God, Ubank are snakes (missed email about the increase from $200 to $500)

I missed the email earlier last year where Ubank changed the rules on earning bonus interest from $200 to $500 - you have to deposit in excess of that balance to qualify for interest. You effectively get zero interest if you don't see these rule changes in time. This was effective from 1 July 2024, apparently. So seven months. Zero interest on a $170k odd balance. I had continued to deposit $250 a month thinking everything was okay.

Lost about $6K in interest. What absolute shysters.

Yes, I should have been looking at it more closely. I was busy with kids, work, etc. Didnt see the email.

Must be at least hundreds of people in the same boat. Ubank must be absolutely minting it off tactics like this.

Lost about 2K when they changed their BSB and payments sent to the old BSB didnt qualify.

Pretty depressing really. No one can afford a house anymore and you have to deal with coin clipping antics like this from supposedly reputable financial institutions.

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Comments

      • +4

        If you spent more time on the Ozbargain forums and saw that discussion you could have saved $6000.

        • -3

          Sure thing mate. And if I'd listened to the drug dealer that told me to invest in Bitcoin one night in the pub in 2015 I'd be a millionaire.

          • @cannedhams: You still don’t get it. Facts vs fiction. OzB discussions about UBank terms were facts. Bitcoin analogy would be fiction.

  • +5

    OP gonna be annoyed when they attempt to withdraw from their savings account too.

    • +2

      Heh, honestly that change is probably the most annoying one.

      • Agreed. Not being able to transfer directly from a savings account to a recipient anymore and instead needing to move it to the transaction account first is definitely annoying.

        • +1

          I hate that one the most since the tech was already there before. They spent effort to enshitify it

    • Whats that about? Is there anything stopping you from withdrawing ?

  • +14

    Why didn't you check your bank account? I check each of my HI accounts each month to ensure expected interest is being paid.

      • +15

        You don't check your bank balance for 6 months?

          • +4

            @cannedhams: Less than the amount that would stop someone checking their account for half a year.

      • +3

        Time spent on ozbargain says no

      • +2

        You don't have a spare 30 seconds?

      • +19

        No one is so time poor that they can't find two mins in a 30 day period to quickly log in and scan their savings account. No one.

        If you're that time poor, setting up a simple calendar reminder is all you needed to do.

      • +9

        You should be checking all of your accounts at least monthly, bank and credit. What if someone had gained access to your account and drained it? Do you check for fraudulent charges on your CCs? It literally takes a few minutes per month. Do it while you on the loo if you have to.

      • +4

        So time poor, can't find 5-minutes to check bank accounts, but can find plenty of time to answer forum comments. 🤔

        PS: My wife and I both worked full time whilst raising 3-kids,so I call bullshit on your 'time poor', you are simply lazy.

  • +3

    This is why I don't use uBank anymore. I found them to be dodgy and always changing their rules on a whim, and their CS operators were incompetent.

    • Agree if you dont have the time (or mental capacity) to stay on top of their ever changing rules then stick it in a HISA without the prerequisites, or a term deposit. AMP term deposits have offered >5% for ages and still do.

  • +5

    It's hard to miss an email nowadays because you can get them on your hand phone. My grandson helped me to set it up so when I receive an email my phone "dings". If you miss the "ding" you can see the message in your notifications bar.

    Also when I look at my account in the app it prominently displays "Activate bonus interest for this month by depositing $500.00".

    Take this as a lesson to pay more attention to details. I know it can be hard sometimes. There, there.

    • Yes, I have a phone. Mine dings as well. It dings quite a lot actually, usually with emails that are mundane and routine in nature. I didn't see this email. Yes it cost me $6,000.00. Congratulations to the NAB for getting one up on me. 1-nil to them I guess.

      Someone up the thread mentioned notifications as well. I didn't receive that notification, possibly because I have other notifications such as "Activate your card and start using it in seconds" - I have ignored this because I don't particularly care to use their card.

      • -5

        You could lodge a formal complaint.
        They may offer partial compensation.
        If they won't you could threaten to complain to AFCA.
        You may lose but they might pay you something to get rid of you.

        On a seperate topic if you are 46, in your income producing prime, and all you have in the world is $170k cash - you should consider investing at least a portion of that into growth assets to give yourself a sporting chance of not having all your purchasing power errored by inflation.

        • -1

          Thanks for the message and the suggestions. I appreciate it.

        • lol

        • Yes with bigger banks they may pay something to get rid of it if it goes to AFCA. AFCA case fees are quite significant so the banks will sometimes do a deal to avoid them (plus time spent on the matter).

          I would say that if it went to an AFCA decision you would lose as the bank clearly provided notice (by email). Also the bank would have data of when you logged into the account and AFCA would likely take the view that if you logged in after the change first impacted your interest then you are no notice from that point anyway.

  • +10

    Next time, read your emails.

    🤣🤣🤣

    • +6

      Bonus interest lovers enjoy this one simple trick. Follow me for more great financial tips.

      • +7

        Snaky banks hate this one trick…

        • -1

          I'm thinking I need to do a video mash up of the Simpsons' snake whacking day episode, but with the snakes having the Ubank logo on them

          This could be my viral moment. I will go down in history as the "ubank snakes guy"

      • +2

        Your ideas intrigue me and I wish to subscribe to your newsletter.

        • +4

          Click subscribe and don't forget to smash that like button.

  • +5

    🎻

  • +16

    Ubank are snakes
    What absolute shysters.
    Ubank must be absolutely minting it off tactics like this.
    …and you have to deal with coin clipping antics like this…

    ?

    Yes, I should have been looking at it more closely. I was busy with kids, work, etc. Didnt see the email.

    60+ comments racked up on OzBargain since July 2024

    You know what you've done, accept it and move on

      • +2

        No worries cobber, keep those eyes peeled and ears close to the ground

        • -6

          Just joking mate, you don't think I'm going to take this to AFCA at the very least? They can spit up a rope.

          • +12

            @cannedhams: If you were as aggressive in monitoring your bank accounts as you are with dishing out responses in this thread, you would have no issue

            • -3

              @[Deactivated]: I've honestly done my best to be pleasant and good spirited in my interactions in this thread, notwithstanding that some of the responses to me have been direct, to say the least. If I've upset you, then I apologise; that certainly was not my intention.

              • +8

                @cannedhams: You've forgotten haven't you?

                cannedhams on 04/03/2014 - 10:32 - First Home Saver Account Abolished?
                I got one just to make risk free returns that I could then throw into super.
                Thanks to all the taxpayers out there for the $4000. I'm grateful for small favours.

                As foxmulder calculated below for you

                Ubank's interest for savings up to $100k is 5.5%, anything above this amount is 5% ~ half a year interest for $170k is $4,500.

                The $4K in taxpayer funded "risk free returns" you made 10 years ago, you've just returned that back to NAB as $4.5K in today's dollars so actually, you're still ahead

                Karma works in mysterious ways so live a life of integrity if you want to avoid more tales of woe in the future

                I wish you well

                • -7

                  @[Deactivated]: I'll be honest with you mate, I had absolutely and totally forgotten that because it was ten years ago. I didn't realise it had left such an impact on you. Frankly, I'm amazed. Truly. You had honestly been holding it against me all this time?

                  I can only hope that, notwithstanding the bitter sting of sorrow that a random internet user's jocular comment that wasn't personally directed at you from ten years ago, that you have been able to live a fulfilling life in the meantime. I would despair for the fate of humanity if it were otherwise.

                  And yeah, I trousered $4K from the first home saver account. Perfectly legal and no different from the tradies claiming concessions on their 150K Ford Rangers. I've certainly paid plenty of tax in the meantime.

  • To be fair, I have a few different bank accounts with high interest rates and bonus criteria for each month, and most apps will actually show if you've earned the bonus interest that month, or if you haven't what you need to do (e.g. deposit $XX more into your account / make 2 or 3 more transactions). Ubank's app and website doesn't show any of this - just what the bonus rate criteria are… nowhere does it say whether you've met these or not.

    I emailed their app team late last year to highlight this flaw - and provided examples of a few other bank apps - and they replied to basically say "thanks for the email… we've something like this coming in the next app update early next year". So the good news I guess is it should be easier to track this type of thing when that is released… although it'll still require users to actively monitor / use the app.

    • -2

      Thanks for posting this - most helpful.

      Someone up the thread mentioned losing interest due to them disabling Bpay payments. I also lost some money several years ago (fortunately much less than this) when I didnt see another email advising that they were disabling their automatic savings plan (from memory, you auto debited your primary account from within the ubank app/website). Seems it may be a systemic practice.

    • +5

      Ubank's app and website doesn't show any of this - just what the bonus rate criteria are… nowhere does it say whether you've met these or not.

      So very wrong. If you've met the criteria, there's a message on screen for the entire month that says "Bonus interest activated" and it has been like that for ages now.

      • +1

        I think his point is that other banks put that notification on the home page, you don't have to click through to the savings balance in order to see it.

        • +1

          other banks put that notification on the home page

          Sweeping generalisations about "other banks" aren't making your argument any more valid.

          you don't have to click through to the savings balance in order to see

          So you're expecting the main screen to be clogged up for all customers all because you can't take a whole 5 seconds to press your phone screen twice? 🤦🏻‍♂️

          • -1

            @KangaDrew: My gosh mate, I didnt realise how terrible it would be to have the home screen on the ubank app clogged up with some trifling message about me losing $1000 a month. Only now do I realise that it would detract from the pristine, aesthetic majesty of the swirling magenta backdrop contrasted against the soothing tones of the burnt ochre comic sans font.

            Thank God the NAB are such ardent defenders of artistic integrity, I'm now positive that pocketing vast sums of their depositors' money had nothing to do with it.

            • +1

              @cannedhams: You do realise that it's not a banks responsibility to tell their customers to deposit money into their account, when they've already given those customers full autonomy to manage their own finances from the very get-go, right?

              And they never "pocketed" your money 😂 You got paid the standard interest rate as per the T&C's. But because you didn't put in the required amount to activate the bonus interest, you didn't receive it. It's a simple concept.

              You can die on this hill if you like, but you'll be pretty isolated there on your own lol

              • -3

                @KangaDrew: All good mate, I'm having fun doing the dozens in the comments, showed this thread to my wife and she burst out laughing.

                Getting some nice DMs too which is appreciated.

                I hope Ubank realises what a loyal stan they have in you, and that your local NAB manager cries salt tears on your shoulder the next time you visit a branch.

                • +2

                  @cannedhams: Sounds like you and your wife are made for each other then. Confirmation bias is a wonderful thing, kudos.

                  • -2

                    @KangaDrew: I'm not sure. She took my phone scrolled, laughed and said "everyone on that web site is a massive sperg".

                    I mean, accurate, but still.

                    • +1

                      @cannedhams:

                      "everyone on that web site is a massive sperg".
                      I mean, accurate, but still.

                      But you're part of the "everyone on that web site" - saying something like that to your face is a bit harsh! It really is a shame that she thinks of you that way. You may wish to consider moving that 170k out of her reach as it sounds like things are going south; good luck!

                      • @KangaDrew: Nah mate, she's got a heart of gold. The sperg levels are pretty high here, lets be honest. I mean look at all the Raspberry Pi posts.

                        All the best to you and yours.

                    • @cannedhams: See my comment further down

  • +1

    Read your emails then? Problem solved!
    I fail to understand how this isn't a user-error as they informed you, you clearly don't pay attention to your emails so I fail to see how that's Ubanks problem. Pay attention!

    I just slut transfer $2000 between the different banks I use for their high interest rates (and other benefits) at the start of each month, which achieves the deposit target for that month and therefore I don't have to worry any deposit requirement changes. Takes like 2 minutes and the money just ends up in the preferred account.

    I also get in the habit of checking my accounts on the 1st of the month because I like seeing the interest hit my account! (Feels good)

    • -1

      There are literally a half-dozen reiterations of this exact point, in this exact thread, in addition to the fact that I said in the original post that I had not read the email and that was my bad.

      I fully realise that this will not dissuade people from chiming in to say the exact same thing another fifty times (literally another one appeared below you in the time it took me to post this). Sometimes I wonder though, why do people bother endlessly make the same exact derivative point in any given online discussion? Its like people get some sense of self-satisfaction from being the 373rd sheep to jump over the fence.

      Not a ding against you personally, just a random musing on human nature.

      • +2

        On a side note you should look up the definition of the word literally 😉

      • +1

        You should surely sympathise with people who are too time poor to read every comment?

  • +6

    I missed the email

    Yes you did, it was sent out. There was even a few threads about it on here.

    Lost about $6K in interest. What absolute shysters.

    No, that is on you, not them.

  • +3

    An SMS, from a "bank" that says click here to read the new t&C and to login to check your balance?

    Methinks you would have lost more than 6k

    • +1

      Sounds like OP is one deposit short of a bonus interest - if you catch my drift.

  • +3

    You should consider switching to Macquarie. No hoops to jump through.

    • Thanks, having a look now. The whole point of an interest bearing deposit is that its not a volatile investment, you shouldnt have to constantly monitor it. If you have to finely parse the bank's emails to make sure they're not fleecing you that kind of obviates the whole point.

      • +1

        Sounds like you shoul stick your money in a term deposit

      • +1

        How do you know Macquarie won't change their terms either?
        Just take it as an expensive lesson.

        • +4

          Because the CFO of Macquarie Bank personally visited my house, gave me a heartfelt assurance that he would never betray me and then planted on my lips a long and lingering kiss.

          • +1

            @cannedhams: Can't trust those CFO types they have wandering eyes

      • You're talking about a Term Deposit. A normal savings account typically alter in Interest rates and conditions.

  • +7

    Ubank's interest for savings up to $100k is 5.5%, anything above this amount is 5% ~ half a year interest for $170k is $4,500. Don't miss out January!

    There were 3 emails from Ubank from May to July informing me about the $500 payment requirement.

    • +1

      That is a good logical post with sound advice. The problem is the OP just put this up to rant. He isn’t really interested in what the real issue is or improving his position going forward. He wants to throw good money after bad to teach UBank a lesson. Frankly UBank won’t notice him going.

  • -7

    Ignore the bootlickers, corporate simps and sadists.
    I agree, they effed you over and probably countless others too.
    That's what banks do. They 'print' money out of nothing every time they issue a loan, they charge interest on that newly minted magic money numbers on a screen and try to screw you over on fees and interest receipts too. It's grubby.
    It's a tough lesson but make it a monthly chore to check all your accounts and any changes to fees and interest or other sneaky changes.

    • +2

      agree, they effed you over

      How exactly?

      • +2

        One thing I've noticed is that Australians have become obsessive brown-nosers for any kind of authority figure - banks, governments, whatever.

        We also favour taking some personal responsibility

    • -1

      Financial literacy courtesy of Jeremy Usborne.

  • +10

    Lol what a sook

    • -8

      You're here to sook about my sooking

      That makes you a sook-sook

      Or in your case, a sook-sook-chook

  • +2

    In the old days they would send exactly one letter to your mail box when making these kinds of changes. It if it got lost or you didn't read it, you just grinned and beared it. Now it's one email. This is the way things have always been done.

    • -1

      I would have preferred a physical letter, IMO. More difficult to overlook. I realise that our expectations for banks are pretty low, but I dont think with such a significant change that thats too much to ask.

      I wonder if the guy who is obsessively negging all my posts is still awake?

      • +9

        A bank should not waste an incredible amount of paper paper because you're incompetent

  • -2

    What did they say when you contacted them and complained? Did they offer a goodwill payment? Worth a shot. Failing that Lodge a complaint with the ombudsman. Nothing to lose here.

    • +1

      Agreed. Thanks for the post. When I last complained, they declined to do anything, but that complaint would still be within the AFCA time window (2 years). So if they decline this most recent one, I will escalate both complaints to AFCA.

      • You’ve got the complaining bit perfected.

  • +4

    I don't want to pile on but on the app it tells you when you have qualified for the bonus interest. Takes like 10 seconds.

    • +2

      Yes, I am now aware. Thank you for making me further aware.

  • +1

    be a snake charmer..
    follow the snakes.. ;)

  • +1

    https://www.macquarie.com.au/everyday-banking/savings-accoun…

    No hoops to worry about, but you'd still want to monitor over time to make sure it doesn't change.

  • +3

    "I missed an email from ubank and didn't check my saving account for ~200+ days but ubank is the problem"

    We cannot decide what you do with your time, only you can. Take some responsibilities for your actions, learn from it and move on.

    • +1

      Thanks Dad, it means a lot to me. You're the best barbecue salesman a man could ever hope for.

  • +2

    I’m in almost the exact situation. Realised two days ago.

    It’s ironic that I used to religiously check my savings accounts, and make sure they’ve qualified. Without fail, for at least the last 10 years. Like you, the last six months have been pretty full-on, much more stressful than usual. Family, kids, work, study. I stopped explicitly checking and didn’t realise I’ve been earning zero interest.

    At the end of the day, I accept I missed an email somewhere along the line, but when logging in to the app it wasn’t apparent on the Home Screen.
    Upon this realisation, my first response was that I’ll just move my money elsewhere. St George has less hoops for 5.15%, and still would’ve paid basic interest if you make no deposit. Will probably do that at the end of the month.

    • +1

      Sorry to hear that, honestly. My commiserations.

      Again, this is similar to what banks would do with credit cards. They would advertise a credit card with a low rate but extremely high penalty rates - usually something like 27.99% with a set fee of $50 for falling into default. Price sensitive customers could take advantage of the low headline rate. Vulnerable customers who might have been a day late ended up supplying the banks with most of their profits. Eventually we realised that this was an unethical business model and made them cease doing it. We still don't have similar rules for depositors.

      There's no particular justification for penalising people with zero interest. NAB will still happily lend those deposits out at 6.5% while paying depositors zero. Its basically a windfall to them if they can pay zero and therefore the incentive is there to make the changes as quietly as they can.

      Before I had kids, I would have been all over this, would have checked the app regularly. But yeah, once you're this harried and time poor its easy to overlook it. I haven't had a meal in a restaurant for several years now. Its just difficult to make time.

      If I can make one suggestion, I'd consider complaining and referring the matter to AFCA regardless. Costs nothing, and at least lets the regulator know that this is an issue.

      • +1

        I can relate to your situation, it’s not always black and white with individual circumstances. I won’t pretend I know everything about your situation nor do I expect people to understand my own. Life just ‘gets in the way’ sometimes.

        Looking back at the their emails, they were all spammy titles except for one sent 27th of May titled ‘Upcoming changes to your ubank General Terms’. Previous emails with titles like that talk about adding features about bills etc. Inconsequential really, so it’s something I would pass over due to the vague title, and I would classify as not sufficiently marked as important.

        The other emails people mention include the $500 deposit change?

        “Earn more on your savings up to 250k”

        Marketing fluff

        “Your savings are better off with ubank”

        Marketing fluff

        So I do put some onus on ubank to appropriately notify customers of a significant change in their deposit requirements by using better communication.

        Pufff
        You are just punishing yourself by moving to a lower rate.

        You’re also punishing ubank by voting with your feet.

        • +1

          An email from a bank is something I always look at. There might be something important as well as the fluff, and in this case there was. These “fluff” emails included a change in interest rates. That should make people take notice.

          So the information was in multiple emails and prominently displayed in the app. Frankly what I found extraordinary was the OP didn’t check his accounts for so long? Me, I check them several times a month to make sure nothing hinky is going on. I’m paranoid about scammers.

          Ubank won’t notice he has gone. There will be plenty of other people selecting the more attractive interest rate.

          The real learnings here is check your accounts regularly and pay attention to what your bank sends you. Here endeth the lesson.

    • +1

      Its super apparent in the app read the comments.
      You are just punishing yourself by moving to a lower rate.

  • +1

    Head over to Macquarie Bank. Rate is 5% plus and i don't think there's a monthly deposit requirement..

    • +1

      I will definitely do that. Sounds like Macquarie are the way to go. Maybe a few people will read this thread and make a similar decision as well. Can only hope.

      • +1

        I posted this under wrong point above so I am posting where you are more likely to read it

        (This was advised in April 2023)

        If you close a Save account during the month, you’ll forfeit any interest accrued (including base interest). See “Earning Interest” on page 19.

        So if you are thinking about leaving Ubank. Make sure you do it in a month with low balance. Ie take it all out the month before you close it

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