# Struggling To Get Money Out Of Spanish Bank Account



## BigKVinney (Dec 18, 2011)

My wifes parents used to visit spain every winter for 4 months and have always used a Cam bank account in which they have about 7000 euros. To withdraw money they always used a cashcard. This year my father in law has been ill and will not be able to travel to Spain anymore.

We have sent emails to Cam requesting information how we can close the accounts and they never reply. We have also tried ringing but they refuse to speak in any other language but Spanish.

Can anybody provide advice how we can close the bank account and retrieve the money.

You help would be much appreciated.


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## lynn (Sep 25, 2008)

BigKVinney said:


> My wifes parents used to visit spain every winter for 4 months and have always used a Cam bank account in which they have about 7000 euros. To withdraw money they always used a cashcard. This year my father in law has been ill and will not be able to travel to Spain anymore.
> 
> We have sent emails to Cam requesting information how we can close the accounts and they never reply. We have also tried ringing but they refuse to speak in any other language but Spanish.
> 
> ...


Presumably, your inlaws haven't got online banking for the account? 

It must be very frustrating trying to sort this out from the UK, but if you think about it, it's not unreasonable for them to only speak Spanish, as it is a Spanish bank! I'd be very surprised if I phoned a UK bank and wanted to speak in Spanish....
You can sign up for Cam direct online banking, but a letter will be sent to the address that the account is linked to. If this is a Spanish address, is there anyone your inlaws trust to go and get the letter and send on to them in the UK? Once they have internet banking, they could make a swift transfer of the funds back to the UK, and send them a secure online message to close the account.


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## BigKVinney (Dec 18, 2011)

lynn said:


> Presumably, your inlaws haven't got online banking for the account?
> 
> It must be very frustrating trying to sort this out from the UK, but if you think about it, it's not unreasonable for them to only speak Spanish, as it is a Spanish bank! I'd be very surprised if I phoned a UK bank and wanted to speak in Spanish....
> You can sign up for Cam direct online banking, but a letter will be sent to the address that the account is linked to. If this is a Spanish address, is there anyone your inlaws trust to go and get the letter and send on to them in the UK? Once they have internet banking, they could make a swift transfer of the funds back to the UK, and send them a secure online message to close the account.



Hi Lynn

Thanks for your reply... we cannot sign for internet banking as we need a residence number which we dont have.


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

BigKVinney said:


> Hi Lynn
> 
> Thanks for your reply... we cannot sign for internet banking as we need a residence number which we dont have.


I know it would be a slow process, but until such time as you get it sorted out properly could you not gradually withdraw most of the cash via cashpoints in the UK.? Maybe just leaving enough to cover any outstanding bills or charges.


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## Surfin USA (Nov 11, 2011)

Linking this problem to the thread on Euro Evacuation, am I right believing that it is an EU wide rule that EU governments underwrite the €100,000 deposited in one of their banks?

Given the possible scenarios under discussion would this still apply?

God forbid this Sunday paper story precipitates a run on the banks & so a self forefilling proficy.

The very last thing we want.


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## xicoalc (Apr 20, 2010)

BigKVinney said:


> My wifes parents used to visit spain every winter for 4 months and have always used a Cam bank account in which they have about 7000 euros. To withdraw money they always used a cashcard. This year my father in law has been ill and will not be able to travel to Spain anymore.
> 
> We have sent emails to Cam requesting information how we can close the accounts and they never reply. We have also tried ringing but they refuse to speak in any other language but Spanish.
> 
> ...


I am not 100% sure on cost, but have you considered contacting a Gestor. They should be able to get power of attorney to deal with the matter and close the account/send on money. This may be more complicated being out of the country but many lawyers in the UK have links to those in Spain and vica versa... I am sure that you could get round attending notaries with a UK notary and hague apostile etc. Could cost a few hundred but depends how urgently you want the money back!

Very surprised that you can't have internet or phone banking as non resident. Cam are trying hard to keep as much money as they can! Having said that, if you have a non resident account then there must be ways of instructing them remotely regarding your account, if not over the phone then by post. Again, maybe a Gestor could advise you on this.


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## jp1 (Jun 11, 2011)

My first piece of advise is to speak to the bank, on the phone, and ask them how you can close the account, transfer the money etc and then go from there.

How do you speak to them on the phone???

There are 100,000s of Spanish speakers in the UK, either Spanish nationals or English Spanish speakers. Ask around your friends, children of friends and find a fluent Spanish speaker.

Sit down with them and phone the bank. That is the first starting point and see what the bank advise.


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## algorfa (May 12, 2007)

Hi,
I have an account with CAM bank and am not a resident and have internet banking, but I did sign up for it when I opened the account. I also have another account with another bank but I can not get internet banking without going into the branch which holds my account. I did go into my local branch in spain, but was told that as the account was not held with them, they could not help.


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