
Ask HN: Revolut account frozen – this has to be illegal? - Wicklow
Hi 
This is my first post (will post screenshots eventually)<p>So 
I decide to move to revolut and start using them for some of my spending.  After a few months I passed my 30k top up limit for the year. I then proceeded to send proof of income and all that sort of stuff onto them . Within a day my limit was lifted to 70k within 1 year .<p>All was going well , I was telling all my mates to get the app as vs a normal bank, interacting and using revoult for daily spending was amazing  ( especially the premium service ...which I paid for ) until some time in September&#x2F;October . My account suddenly was frozen .<p>I contacted support via in app chat and they asked for me to yet again prove my income . I happily obliged.<p>So here is the bit that drives me up the wall and cannot be legal and if it is it shouldn&#x27;t be .  The live chat support turned around and told me that they were closing down my account as they did not  like how I was spending my money. They then refused to go on a phone call or tell me any further details . Then then insinuated that I was engaged in unlawful behavior.<p>Then the kicker is ....I can no longer use the in app live chat .<p>So all those with revolut , stop using it . They are an absolute joke and shouldn&#x27;t be allowed operate if they can just suddenly close peoples accounts ( I know they are not a bank yet , I think they got a license in the uk in the past month but thats beside the point) and insinuate that their paying customers are engaged in illegal activities without providing evidences and I am no lawyer , but you cant just go around accusing people of being a criminal ( I am not , I am a college student studying Theoretical Physics)   .<p>I will post screenshots at some point , but be warned I do loss my cool.
======
rajacombinator
They actually can, will, and are often legally obligated by regulators to shut
down any accounts with suspicious activity for AML reasons. Not sure what you
were using them for, but as a Theoretical Physics student running 70k through
their service, it’s likely you were pushing the limits of what was acceptable.
If you’re going to play this game, be prepared to deal with the consequences.

~~~
Wicklow
U made the assumption that a theoretical student wouldn't have that money to
spend (leave your bias at the door , u dont know my age ) . I sent proof of
income to them 2 times . They were happy with that . Just didnt like how I was
spending my money ... Which I think is absurd and in live chat they flat out
insinuated I was engaged in unlawful activities. They then wouldnt do a live
phone call, banned me from asking questions on facebook ...

The thing is revoult is a great platform , I loved them . Now if they ever end
up becoming even bigger I am bared from the platform . So thats where I have a
major issue .

~~~
Wicklow
Also u say anti money laundering ... see u cannot just ban people on suspicion
epsically when your officially now a bank . Also if I was doing illegal stuff
hahhah why would I complain online

All purchases where done in retail stores . My bank never had a problem with
it . I moved to revoult as the ability to get costume cards , live chat (as a
premium customer ) and turn off your bank card if u lost it and get a new one
within 3 days

------
paulcole
> I am no lawyer , but you cant just go around accusing people of being a
> criminal

Isn't this exactly what you're doing to Revolut with this post?

Honestly, chalk this one up as a loss and count yourself lucky that you didn't
get funds frozen or lost because of this.

~~~
Wicklow
I was asking a question not making not making a acquisition . Two different
things. Cant loss your funds man , I am in the eu . Now that would be illegal
.

------
Wicklow
Actually a small fact I forgot to mention . They banned me from commenting on
their facebook page

------
Wicklow
Ok I am new here and is have been brought to my attention that I have gone
about this the wrong way . So let me start again and do this properly (unable
to edit post) I used revoult for a period of about 5-6 months . I used it for
part of my spending, then eventually moved over all of it (note my bank
account with a normal high street bank never had any issues with my spending ,
as there is nothing illegal about it )

Technically the app had no flaws that I noticed .

So reasons I moved to revoult : 1.Customer support was great via live chat
(especially if you paid for premium, as you would get preference in the line
to speak with a customer support agent ) 2.I am a very risk adverse person so
, I use my main bank account to protect my savings and I avoid using my debit
card at all costs as if any money was very taken out by someone else using my
card it would be very difficult to get it back (ie if any fraud ever
occurred). The traditional alternative to this problem is to use a credit card
, but I didn't want to have pay off a balance at the end of every month (as if
I forget it could be very costly for me ) . This is where revoult suited
perfectly . I just set up my revoult as a payee and sent money to it via my
main bank account and this provided the layer of protection I wanted. 3\. This
ties in with the 2nd part . Revoult allows the user to deactivate ones card
via the app. This was a brilliant feature that I loved as it gave me that
piece of mind. 4\. Replacement cards, they would arrive within 1-3 days which
is brilliant . 5\. Could have up to 3 cards attached to an account. Since I
regularly forget which pocket I put my wallet in I just put the cards in my
wallet, in one of my coats and last one in my room as spare (just in case) 6\.
I love data , so the ability to track all my spending habits in one place
(could see shop name, time of transaction and amount) was excellent. Then the
data also was available in pdf form for me to print of at the end of the month
or when ever I wanted . I think you could also transfer data to excel or
google sheets . I am aware this is a double edged sword as they are getting
lots of priceless data on a users spending habits , but this was a cost I was
willing to put up with (for anyone who watched the show the prisoner ,
starring Patrick McGoohan , I would say you already feel like your living in
the village )

These are the main reasons I used revoult . So on to the issues I had.

As expected I had to prove my income once my spending was fully moved over. I
had no issue with this . I actually preferred it as it gave me the feeling
that they were more legitimate.

So after I passed 20k (limit was 30k at this point ) I asked to raise the
limit and they happily did so (went to 70k ). Then after a few months my
account was suddenly frozen. I asked what was wrong . They said my account was
under review . I sent in all supporting documents (even though my bank never
asked for this kind of stuff) and then was told by an under qualified customer
support person that they didn't mind my source of income , they just didn't
like where and how I spent my money . The support staff then insinuated that I
engage in illegal activities ( and therefore implied I was a criminal ). I
asked to speak to someone higher up as this person was not reading my messages
properly. They were not aware of what their messages where implying . I was
then passed on . Was given the same response that they do not like how i spend
my money . I requested a phone call on many occasions . Was refused (which I
think is a major problem if your company is now a bank )and then blocked from
using live chat .

So to conclude . I went above and beyond what is reasonable , when it comes to
proving that income was legitimate and that my spending was legal ( I have
never been accused of illegal spending , I spent all the money at high street
stores ). I was refused any phone calls and had my account suspended. I am no
legal expert , but soloy on principle I find this to be wrong.

I had great hopes for this start up . I just find it very dangerous when you
are at the whim of others.

------
Wicklow
I will answer any and all questions

~~~
slater
To answer my one and only question:

"Revolut Ltd is a UK financial technology company that offers banking services
including a pre-paid debit card, currency exchange, cryptocurrency exchange
and peer-to-peer payments."

And founded by two Russians.

[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Revolut](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Revolut)

~~~
Wicklow
Could u clarity what u mean/ are asking ?

~~~
slater
Not asking anything :)

Just noting that it's a financial services company founded (run?) by two
Russians, and, reading through the Wikipedia article, with some parts
facilitated by a Lithuanian bank. Taken individually, not really that
noteworthy, but I'd be wary of doing any business with such a setup.

~~~
Wicklow
hahahah yes your 100% correct, but I still think its important that people
know that this start up are assholes and if they are going to become a bank
...God help us

~~~
slater
Just to be certain: You got your money back/out, yes? If so, name-calling
isn't productive (rarely is), and there's approximately 10 squintillion other
banks you could choose, so uhh... cut your losses (can't write on their FB
page? Those _monsters_!) and let them worry about their Lithu-Russian online
crypto-enabled Super-Duper-Bank :)

And report them to company house, I guess?

~~~
Wicklow
Good point about the name calling , but u cant just silence people on facebook
and in your app if your a company without good reason ( this aint the ussr).
Yes I got my money sent back to me . I am off to bed ( its 02:31 where I live
atm)

