Santander (yes I know, sorry) blocked online login!!!!

cfmad

i inherited Santander from being with Girobank, then A&L for over 15 years. the changeover has seemed to go ok, so far i havent come across any problems (now i'm seeing another side to things).
I have been away for a few days break so yesterday i tried to logon onto online a/c (to check spending etc) only to have a message saying that online access had been blocked and to call the helpline ???
i did this and was told that i had attempted sign on incorrectly more than 3 times. NOW i have had my pin number for several years and it "trips" off my fingers easily - i am 99.99% sure it wasnt entered wrong and even then i had only done it once !!!!!!
the girl said that it locks up after 3 tries, but they dont necessarily have to be in the same session - how bloody ridiculous!!!! I was then asked a series of security questions - which i passed with flying colours. OK, i thought, can you now get the block removed so i can carry on with what i wanted to do online...........OH NO....we have to POST a new pin code out to you which may take 7-10 days !!!!!!
WHAT ! you're telling me that i cannot access my online account for over a week - how absolutely cretinous, why the hell cant you just issue me, over the phone (as you've just proved to yourself that i am who i am!!!!) a pin code to get me entry now, and then i can change it to something i want when online !!!!!!
After all i have already registered my mobile phone and received various security stuff from them via that - why cant they give me a new pin code instantly, even if to my mobile.....aaaargh !!!!

:mad::mad::mad:

hermante

cfmad wrote: »

i inherited Santander from being with Girobank, then A&L for over 15 years. the changeover has seemed to go ok, so far i havent come across any problems (now i'm seeing another side to things).
I have been away for a few days break so yesterday i tried to logon onto online a/c (to check spending etc) only to have a message saying that online access had been blocked and to call the helpline ???
i did this and was told that i had attempted sign on incorrectly more than 3 times. NOW i have had my pin number for several years and it "trips" off my fingers easily - i am 99.99% sure it wasnt entered wrong and even then i had only done it once !!!!!!
the girl said that it locks up after 3 tries, but they dont necessarily have to be in the same session - how bloody ridiculous!!!! I was then asked a series of security questions - which i passed with flying colours. OK, i thought, can you now get the block removed so i can carry on with what i wanted to do online...........OH NO....we have to POST a new pin code out to you which may take 7-10 days !!!!!!
WHAT ! you're telling me that i cannot access my online account for over a week - how absolutely cretinous, why the hell cant you just issue me, over the phone (as you've just proved to yourself that i am who i am!!!!) a pin code to get me entry now, and then i can change it to something i want when online !!!!!!
After all i have already registered my mobile phone and received various security stuff from them via that - why cant they give me a new pin code instantly, even if to my mobile.....aaaargh !!!!

:mad::mad::mad:

Because they can't generate PINs to send by phone. If the phone staff tells you a PIN, then they could pretend to be you and log on. (The fact that you've just revealed all your personal details to them doesn't change anything)

cfmad

but why does the online system have to be permanently blocked ? surely they should be able to "unblock" their system without having access to your pin no. - i also bank with natwest and am not aware of any thing like this. if you wrongly input online it just freezes for a couple of hours..................
they're quite happy to use codes etc for setting up new payees over the phone........
Can't quite see how printing out a bit of paper with a new pin no. shoving it an envelope and putting it at the mercy of the royal mail (without special delivery) can be considered a better security option.
either way to be told that you can not have access to your own transactions for up to 10 days is ridiculous !!!!
i still think there is something else - as said before I'm convinced i didn't input wrongly in the first place...............but if so, why no warning? many other online systems seem to be able to get it together................................

innovate

It could have been somebody trying to hack into your account that caused the blocking in the first instance. As massively annoying as that is, you can't blame Santander for that.

The fact that they now have to mail you a new PIN is most likely another security measure - - if they post it to your registered address, the likelihood that the PIN falls into the wrong hands is very low.

It is, of course a huge inconvenience that you have to wait for the new PIN to arrive - - and they should most definitely have a means to get a replacement PIN to you faster than 7-10 days. What if you have to pay other bills etc etc in that time - how do they suggest you manage those?

Raise a formal complaint ([EMAIL="complaints@santander.co.uk"]complaints@santander.co.uk[/EMAIL]) when you have calmed down a little.

CleanShirt

I bet its to do with the way their online system works. When I set up my One Time Passcode text service, I never received the texts. So I must've inputted my number wrongly/ or the system messed it up. Either way they had to resend me new online banking details in the post and to start afresh. Bit ridiculous really.

Managed to lock myself out of NatWest a couple of times in the past and they unblock it there and then over the phone for you.

Might be worth pointing out, if someone accidentally enters your ID then tries to enter their own passwords, it would block your account.

thegirlintheattic

Shouldn't take 7 days, Santander usually sends out new internet banking details within a few days.

innovate

thegirlintheattic wrote: »

Shouldn't take 7 days, Santander usually sends out new internet banking details within a few days.

If their process is that a new PIN is mandatory once an account got blocked for too many invalid login attempts, they should be sending a new PIN automatically the same day/time they put the block on.

But perhaps they should be thinking of an unblocking process that doesn't involve printers and the Royal Mail.

thegirlintheattic

innovate wrote: »

If their process is that a new PIN is mandatory once an account got blocked for too many invalid login attempts, they should be sending a new PIN automatically the same day/time they put the block on.

But perhaps they should be thinking of an unblocking process that doesn't involve printers and the Royal Mail.

I meant arrive within a few days.

RetiredInThailand

I have had a similar experience with other banks: login blocked, call them up, security questions passed, login unblocked and original PIN working again. Done and dusted in about 5 minutes. This is all done without the call centre person ever knowing the PIN. I dont see why Santander cant do this.

That said, Santander are indeed cretins. They blocked one of my accounts (containing a few 100s of pounds) as "dormant" because there had been no transactions on it for 6 months. I emailed them via the online banking and they said that they cant unblock it online or by phone or in branch, and I would have to write to them asking for the account to be unblocked. I did so, and got a letter back saying that they cant do it by post and I would have to go into a branch. At the same time another account containing hundreds of times more money, remains unblocked on the same online banking. Morons.

When I do actually get round to going into a branch it will be to close all my accounts with them and move the whole lot to some other bank.

cfmad

i have calmed a bit now (deep breath)......had a "rant" moment. it just seems so silly that there's no immediate solution to such a simple problem. luckily i don't have any need to do any online transactions just now - but am nervous that this could become a major issue soon if this new pin doesn't arrive !!!
also whats the point of getting me to jump through hoops with all the security questions only to then say "sorry cant help - you've got to wait a week or so". as somebody has already said surely the act of blocking your online account should automatically initiate a new pin being sent? also if there had already been some attempted log ins wouldn't it be a good security measure to bloody well let me know - after all they've got my mobile number !!!!!!!!
I'm just so gobsmacked that it seems so blinking obvious to everyone else that there are much easier ways of sorting simple issues - and ultimately keeping your customers contented?