Halifax banking service a complete joke

HoneyAndLemon

Milarky wrote: »

I have had exactly the same experiences as the OP. You don't expect to be challenged with up to five questions about which accounts you already have, direct debits, etc etc simply to be able to speak to anyone about a PROBLEM! The attitude taken is simply disproportionate - there can be no excuse for it beside the sheer size and impersonal approach of a mega organisation.

Now you 'cross' the high street to (say) Lloyds - and there's an even larger organisation - but at least they are a proper bank - and they don't seem to put barriers in the way of customers who want to talk to them.

Halifax now use the same telephony system as Lloyds so the security procedures are identical.

To the OP, pick your dummy up, dry your eyes, and go to branch. You are the exact type of person that would go mental if someone got access to your account due to lack of security.

As someone else said, everything has been fine, one incident crops up and you throw a hissy fit. People who complain about failing security on their own accounts really drive me crazy. Its for YOUR protection. Its hardly unreasonable of them to ask you questions about your own account. 99% of people would be able to answer them all.

hermante

Lloyds and Halifax do seem to have an overzealous approach to suspending stuff.

I can understand if they want to block suspicious payments, but every time I set up a new payee with the stupid mobile phone procedure (one thing that Santander has got right), and send any large-ish sum for the first time, which is a usual activity on my account, the transaction fails and my online access gets disabled. That's too far, which is why I can't use either of these banks as my main account. Before declining a payment, Santander tries to call me at least 5 times (at 8am) and doesn't disable everything online.

I mean, they claim that the "memorable information" improves security, but they still don't believe me so they need to send an automated call. But even after "passing" that test, they still don't believe that it's me who wants to send the money!

At least they have freephone numbers so I can call them without leaving the computer (Skype), they pay for the call and I can continue working while waiting for them to answer.

The other odd thing is, Lloyds has never seen my driving licence, but I passed security by reading out the licence number (and postcode). I guess it's very unlikely that someone with the same name as me lives in the same block of flats.

Now the first time this happened with Halifax, I went to a branch with ID (this was before I discovered Skype could be used for freephone, and branch is nearer than payphone). All they did was tell me to call up myself.. at least they let me use their phone

Hanky_Panky

opinions4u wrote: »

Perhaps the problem wasn't the person you were sapeaking to, but somebody else who had keyed the wrong information at an earlier time.

I've only given you the very short version !!

As posted the dates were simply entered the wrong way (at the time I didn't know this). I was however clearly informing him that the date I had given him was correct and he could see that the month/date were the wrong way round and I was asking him how we could overcome this problem, could he ask me another security question at which point he simply put the phone down on me.

Not very customer servicey and I stand by my comment he was/is an @rse !

JuicyJesus

Hanky_Panky wrote: »

I've only given you the very short version !!

As posted the dates were simply entered the wrong way (at the time I didn't know this). I was however clearly informing him that the date I had given him was correct and he could see that the month/date were the wrong way round and I was asking him how we could overcome this problem, could he ask me another security question at which point he simply put the phone down on me.

Not very customer servicey and I stand by my comment he was/is an @rse !

If someone calls up and they fail the most basic identification question possible, and one which likely nobody genuine will ever get wrong, i.e. their birthday, what do you imagine is the most likely scenario from the perspective of the bank/the person taking the call?

1) the bank's systems are wrong, and the person on the other end of the line (who the rep hasn't yet established is actually the person they claim to be, because they haven't completed the very security checks that this comprises part of - and which they have just failed) is right
2) the bank's systems are correct, the person on the other end of the line is a fraudster who has read their target's date of birth out the wrong way round off of the slip of paper in front of them

If someone fails the DOB question it is only fair enough to assume they are not the account holder. I don't think the rep was an @rse (as you put it) to hang up on you because quite frankly as far as the rep is concerned someone who can't even give their birthday correctly is not going to be a genuine caller, especially when they then ask to have a different question after failing the easiest one possible. Customer service doesn't come into it when you've reasonably established that the person you're talking to is a fraud.

The bank's systems were wrong. That's indefensible and should have been fixed. For the rep to not take it at face value that the person who's just failed a DOB check is actually the account holder is very defensible, and indeed sensible.

Fishanddog2

rebma wrote: »

So, I have had my mortgage with Halifax for over 10 years. For about 5 years I've also had a Visa Electron account with them (for paying for budget flights). I've been logging into the online banking for a few years now, only occasionally.

Recently I opened up a new Reward account to use as a bills account, and it all appeared to be going well. Until today, when I logged in to internet banking, and tried to transfer some money from the new account to my current account. I got a message saying that my online access had been suspended and that I would have to call the number for them to reset my account.

So I called the number and spoke to a complete numbskull who proceeded to ask me a bunch of security questions of which half of them I had no idea of the answer to because it's a new account and I didn't know whether any of the direct debits were set up, etc etc, and because I've not logged on to the internet banking since the account was set up.

She told me I had failed security and will have to go into a branch with 2 forms of ID. She refused to allow me to speak to a supervisor because I had failed security. She would not ask me any further security questions because I had failed security. She would not ask me any questions about my other accounts.

In this day and age I find this absolutely ridiculous and absolutely appalling customer service.

I would like to tell Halifax where to go but I'm not sure how far they've got with transferring my direct debits over and how easy it would be to get them transferred back to the old account.

Oh, this is my first time post to MSE forum - because I'm so fuming! Apologies if I've posted in completely the wrong area or broken any etiquette...

Halifax is a mess,I have an experience with them blocking my account just because I balanced transfer.They even take me to the extent of questioning me why I didnt consolidate all my balances or loan with there bank.Through this money expert I found virgin money wich is a good deal for balance transfer which I did,but Halifax seems not happy about it and they said they are dealing with fraud,which is a joke ,Halifax is a joke.

MoneySaverLog

This is a really old thread and one post from the OP who never came back.

Mmmmmm......

NewName222

I really cant believe that when it comes down to the security of your bank account you can be so lax.
Unlike in the branch where you can hand over photo ID over the telephone there is no other way to verify your identity other than security questions about your own account!!
To the best of my knowledge Halifax offer a personal security number as well so you don't have to be asked these questions all the time. Why do you have one of those if you find the questions so "dysfunctional".
If you take the view that Halifax should just take your word for it rather than protect your account then let the fraudsters go mad I say!!!