From: "Jeremy Goff" 
Newsgroups: uk.finance
Subject: Re: Cant have a bank account! How about a credit card?
Date: Mon, 8 Nov 2004 09:16:07 -0000


"jamesM"  wrote in message
news:aw5jd.29775$Fu2.8283@fe1.news.blueyonder.co.uk...
> Friends son, now 18 went into his local branch to enquire about
"upgrading"
> his teenager account to a normal current account (and hopefully a £50
> overdraft just ti help with cashflow if wages are late clearing etc). He
> currently pays in wages of around £1200 a month and take most of it back
out
> again via ATM. He has no borrowing or other cards.
>
> Girl on the desk in the bank tooks details and copies of ID (passport,
bank
> statement etc even though he had an account their for the last 15 years),
> and was then told that the banked declined the account and he would not be
> able to open a current account at all (with or without overdraft) The girl
> said "the computer usually gives a reason for declining" but no reason was
> given and the girl in the bank couldnt see a reason why.
>
> He was advised that it was not a problem as he could keep his exisiting
> account until he was 19 - but why dont you apply for a credit card? The
> clerk filled in the details and told him that he would receive details in
> the post. A couple of days later a letter arrives to say the application
has
> been accepted, and he received a Platinum Card with a £4500 credit limit?
>
> So the same bank refuses even to upgrade an existing account to a standard
> current account - get gives a platinum credit card with a immediate credit
> limit of £4500?
>
> Any else experienced a similar situation? -
>
>
It wouldn't surprise me if "the computer" that declined the application
reminded the clerk ( on the same screen) that if they got the customer to
apply for a credit card they would get a pay bonus!

Banks prefer customer  in debt rather than to run a current account in
credit.