A couple of weeks ago I posted an article about a 1-year fixed rate bond from Kent Reliance.
I told my sister and she decided it was for her
My sister is more than three score years and ten, sharp as a pin, old school, no internet or mobile, digital footprint of a ghost.
I downloaded the application form, she filled it in, wrote her check and off we go.
WRONG

On Saturday she got a letter from her bank telling her they would only endorse the cheque if she came to the bank to verify the payment.
Has anyone come across a similar incident or is my sister the only person left who writes cheques or is this a case of AGEISM or Luditeism, we live in a world of isms.
The Bank said it was part of their anti- fraud protection.
As if Billy burglar was going to break into your house, steal your cheque book then write a check to a building society in another person's name, endorse it on the back with the name and address of the person you stole the book from.
The world has gone mad.

What is mad are the cases of 'i gave all my money to a fraudster and the bank didn't stop it, I want compo'


The banks are protecting their backs....

My Lloyds account was blocked when I did a transfer for Qatar International Bank. Good! It should flag up red. I went online, arranged a call back and an intelligent young guy sorted it.

They had detected that my laptop had remote access software installed. Which it does. This combined with a new and large payment set alarm bells.

It took half an hour to resolve and won't repeat for this payee.

I'm very happy with these events and it fills me with confidence.

Cheques are insecure. Quite right they want confirmation.. Many cheques are written by rogue relatives taking advantage of senile or dementia parents. Not burglars. That's the type of fraud they are checking for.

Verify the signature perhaps and update their records? You'd soon be complaining if the bank passed a cheque without screening it.

Ian, services move on with time, as the criminals defeat systems so the banks have to develop more secure ways to transfer money.

I think cheques will eventually go the same way as postal orders; now they bring back memories.

I really don't understand your outrage. Your sister has chosen to use an outdated method of payment which is no longer commonly used, as is her prerogative. The institution isn't stopping her from doing so, but as highlighted by many other posters its ripe for fraud and abuse and the bank are just trying to stop that from happening to her.

Also not sure what the relevance of her country of birth is either. She'd be subject to the same rules regardless of her nationality.