Reply to: Barclays Business Banking telling me I can't be an IT consultant

[Martin at NixonWilliams]

I'm being harrassed by bar lays business banking, letters (which I hadn't opened) and now repeated phone calls.

I'd been fobbing them off thinking it was just a sales pitch but they told me today that they are about to send a letter stating that unless I respond they will ask me to move my account elsewhere.

So I said to fire away with questions and the first was that they needed to know more about what I did. They had been told that IT consultant is no longer acceptable. They needed to know which sectors I work in. I've worked in finance for years but don't like the idea of being labelled with that restriction. My skills cross sectors, so I'm a consultant. And what business is it if theirs anyway. So they asked what sectors I was in, I just repeated the list they suggested. The. They asked if I worked in the gambling industry, "because it is high risk".

Wtf? I'm pretty sure it is Barclays but I'm taken back that I would have to provide this (they claimed regulatory) and that even if I did code for a gambling company, why would that make me or my company higher risk.

Anyone else had this from Barclays or any other bank?

Anyone recommend a bank to go to that is to going to waste my time with types phone calls and letters?

This is becoming more and more of a problem with nearly all of the banks.

They ask who you are working for, what the main activities are, which countries you are working in etc. in order to identify what they consider high risk areas.

I met with Cater Allen recently and two of the examples they gave were people working in certain countries and for military organisations.

I'm still not entirely sure why it is up to the bank to do this but it is becoming a bit of a problem.

I hope this helps.

Martin

[NotAllThere]

Did they not have "cleaner" as an option?

No, they seem to have skipped the service industry side completely.

[TheFaQQer]

I had this problem when registering with el reg. None of their sectors match what I do. I work in the pharmaceutical industry, in manufacturing, for a consultancy, and for a software house.

Did they not have "cleaner" as an option?

[NotAllThere]

I had this problem when registering with el reg. None of their sectors match what I do. I work in the pharmaceutical industry, in manufacturing, for a consultancy, and for a software house.

[Paddy]

I'm being harrassed by bar lays business banking, letters (which I hadn't opened) and now repeated phone calls.

I'd been fobbing them off thinking it was just a sales pitch but they told me today that they are about to send a letter stating that unless I respond they will ask me to move my account elsewhere.

So I said to fire away with questions and the first was that they needed to know more about what I did. They had been told that IT consultant is no longer acceptable. They needed to know which sectors I work in. I've worked in finance for years but don't like the idea of being labelled with that restriction. My skills cross sectors, so I'm a consultant. And what business is it if theirs anyway. So they asked what sectors I was in, I just repeated the list they suggested. The. They asked if I worked in the gambling industry, "because it is high risk".

Wtf? I'm pretty sure it is Barclays but I'm taken back that I would have to provide this (they claimed regulatory) and that even if I did code for a gambling company, why would that make me or my company higher risk.

Anyone else had this from Barclays or any other bank?

Anyone recommend a bank to go to that is to going to waste my time with types phone calls and letters?

Small Business Banking, Business Bank Accounts & Prepaid Credit Cards

The Cashplus Business Account is better than a Business Bank Account

No stupid questions, cost £40 to open and ready in 24hours

[vetran]

just tell them that you do porn sites!

[tractor]

....

Just tell them you are into LIBOR and gold market rigging and you sell dodgy financial products and insurance....you will fit right in

[SueEllen]

I'm registered as a Management Consultant though as I do PM, PMO and BI work so perhaps this is viewed differently by banks than IT Consultant and I would take my business elsewhere if they tried to make things difficult ... it's not like the bank is taking on much risk in letting you have a bank account as there is usually no overdraft facility anyway on business accounts.

Tell them you are a management consultant and list every industry you have ever worked in/for whether you were permie or a contractor as your market. Bank staff are generally to thick to understand what small businesses require.

[redgiant]

I'm registered as a Management Consultant though as I do PM, PMO and BI work so perhaps this is viewed differently by banks than IT Consultant and I would take my business elsewhere if they tried to make things difficult ... it's not like the bank is taking on much risk in letting you have a bank account as there is usually no overdraft facility anyway on business accounts.

Gambling has no more high risk than any other business in "financial services" IMHO. The sector is very active at the moment (I'm currently doing some work for a gambling/online gaming client - 3rd time now for two different clients) and I get several calls a month about roles in the usual places and also in Gibraltar & Malta.

[cojak]

I've got an account already. My issue is that I suspect it's an attempt to garner further information about that bears no relevance to the running of my account.

They charge me by transaction so after the first year free I minimised my transactions. They keep sending me letters to take loans and buy services. So I'm not making them as much as they'd like.

If what they want is required by regulatory then fair dinkum, but it sounds like they either want data to sell/use or they want rid of me.

On reflection I hope this isn't spreading. I've just discovered that I can't apply for the new Barclaycard Business credit card, probably for the same reason (they don't make as much money from me as they do from the big boys).

[retrodeath]

Gambling is only high risk of you are the one sticking 50 quid on Saucy Sue in the 3:30 at Kempton.

Exactly.

[retrodeath]

So tell them you're a plumber or a stripper or something. Who cares as long as you get an account?

I've got an account already. My issue is that I suspect it's an attempt to garner further information about that bears no relevance to the running of my account.

They charge me by transaction so after the first year free I minimised my transactions. They keep sending me letters to take loans and buy services. So I'm not making them as much as they'd like.

If what they want is required by regulatory then fair dinkum, but it sounds like they either want data to sell/use or they want rid of me.

[speling bee]

Import / export.

[cojak]

I'm an IT consultant and my industry is Information Technology. I've worked across numerous sectors - Pharma, Finance, Manufacturing, Distribution etc etc - but as far as I am concerned and as far as Barclays are concerned, my industry is IT.

Simple.

WCMS - I've never had a problem with Barclays.

[ChimpMaster]

Why would it restrict you?

Just tell them what they want to hear.

I'm an IT consultant and my industry is Information Technology. I've worked across numerous sectors - Pharma, Finance, Manufacturing, Distribution etc etc - but as far as I am concerned and as far as Barclays are concerned, my industry is IT.

Simple.