Barclays account closure

[Tiara.Smile]

Hello everyone,

19th of march 2024 I tried getting in my Barclays mobile app and got the RG21M error code saying access to my account has been blocked, I called the Barclays number shown and was informed that my account is under review and I needed to take some steps. I got an email from Barclays telling me my account has been frozen and I have to fill a POF form regarding a transaction I received 17/03/2024. (only that transaction was highlighted). 

Explaining the transaction I received;

I am a Masters student an I am only allowed to work 20hrs weekly which has made it almost impossible to get a job except during holidays when I can work full-time, I live in London and to live here is way expensive, without work makes it more difficult, so I can only survive by exchanging funds from my home country to Pounds. 

There is a school whats app group where we are all students from the same country and if anyone needed Naira in exchange for pounds they would advertise on the group and vice versa. So on 17/03/2024 this guy advertised that he had £900 in exchange for Naira at a particulate market rate. I needed pounds too because I needed the money in pounds for some expenses. I sent him the value in Naira and he sent me £900 when he confirmed the money I sent. That was it. Truth is I cannot say if the money the guy sent was clean or not, I didn't even think to that direction because everyone in the group was verified as a student before they are added to the group. So my account was blocked because I received this money.

Now I gave Barclays all information about the transaction, I sent screenshots of the chat, receipt of the money I sent to him and receipt of him sending me the money after confirmation. They told me it will take 7 days to review and get back to me. I had about £11200+ in my account and that is my main account where all my DD and standing orders goes out from. I have been worried and life seem so difficult within these few days. I barely have funds enough to survive except I get my money back. 

Yesterday 21/03/2024 I got this text from Barclays "We've completed our review of your account and we need to let you know your accounts and products have been closed. We'll send you more information in the post in 3-5 days. Your Barclays team"

So now what happens to my money? I called the bank and they told me I can only go to a branch and get any money from benefits or any wages. There are no wages or benefits in the account, I cant work because of the governments limitations because I'm a student, I have to live by changing money I have from my home country to pounds. So how do I get access to my money?

I'm worried sick now because I need to know if I will get my money back even if they have decided to close my account. It is my money and I gave them proof of what transpired, I am a student that can barely work or receive benefits, how do they expect I get money than to exchange currency? Please I need help!!!!! Thank you in advance.

[honeybee13]

Hello, welcome to CAG.

I don't think Barclays are allowed to keep your money and obviously you will need to open an account with someone else once you get it back.

I'm sure other people here have had their accounts closed and the money has been returned. Unfortunately I don't have time to look at the moment but have a read around the Barclays forum and see what happened to other people in your situation.

People should be along to advise later.

Best, HB

[Tiara.Smile]

Thank you Honeybee,

I have read through similar threads on the forum and all I can see is that have to wait, Luckily I recently opened another account with TSB just last week and it is active. All I need is my money back even if they have to lose the account.

Edited March 22 by Tiara.Smile

[dx100uk]

Programmable Search Engine (google.com)

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[Tiara.Smile]

Hello dx, 

Thanks for the post you shared.

According to the post he emailed the CEO.

Do I have to do that and explain the situation to him?

If so, how do I go about it?

And how do I get the right email to send to. 

Even though I have gotten a text from them stating they have closed the account which seem unfair to me after providing all documents they requested for.

I will like to know what happens next to the available funds In the closed account. 

Also, I don’t feel safe exchanging money into the new account I opened, I’m just confused on what I have to do now.

Thanks. 

[dx100uk]

you will eventually get your money.

it just can take upto a month by some cases here.

you can find the CEO of barclays bank by using 

www.CEOEMAIL.com

[honeybee13]

There are websites that let you exchange money and send it to your bank. The only one I know is Wise, hopefully other people will come up with more names. 

HB

[Tiara.Smile]

Dx, thank you. I will just have to wait for the letter they sent before emailing the ceo. 
 

honeybee, I know of some other webs sites to change money, I just changed some money this morning but I don’t want to send to any bank account. I’ll just make transactions from there if I have to till things get sorted.  
 

Y’all should know that having someone to talk to about this gives so much relief to the stress and anxiety, I do appreciate the contributions. 

[BazzaS]

Quote

Truth is I cannot say if the money the guy sent was clean or not

Therein lies your problem as to Barclays eyes : it looks like money laundering and / or receipt of proceeds of crime.

To prevent the same happening for your newer TSB account : transfer money in sourced from your own Naira account, rather than a third-party account. You may still be asked about the source of the funds, but when you explain it is your own money it’ll look a lot less suspicious to the bank.

Edited March 22 by BazzaS

[Tiara.Smile]

Thank you Bazza. 

it’s unfortunate that most banks won’t let me send money directly from a Naira account, I will always need a third party like wise. Will just make sure all is done in my name instead of dealing with someone else. 

I will keep everyone updated if I have any update while I wait for what to do next. 

All I have to do now is to wait.  

[BazzaS]

The third party like Wise isn’t the issue, I suspect, but the source not being your own account.

[lolerz]

Maybe consider getting a Revolut card and using that?

[Tiara.Smile]

I will try that as well. Thank you. 

[BazzaS]

Revolut don’t offer Naira at present.

[Kyosanto]

I can recommend TorFX for transfering funds from abroad to UK accounts. Very good rates, and it's a legit business so no added risk of going through someone dodgy you met with a student currency exchange club.

Student currency exchange clubs are still a great thing. Enables direct trade between folks and skip the middleman's greedy fees. Just stick to exchanging cash.

[Tiara.Smile]

Torfx don’t exchange Naira. 

[Tiara.Smile]

Good afternoon everyone,

I haven’t gotten the letter I was told to expect yet, 

I tried login into the app this afternoon and the error code I’m getting is now different from the RG21M.

Now I’m getting error 00002. 

I don’t know what that means and I hope it’s positive  

Just keeping everyone updated about any changes/update. 
 

Regards. 

[dx100uk]

Solving Barclays Error Code 00002: How to Fix the Dreaded 00002 Issue - Apps UK

Barclays Error Code 00002 occurs when there is unusual activity detected on a customer’s account which triggers temporary suspension of its use until verified by their security team.

[Tiara.Smile]

Thank you dx, I really do not know what’s going on though.

Even though I got the text about the account closure last week.

I got an email now from klarna that my direct debit payment was successful. 

Also I requested for a cifas SAR report over the weekend and it came back today.

It only shows a hard search by a recent credit card company and nothing else. 

[dx100uk]

because its hidden.

you are still at the very early stages 

On 22/03/2024 at 12:28, dx100uk said:

you will eventually get your money.

it just can take upto a month by some cases here.

you can find the CEO of barclays bank by using 

www.CEOEMAIL.com

 

[Tiara.Smile]

Update today,

My DVLA tax DD failed due to insufficient balance. (Probably due to the closure of the account) 
 

Also, I got a statement of fees from Barclays today. 

[Tiara.Smile]

Hello Everyone,

I got the letter from Barclays today and I have attached a copy of the letter to this response.

It seems I have to provide them some documents.

Truth is I do not know how to go about this because the money in the account is money I had in my Naira account that I exchanged to GBP. though I used some other exchange apps like Lemfi to exchange the money. 

 

Now, do I get my naira bank statement and take it to them? and also add the bank statement of the third party account I have been using to make the exchange, I'm confused.

barclays.pdf

[dx100uk]

just get all the relevant statements from wherever you need them, you should be able to do this online at each banks website... to show the track/trace/source of where the money came from and to prove it yours, then go to an in branch member of staff at your local Barclays. 

[Tiara.Smile]

Okay,  

I will get all the statements and go in a branch tomorrow. 
Thanks. 

[Tiara.Smile]

Hello,

I have not posted in a while because I haven’t gotten any reasonable update yet. 
 

From my previous post,

I went into a branch and took along

• statement from my bank in Nigeria where I sent money from,
• statement from the third party apps I used,
• documents showing proof of source of funds to my Nigerian bank account,
• a letter from my Nigerian solicitor all notarized because the funds in my Nigerian account was from a property I sold.
• I included documents of the property,
• approved drawing plans,
• transfer agreement when I bought the land,
• pictures of the construction stages till I completed the construction of the house back in Nigeria,
• sale agreement drafted by my lawyer.

Everything was included. 

They called the fraud department in my presence and I was told to email the documents myself to [email protected] as they were much.

I was told it will take at least 15 working days to get a feedback.

I sent it all on 5th of April.

And I called the fraud team (I was given a number to call for updates) on 12th of April and they said they didn’t get the documents I sent earlier.

I sent them again that day. 

Today I called in again and was told to wait for the 15 working days to hear for them. 

I will like to note something I heard while I was on call with them on 5th of April.

The lady said they didn’t get the files I sent and told me to hold on while she checks with the team, then I heard her whispering to maybe her colleague saying “let them know he wants to pursue this”

So were they expecting me to leave over £10k in a closed account and not sure any access to my funds?  

It all sounds like they expect to close the account and I should just accept my fate.  
 

well that’s all I have now.

Thank you. 

 

Edited April 18 by dx100uk
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