[center]Natwest on line banking have a security screen which advises that if you have been asked on line for pin or password, this did not originate from Natwest. Requests that you call to advise if this happens on 0845 from UK and if abroad (44) 870 2430 464. Complained to RBS Executives office about the policy of using 0870 numbers from abroad due to 1) I believe difficulty of connection using 0870 from certain countries (please can any of the experts on the site please give me an insight into if this is true and why, as RBS stated they had been told by their telephony supplier that 0870 would connect worldwide) 2) Cost of dialling an 0870 number from abroad is very expensive. Here I was in difficulty as I did not know the actual cost or how it would be calculated-can anybody please give  me any details. It appears that they are prepared to jepodise security for a small amount of profit from 0870 as they do not give an alternative geographic number, I am waiting for a call from the policy division so any help prior to receiving that call would be greatly appreciated. >:(

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Here I was in difficulty as I did not know the actual cost or how it would be calculated-can anybody please give  me any details.

I use a VoIP provider as well as Skype from the USA. For normal (geographic) calls to UK numbers, Skype charges 2.1c/minute and my provider Viatalk 2.3c/minute.

Skype charges 18.1c/min to "UK Shared Cost" numbers (0870) and Viatalk charge 19.2c/min to "UK Special Numbers" (448) - so about EIGHT times more expensive.

You can divide those by two to get price per minute in pence. Yep, the poor old greenback is not doing too well at the moment..... :(

I also looked at a couple of Australian telco rates. They don't split off 087x numbers . I have heard that it can be difficult to call these numbers from Oz. They may be treated as "mobile" numbers, which attract (typically) a surcharge of 30c (AU) per minute - about 12p extra per minute, ...if you can actually get through.

I used to have an account with Natwest, and also wrote to them to complain about the 0870 number, amongst other things. They totally ignored my comment. I closed the account! It's the only way to treat these d**kheads!  ;D