Having a blocked bank account is a concern for any customer, mainly because it can prevent withdrawals, payments, transfers and even direct debits. In a situation like this, it is essential to understand the origin of the block and confirm the information directly with the bank, using only official contacts.
According to him, there are four main reasons that can lead to an account being blocked: outdated personal data, death of one of the holders, suspicion of fraud and the existence of a legal or judicial basis. The regulator also warns that many scams begin with false messages saying that the account has been blocked.
When the problem is missing data
One of the most frequent reasons is linked to the lack of updating customer data. The BdP explains that banking institutions must periodically review their customers’ information and that, when requests are ignored several times, the account may be temporarily blocked. Before that, the bank must indicate which data or documents remain undelivered.
In these cases, the customer must contact the bank through official channels, confirm which information is missing and update the data or deliver the requested documents. The recommendation also involves always keeping personal information updated with the banking institution.
Death of a holder and suspicions of fraud can also lead to blocking
In collective accounts, the death of one of the account holders may justify an exceptional block, so that the balance existing on the date of death can be determined. Even so, this blockage should not last more than one business day from the moment the bank receives formal knowledge of the death, and the remaining co-holders must be informed.
Also for security reasons, an account may be limited. If the bank detects suspicious movements or several failed access attempts with wrong passwords, it can block cards, applications and, if this is provided for in the contract, the account itself. In these situations, the customer must confirm with the bank the reason for the block and check whether there were operations that were not authorized.
There are cases in which blocking results from the law
The blocking may also result from a legal obligation or a court decision. The BdP gives as an example the execution processes, in which banks receive seizure orders and are obliged to capture certain amounts in the account, preventing their movement up to the defined limit. The customer can ask the bank for clarification, except when there is a legal impediment to providing this information.
The banking entity itself recalls that “captivity” or account blocking is an exceptional measure. As a rule, it should only occur with the agreement of the holder or in cases provided for by law, such as criminal proceedings, insolvency, seizures, seizures, measures to combat money laundering or situations related to the death of a holder.
Most important alert: false messages
The BdP also leaves an important warning about scams. There are scams in which the victim receives an email, an SMS or a call informing them that their account has been compromised or blocked, and is then tricked into clicking a link, logging in or sharing a code sent via SMS. According to the regulator, this is a common phishing method.
When faced with a message of this type, the recommendation is not to click on links, not to download attachments, not to provide personal data and not to share access credentials. Contact with the bank must always be made through official channels, never through the numbers or calls sent in the message itself.
Banco de Portugal also reminds us that no bank asks for authentication codes via email, SMS or telephone. Therefore, any request of this type must be seen as a warning sign and confirmed directly with the banking institution.
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