08453039014

Received a text from NatWest to urgently call the above number.

I have checked with NatWest and they have confirmed that this number is fraudulent, the website also is not theirs.  They are looking into it.

I also got this text - once yesterday and again today. It wasn't until I went to the website and it was asking for details that I became suspicious. I called Natwest also to confirm it was fraudulent. I also reported the website to Google's phishing thing so anyone with firefox or google toolbar should be alerted when they go there.

The worrying thing is if you phone the number, someone answers. I just hung up but I imagine there are people waiting to take your bank details! Scary.

Hi,
I received the same text twice the last 3 days.
I have not called that number neither visited to the website mentioned in the text because I knew from the begining tha something was wrong. Anyway, if there was something wrong I guess Natwest itself would call me as usually does. However other people may not be so suspicious!! I hope there will be an end to this.

I'm confused now... this number is very similar to 08453039015 which is the Natwest Birmingham Collections phone number for calling if you are behind repayments for one of natwest's products. As I said above I received these texts and it was the fact the website is not secure that made me suspicious.

The thing is, the ref in the text matches the ref in a letter that I recieved from Natwest and I'm pretty sure that was genuine. I got another letter today and called 08453039015 and the only personal details they asked were date of birth, name and overdraft limit. They then told me which account I was in arrears with and asked for payment. I can't pay them just now so agreed to do so later and that was that. I'll do it online through the normal website though just in case! But they did confirm that they send out texts first.

So either its an extremely elaborate scam where they already know my account details, are sending me authentic looking letters and have set up a site, then I think it may be Natwest. If it is then the fraud dept and the collections dept should make friends so they are aware of each others activities!

I've never been a Natwest Customer, yet have received a call from this number asking for my details. Most of the time, they hang up before I have time to answer it, but looking back through my phone, it is the same company that tried to get my bank details a few weeks ago.

This number is Natwest.  I got the text the other day and foolishly handed over my details.  I then got extremely worried as looking back on what I did I was an idiot.  However, after calling up Natwest, emailing natwest and calling up the complaints line - I was informed by them that the number is in fact the collecting department for Natwest.  I did however feel that they should not be contacting people via text and I have written to them stating this. I very much doubt that anything will come from this complaint though.

Same number txt me, with same message (ref no, call this no or visit.../paybycard) and I recieved the email today. It is obviously a scam and i hope no poor sap is taken in by it....must call my parents...lol

I got it today, and I also had an automated caller inviting me to press any button to continue.  I ignored it, but then a text came through as well, telling me to go to the website - It does look a little suspicious but very, very elaborate!

I think everyone should phone their parents, mine wouldnt have a chance...

I was phoned by 0845 331 3519, and then again by a witheld number, and the text came through from natwest -

"Please call 0845 303 9014 as soon as possible quoting reference 20908500.  Alternatively please visit www.natwest.com/paybycard."

This is really quite serious, as it's using NatWest's URL to forward to an illegitimate site - that's why the google phising toolbar wont spot it as dodgy. It's saying it's natwest, and it's one of their sites - must be someone internal, but in theory if that's the case, they just have to change their .htaccess on their server to stop this pointing elsewhere...  Very scary indeed.

I received a text from this number today, went to NatWest to ask about it and was told they had never seen the number before, yet said that I should call it!? I did so, and a lady answered the phone asking for my personal details just 'for confirmation'. The conversation with this lady was very strange as she was refusing to tell me why I apparently have to pay her £xxx immediately through the phone or on the above mentioned (fake?) NatWest website. Something I of course refused. The lady was also very unprofessional (fairly threatening) when handling the apparent situation, something which makes it seem even more dodgy. Also, before this text message I kept on getting called by 0845 331 3519, a number who also claimed to be NatWest. I picked up the phone once to the above mentioned number, all that came up was an automated caller asking me to press buttons so I therefore hung up. After this the number started calling about twice a day for 2 weeks. I am fed up of these weirdos harassing me!

Got a text message today saying please call the above number. I have had them before but I ignored them and they stopped texting. I rang the number and it was the Birmingham Collection Centre, someone had put my mobile number down. The guy was really helpful and deleted my mobile number from the system. Hopefully I wont be getting any more messages from them as I am not a Natwest customer

have had these texts and missed calls from the number. I am a natwest customer but only have a current account with them so know i am not in any arrears with any payments.

this is an awful scam and hope that natwest are taking it very seriously as there are alot of people that will be giving their details thinking it is genuine.

Guys,  I work for Natwest.

I can confirm that www.natwest.com/paybycard is a genuine site    0845 303 9014 is the internal number for collections (which could come through to either Nottingham or Birmingham) - quite why you have been given that number I am not sure? and the equivalent customer number is 0845 303 9015

I'm pretty sure that 0845 331 3519 is not a natwest number.  Most of our 0845s begin with 303 or 6

unfortunaly our systems don't make it easy to "check" for a number so often if you call up staff will say that they don't recognise it when it can be a legitimate number.   In the case of the above 9014 this doesn't actually show on any of the systems telephone banking staff have access to (not sure about branches) as they access it via a speed dial on their telsets

The collections department do send out text messages asking you to call - if you don't you will normally recieve a letter and / or phone calls.

When someone calls in we are obliged under the data protection act to verify their identity before we provide any account details whatsover, which can understandably cause concern.  If you ever get called yourself and are not happy to provide details ask for a note to be left against the account stating who is calling and why,  then phone back on a number you are happy is natwest and ask them to check for the note.      If you ever get anything from collections ring up to check if your account is in arrears.

Hope that Helps Guys

i had the same text and am glad i looked this up - what a cheek!!!!!! i am disgusted at this scam and glad i checked it out

Hey. Its genuine -I should know, the Royal Bank of Scotland Group (who own NatWest, directline, mint etc.) pays my wages. I had a customer who'd checked this website and referred me to it today - if you check the reference number, it is unique to you and will be on Natwest letters from Collections too, at the top in a load of random letters.

The main reason its different from the 9015 is because it allows us to track how successful different means of contacting customers are being. Also,when someone replies to a text, we get a "whisper" telling us its a text reply, and so know to ask for the reference number (as people generally don't have their sort code and account number when out and about); branches have a different number to call us with again, as do customer service centres etc. If you get an outbound call from Nottingham, I think you get the same number come through.

Paybycard is also genuine, and aimed at reducing call volumes by giving customers an alternative means to make card payments than calling. www.natwest.com is obviously genuine, and if you look at the address bar, you are redirected, but still in a subdirectory of natwest.com. If you have a look around online, you'll see that that address (the URL) isn't something that can be faked.

You'll be contacted on that number due to arrears, overdrafts beyond their limits (or accounts without overdrafts that are overdrawn for whatever reason), or current and student accounts that are in overdraft facilities and haven't been credited for some time (are "dormant").

Collections staff will ask for payments; its in your interests and ignoring the situation all together is the best way to make sure you mess up your credit file and let things get out of hand. Once you've gone through ID, staff can tell you any details concerning the account, but agreed, data protection can be a bit of a catch 22 on this. . If you really are *that* worried about it, go into branch and ask them to put you through to the Collections Department... I'm sure it would be pretty hard to run a scam branch, so at least you know you're safe there.

I just typed that in my own time... I really need something better to do with my life. ^.^

I have recived this text and several phone calls regarding natwest i do not have a natwest account but the site is natwest i have called them my phone is a work number but the chap who had it before me used it as a contact number i found them rude so am glad i do not have an account with them.

I received a message and rang the number. The person who answered said it was Birmingham Collections centre. I shall contact the bank asap just to be on the safe side.

I work for natwest and am a regular poster on bank charges forums. The number is legitimate in spite of what it may say on yahoo questions and answers. The minisite of natwest is also GENUINE. Sorry if you think it is a scam but you are wrong.As Dan has said, many people think it is a scam but in this modern age there are all sorts of ways of contacting people. We do not use EMAIL however, so any email purporting to be from natwest to confirm details is a scam. 0845 303 9015 is Birmingham Collections 0845 303 9014 is the text number they use.

Can anyone confirm if this number is genuine -  0845 3008437 and, if so, is there an alternate number to call as I am abroad and cannot get through to the above number.

thanks in advance