Not upheld: card cancellation notification and account security complaint against National Westminster Bank Public Limited Company
Financial Ombudsman decision DRN-6429036 of 2026-06-15T00:00:00+00:00. card cancellation notification and account security complaint against National Westminster Bank Public Limited Company. Outcome: Not upheld.
Decision detail
| Reference | DRN-6429036 |
|---|---|
| Decision date | 2026-06-15T00:00:00+00:00 |
| Firm | National Westminster Bank Public Limited Company |
| Product | Current account |
| Claim type | card cancellation notification and account security |
| Outcome | Not upheld |
| Remedy | None. The complaint was not upheld and no compensation or further action was required from NatWest. |
Summary
Ms S complained that NatWest cancelled her debit card without informing her and allowed her to continue using the cancelled card for online transactions for approximately nine months. NatWest had received information that card *0028 was compromised on 11 December 2024, cancelled it with effect from 21 December 2024, and issued replacement card *6061 on the same day. Ms S only discovered the cancellation in September 2025 when changing her address and claims she never received notification or the replacement card. The ombudsman found that NatWest followed proper procedures and was satisfied on balance that the replacement card was issued. The ombudsman noted that Ms S had multiple live chat interactions with NatWest in early 2025 where she queried declined transactions, which should have prompted her to investigate further. The complaint was not upheld as the ombudsman found no material impact on Ms S and determined she had adequate opportunity to query the issue.
The Ombudsman's reasoning
The ombudsman was satisfied on balance that NatWest issued the replacement card on 11 December 2024 based on audit reports, even though Ms S disputed receiving it. The ombudsman found that Ms S had multiple opportunities to query the declined transactions in her live chat sessions with NatWest, which should have alerted her to investigate further. The ombudsman accepted NatWest's explanation that old card details could continue to work for recurring payments through merchant card updater services, and noted that Ms S had not disputed any transactions. The ombudsman concluded that even if Ms S did not receive the initial notifications, she had sufficient opportunity to make enquiries and that the issues did not have a material impact on her.
How this compares
| Group | Decisions | Uphold rate |
|---|---|---|
| National Westminster Bank Public Limited Company, all decisions | 1,171 | 14% |
| Current account, all decisions | 45,590 | 19% |
Source
Read the original decision on the Financial Ombudsman Service website