Not upheld: card blocking and service conduct complaint against Nationwide Building Society

Decision detail

Summary

Mr M complained that Nationwide Building Society blocked his replacement debit card without proper notification, wouldn't remove the restriction, and that a branch adviser invaded his personal space during a visit, which was particularly distressing given his social phobia. Nationwide blocked the card due to a flagged transaction and attempted to contact Mr M via automated call on 5 September 2025. When Mr M called back on 16 September, the adviser offered to help but Mr M ended the call abruptly to visit a branch, where the restriction was removed on 2 October 2025. The ombudsman did not uphold the complaint, finding that Nationwide's fraud protection measures and notification procedures were reasonable, and that CCTV evidence showed the branch adviser maintained appropriate spacing and provided a private room for discussion.

The Ombudsman's reasoning

The ombudsman found that Nationwide's decision to block the card was a reasonable fraud protection measure within their contractual rights. The automated call on 5 September was a reasonable attempt to notify Mr M, and following internal procedures was appropriate. The adviser's conduct during the phone call was helpful and procedurally correct. Regarding the branch visit, CCTV evidence showed appropriate spacing and a private room was provided, so there were insufficient grounds to conclude the adviser's behaviour was inappropriate. The ombudsman acknowledged Mr M's feelings but found no evidence of wrongdoing.

How this compares

Source

Read the original decision on the Financial Ombudsman Service website