A Premium Bonds saver was at their wits’ end after a year-long ordeal to check their old Bonds for prizes.
The exasperated customer reached out to NS&I over X for help with the problem. They said: “I have made countless phone calls, written to you in the post, and you are not replying or helping me at all.
“I have some old Premium Bonds from the 1960s and I want to know if I have won any prizes on them. Please advise me what to do next.”
NS&I responded to first ask if their details on their account were up to date, such as their name and address.
They also sent them a link to the prize checker on the group’s website and said they could check their Bonds for prizes there.
The frustrated saver said this is “exactly the kind of reply I have been receiving” but it had been no help to date.
They explained: “To be clear, the Bond number I have is only six numbers long because it is from the 1960s. It always says that the number is not recognised -they’re not digital numbers – pieces of paper that are 60 years old.”
NS&I then said that in this case, they would recommend the customer write in to them about the issue. They said to include certain details such as their name, date of birth, current and former addresses, as well as any information they have about the Bonds.
But the customer said they had tried this route before as well but likewise to no avail.
They stated: “I already wrote to you exactly as you said to this same address, photocopies of the Bonds. That was 6 to 8 weeks ago, I’ve had no reply.
“I’ve been pursuing this whole thing for nearly a year now – please can you tell me what to do.”
The provider then asked them to send a direct message with their phone number, so a representative could give them a call about the matter.
NS&I recently announced it would be cutting the prize fund rate for Premium Bonds from the current 4.4 percent down to 4.15 percent.
This change will come into effect from the December draw, which would have some 260,000 fewer prizes than the October draw.
There will continue to be two £1million jackpot prizes in each draw, with each £1 Bond having an equal chance of winning.
The odds of winning are also to fall, dropping from 21,000 to one to 22,000 to one.
