Someone keeps locking me out of my online bank a/c

apples1

I made an online payment to him and was meant to include a ref number. I did the payment without the ref and he said he could only trace it by knowing our sort code and a/c number as payment would have gone into suspense a/c. Smile confirmed this. He was not a friend. He was an engineer who did some work for us.

As already posted everyone's sort code and a/c number are on every cheque you write so it's not secret info. Had I paid him by cheque he would have had the same info.

LittleVoice

Horace wrote: »

. Are you sure that you haven't used a simple password that they could easily replicate by hacking into your computer especially as you say they are particularly computer savvy.

Horace - You need to know how the Smile log in works.
It was partly explained in the OP.
You start by inputting sort code and account number - as printed on every cheque and not "secret" or any kind of a password in its own right.
Fortunately, as well as the 4 digit code number (from which you have to enter 2), you are also required to enter other security information to actually get at the account information.
The problem is that the first step (sort code and account) could provide the way in for anyone to get to the step where you get locked out.

Apples - if you need to call Smile again, try searching on saynoto0870 to get a geographical (or possibly freefone) number to call instead.

apples1

we have called smile again this eve. they have stopped internet access to our a/c and are now speaking to their fraud dept. They have issued us with a special password to use to gain phone access (in addition to other security info).

I told them date i made the online payment (and they could see that) and gave out our a/c number to the person. They now believe its not us and are going to come back to us on tues once spoken to fraud team.

JoseChungsDoomsday

they can tell what IP address is trying to access your account - all banks can, it just takes some digging up.

It amazes me that so many banks are going with Multi Factor authentication for their online banking and smile don't have this info on tap..

apples1

JoseChungsDoomsday wrote: »

they can tell what IP address is trying to access your account - all banks can, it just takes some digging up.

I will push them on this

Titch89

Horace wrote: »

Change bank accounts. I use First Direct and with them you have to set up a username, an electronic password as well as a memorable question. To log in you have to input your username, answer the memorable question and 3 letters from your electronic password which they will ask for e.g. 3, last and penultimate etc etc.

Lloyds TSB have the same thing. I have a wonderful habit of forgetting one of the two. And have locked myself out at least twice this year because of that.:rolleyes:

debsk

i need help with first direct on line accounts. my son transferred money into a new account that he had no idea i had using his usual referrence ID. the long and very upsetting tale is that they said they he did it on this pc and refuse to believe that my details were already on his drop down menu which i witnessed for myself. if he had of done this then there was no issue but he did not, they have said that he searched my paper works to find my details and he put them in. he is afraid to tell me the truth, he was playing a jike with me, it beggers belief the steream of things iv heard.
we are so upset that we have withdrawn all our internet accounts and money and taken our business elswhere. oh an to add insult to injury the last call was i dont understand why you dont believe us he did it, its cost us money there is no whay the ombusman will take on the case so dont bother and go and find new bank. already have just need to rans my isa money then bye bye.
are there any of you out there that have had the same or similair problem?

:-(

Toomuchdebt

debsk wrote: »

i need help with first direct on line accounts. my son transferred money into a new account that he had no idea i had using his usual referrence ID. the long and very upsetting tale is that they said they he did it on this pc and refuse to believe that my details were already on his drop down menu which i witnessed for myself. if he had of done this then there was no issue but he did not, they have said that he searched my paper works to find my details and he put them in. he is afraid to tell me the truth, he was playing a jike with me, it beggers belief the steream of things iv heard.
we are so upset that we have withdrawn all our internet accounts and money and taken our business elswhere. oh an to add insult to injury the last call was i dont understand why you dont believe us he did it, its cost us money there is no whay the ombusman will take on the case so dont bother and go and find new bank. already have just need to rans my isa money then bye bye.
are there any of you out there that have had the same or similair problem?

:-(

I'm obviously being thick butI don't understand what happened here or what the problem is??

Zelie

Toomuchdebt wrote: »

I'm obviously being thick butI don't understand what happened here or what the problem is??

I think she is saying that her son somehow transferred money from her account but that in theory the son should not know the account details. Although if that's the case and they are sharing a PC then it's entirely possible that details from both accounts are stored on the computer and that he just accidentally selected the wrong one from the drop-down list. And if it's not that then I'm as confused as everyone else as to what happened!

Toomuchdebt

Um not possible, as the accounts aren't stored in a drop down list-my bf and I both have lloyds accounts and neither account is stored unless "remember me" is checked, and even then only one account is stored.Besides all that you would still need to know the passwords so it still doesn't make sense to me.And I'm pretty sure First Direct are the same.