Halifax Automated phone calls

R0CKY

Three times I have answered the phone to an automated machine saying it is from the Halifax and asking me to confirm my name by pressing 1 or 2 etc.

I hang up immediately because any Nigerian scamster could set that up in a flash.

Today though my wife got the same call and she duly pressed a button as instructed before getting cold feet and hanging up. She phoned me and of course I went mental because there's every chance it was a phising attempt.

So then I phone halifax but because I was not at home, I failed the authentication and could do no more.

So now I am back home I phone again, this time with my statement infront of me. However because they have my failed autho phone call on record, my account is locked pending me actually going into a bank on Monday!

So let's get this right, Halifax have some crazy automated phone call system that is indistiguisable from a scam, and apparantly even goes on to ask you to enter your bank account number (LOL!!) and because I failed a phone check when I phoned in to find out if it was genuine my account is locked!

And to top it all, it sounds loike the call was genuine, therfore there may be an issue with my account seciruty, but because they have locked it I can't even check!!

The rep I spoke to, Muhammod, said that I should know that phone call was genuine because (1) it says it is Halifax and (2) it pronounces my full name properly LOL!!!

So, I told Muhammod that if I go into Halifax on Monday, it won't be to unlock my account, it will be to move ALL of my accounts to Nationwide, unless he escalates the call now to a manager. He said he couldn't, so come Monday Nationwide gets a 5 figure cash bonus.

Automated calls from your Bank, in todays scam rich society? Are they mental?

Mikeyorks

R0CKY wrote: »

Automated calls from your Bank, in todays scam rich society? Are they mental?

Not really. It's their answer to not having to provide you with the hated card reader. Well publicised and no doubt brought to your attention several times when they've asked you to upgrade / check your telephone number filed with them?

In the event of unusual activity - such as logging on from a PC other than the usual - they'll give a screen prompt inviting you to select which Tel number you've filed that you want to be contacted on. Then an automated call to that number and you enter a code (presumably) provided via the screen prompt. They don't ask you provide the account number.

Most of it fully explained here (see the 'updating your telephone number' tab if it reverts to any other tab)

http://www.halifax.co.uk/onlinebankinghelp/manage-your-details/?!!!!!HOME3

R0CKY

Mikeyorks wrote: »

Not really. It's their answer to not having to provide you with the hated card reader. Well publicised and no doubt brought to your attention several times when they've asked you to upgrade / check your telephone number filed with them?

Did not happen. They have not asked to upgrade / check my t. number once.

When you say well publicised, what do you mean, did they advertise that they are using automated call system? News to me. This type of info should have been communicated by means of a simple e-mail to each customer I would have thought.

R0CKY

Mikeyorks wrote: »

Then an automated call to that number and you enter a code (presumably) provided via the screen prompt. They don't ask you provide the account number.

Not so I am afraid,

First of all the automated call does not ask you for a code, it immediately asks for personable ID info.

And, according to the Halifax chap I spoke to tonight, it DOES ask for your acount number.

Only going by what the Halifax told me.

rb10

Most banks will use automated phone calls if they suspect that a fraudulent transaction is taking place on the account. MikeYorks is talking about something different, which is related to internet banking, and I don't think is the cause of this call).

Would you rather that they block your account and send you a letter in the post?

jambosans

If you actually listen to the call, you would hear a minimal amount of information requested - hardly enough for some "Nigerian fraudster" to use. Before you respond stating it asks for your account number, I would remind you that there is very little that can be done with solely an account number (in terms of fraud).

Also your account is not "locked", your telephone banking access has simply been suspended.

R0CKY wrote:

So, I told Muhammod that if I go into Halifax on Monday, it won't be to unlock my account, it will be to move ALL of my accounts to Nationwide, unless he escalates the call now to a manager.

Interesting, that in one breath you're implying Halifax have lax security procedures in place (in terms of outbound automated phone calls) and in another your incensed that you've failed telephone banking security.

Before you go trotting off to Nationwide with your "5 figure cash bonus", perhaps you should check they do not have similar procedures in place. In all likelihood they will have something very similar in place for transaction verification.

james2012_2

I got an automated call from Halifax but it was a text message to a landline phone. I pressed 1 and it delivered the message.

Hardly identity theft/life threatening.

[Deleted User]

yep
asked for D.O.B and verified a few transactions
basically it tbh