NatWest has suspended its Get Cash app, which allows users to withdraw cash without a debit card. According to the BBC, customers have been defrauded of hundreds of pounds by thieves using the Get Cash system. Get Cash, along with another system called Emergency Cash has only recently been launched, with both systems generating a security code allowing customers to withdraw money from cash machines.

One NatWest customer said they had lost more than GBP900 when fraudsters stole his money via the Get Cash app.  The customer said that he found that GBP950 has been taken from his account in August using a security code downloaded using a NatWest app. The money disappeared in 11 cash machine withdraws in just three days. Each one not exceeding the GBP100 limit NatWest imposes per cardless cash machine withdrawal.

However, the customer was registered only for online banking and not mobile banking, so was confused when told by NatWest he had been defrauded by an iPhone application for emergency cash – a scheme he was not signed up for.

At first NatWest accepted that he had not made the withdrawals, but subsequently accused him in a letter of giving his personal details to a fraudster via a phishing email – a claim he denied. NatWest said it had strong security measures in place for its Emergency Cash and Get Cash withdrawal systems but admitted fraudsters had in some instances been able to withdraw money using both systems.