Bank Chaos As TSB Lock Accounts And ‘Send £13,000 To Wrong Person’

A huge computer failure has caused chaos after affecting millions of TSB customers.

After breaking away from Lloyds Banking Group, TSB continued to rent a banking platform from Lloyds while developing a brand new ‘state-of-the-art’ platform.

The updated platform was all set to go live over the weekend, with customer data being transferred across. This was expected to cause disruption to usual services, which TSB reportedly let customers know about in advance.

However, the level of disruption proved to be much greater than expected.

Many customers stated they were left in the dark about any changes, left unable to withdraw cash or pay important bills.

Although TSB promised everything would be sorted out by 6pm Sunday evening, some customers were still facing difficulties on Monday morning.

A TSB customer, who preferred not to be named, told UNILAD:

I am waiting for a transfer of a large sum of money (five figure sum) from a TSB account to be able to pay for a house currently held by a property agent.

This needs to be paid by tomorrow or I risk losing the property and potentially my next job!

29-year-old Victoria, who also banks with TSB, told UNILAD:

My money is inheritance money so it has feelings attached to it,

I’m 29 years old I have a husband and 1 year old daughter, we with the money found a car to buy on Facebook for £1500 so not a small amount of money.

I phoned TSB last week twice during the week, I normally use the app but I had not logged in during that week, I phoned and was told yes I can withdraw the £1500 in branch on the Friday so I said great I will do.

She continued:

I then phoned back as I was working late and said could I do it on the Saturday afternoon and was told yes, so we went down making the trip into town with my daughter and husband, we met Sally the manager who couldn’t me more helpful she was amazing as I was upset at not being able to do it.

We then sat trying to figure out ways we could transfer the money to this man for the car, and the assistant came up with PayPal as she said the debit card still works, so it came to 4pm ish and I phoned the telephone banking to get the £1500 from savings to current account and was told it went through.

So my husband went to get the car in Wales and paid to cross the bridge and fuel in friends car.

However, things were about to get more frightening:

We got there I tried to PayPal the money as suggested I got the message declined contact card issuer, so I tried again same thing so I phoned husband and told him, he said try small amounts to make up to the amount, tried in blocks of £200 and £300 nope all failed,

So by this point getting angry and then came 6pm when everything was meant to be up and running and no couldn’t log onto the app, so I was panicking as my husband and our friend where stuck down in Wales with no car and no way to get the money,

So husband said bank transfer so as the online said bank transfer working, I got his bank details and phoned telephone banking as I had done earlier that day, I was on hold for 41 mins 32 seconds and still had my daughter to care for so was becoming stressed and concerned,

I was told when the man finally answered that the £1,500 I transferred had not gone through and it was still in my account I said OK if you transfer it now then can I please pay this man by bank transfer, was told no I need a telephone security number which I never had so by now.

Victoria continued:

I was so upset as I had been told £1500 had been transferred the first time and I said for him to make sure it hadn’t as I don’t have that kind of money to pay back if you mess up,

He assured me that it was OK, and I was getting more distressed that I couldn’t pay for the car as he wouldn’t let me, so I paid it to my husband account who is with RBS and thought hopefully he can send it,

I then find out that when I managed to log on briefly this morning that all the transactions and the failed payments to the guy that he now says he has not got the money £1500 that they have in fact gone through which means I paid him three times and I owe the bank over 4000 when in fact I should be in credit,

The stress has even brought on medical issues for Victoria:

So not only have I no car, we wasted six hours in Wales paid toll and fuel, of £60 and have no car and find out that he has been paid three times which he says he has not received but TSB is saying it went out even though it said declined,

So now I owe them money for their mistake, and it’s inheritance money so I’m so upset and stressed that it’s brought on my medical issue and stomach pain and being sick because of the worry and stress as I can’t and don’t owe anything to them and they don’t seem to care they just say phone,

But I can’t wait 97mins on hold, my phone bill is already £83 from having to phone twice yesterday and wait on hold, and now I can’t even log on now.

TSB has made the following statement to customers:

We’re really sorry that some of our customers experienced problems accessing our mobile app and internet banking yesterday evening.

Both of these services are now up and running again.

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However, some incidents have led customers to fear about the safety of their accounts.

TSB customer Matthew Neal from Hertfordshire was given access to someone else’s savings account which contained £35,000 as well as a £11,000 Isa and a business account.

Shocked Neal, who had logged into his online banking to check out much he had spent at the pub, told the BBC:

I could see all my accounts, but on top of that also three accounts belonging to someone else: a £35,000 savings account, an £11,000 Isa and a business account,

I could see their account numbers, sort codes and transaction histories and I had access to transfer money too, if I was that way inclined.

The thing that was worrying me most was: what if someone can see mine too?

Many customers have taken to Twitter to express their concerns. One person spoke about being ‘stranded abroad’ as a result, while another said they had been left ‘high, dry and penniless.’

One person tweeted:

This is disgusting. People were warned but it’s now MONDAY and your ridiculous update was due to be complete SUNDAY.

People have families and jobs at risk because of your inefficiency, lack of regard or unapologetic behaviour. Can’t access our own money, disgraceful.

Another said:

TSB really need to sort this banking drama out. I need to do a food shop and my money is stuck in my savings! 3 kids and an empty fridge. Great!

Have you experienced any issues with TSB? Let us know how you have been affected.

If you have a story you want to tell send it to UNILAD via stories@unilad.co.uk