Not upheld: Card / payment disputes complaint against Santander UK Plc

Decision detail

Summary

Mr P complained to Santander after his debit card was blocked when he attempted to make a payment to retailer C on 16 December 2025. Santander's automated fraud systems had flagged the transaction and sent a text message asking for confirmation. During a subsequent phone call, Mr P was incorrectly told the block was related to earlier unrecognised card activity on 14 December, when in fact the block was triggered by the 16 December transaction itself. Santander subsequently blocked and replaced the card after Mr P confirmed the 14 December activity was unauthorised. The ombudsman found that Santander acted fairly in blocking the payment and restricting the card in accordance with its fraud controls and terms and conditions, and that the misinformation provided was a one-off error that did not affect the outcome. The ombudsman did not uphold the complaint, finding Santander's apology sufficient compensation.

The Ombudsman's reasoning

The ombudsman found that Santander's automated fraud detection systems acted appropriately in declining the payment and temporarily restricting the card pending further checks, which is consistent with the firm's terms and conditions and regulatory obligations. Although Mr P was given incorrect information about the reason for the block during the phone call, this was a one-off mistake rather than deliberate deception, and it did not affect Santander's underlying decision or outcome. The misinformation was subsequently corrected in writing. The fact that Mr P had made similar payments to the retailer previously does not mean later transactions cannot be flagged for checks. Santander's apology for the misinformation was deemed sufficient compensation as there was no financial loss or significant lasting impact.

How this compares

Source

Read the original decision on the Financial Ombudsman Service website