been a way round that surely? How heartless are they?
Have you spoken to the Citizens Advice Bureau?
Barclays again! GGGRRRR!