Halifax suspending access to my money

Cosmic_Poppy

Can anyone help - on Tuesday I phoned the Halifax to confirm I would be able to pay for a large value item by debit card. I was told this would be no problem once I'd given them the exact transaction value.
At 5pm today I went to pay for my purchase and the transaction was declined, TWICE. The Halifax helpline told me to pay online, splitting the amount via 2 payments - 1 today & 1 tomorrow. I tried to do this however once again it was declined! I have spoken to 6 members of the online help, confirming ALL the security questions yet they are 'very sorry but they cannot help me! As this is an extremely urgent payment I phone their 'Urgent Helpline' number only to be told they are closed! Can anybody help please?

eschaton

Can't the retailer do phone authorisation?

It was 7 years ago but I paid £24,350 as balance for a car purchase by debit card. The card was with Intelligent Finance who are part of HBOS. As the car dealer expected, they had to phone for authorisation and once I went through security questions the transaction was approved in 2 minutes.

Gromitt

Same here, I paid in excess of 10K via debit card. I told them that I was going to spent it a few days (but not the exact amount). When I tried to spend it, it was "Please telephone for approval". They did that and it went through no problem after speaking with me.

So they CAN do it (this was a few years ago, mind)

dalesrider

So you were paying instore. In that case the issue is the retailer. They should know that large payments will require them to call their auth center and get it approved. You will have to pass some security questions to do this. ( things like how long have you banked with halifax)
If paying online. Then halifax would need to put a marker on the card baing used to allow the payment to go through.
You need to ask for the main cards department and advise the amount/retailer you will be spending.
Halifax could also put the marker on if making the purchase instore, but should not need to do so. Unless you are using a inept retailer who has no idea how to read the screen on the POS device.

pqrdef

Had this problem trying to pay a stockbroker. The broker had nothing to offer except telling the bank to raise the limit on the card. There wasn't even the option of using another bank, because their system only supported one linked card and couldn't change it quickly.

And the bank (not Halifax) was inaccessible except via useless Indian call centre, which seemed to think the limit was engraved on the computer's secret heart and beyond human power to change. No solution.

Come to think of it, the stockbroker was Halifax.

thenudeone

Unfortunately Halifax's security is an absolute nightmare for genuine users.

I have had online banking with Halifax for my credit card and ISA for years.

Last week I opened a Reward current account online and a few days later I got a letter in the post stating:

"your new account is open and ready to use"

which was a lie.

After transferring in the £1000 required to qualify for the £5 a month bonus, I tried to set up a transfer out, but kept getting an error message. When I contacted them, they said no new payments could be set up online or on the telephone for 1 week after a new account was opened! How is that "ready to use"?

Complaint lodged.

Gromitt

You can't setup any new payees until you have at least one phone number with them, and if you open the account online, you have to wait upto 7 days to validate your phone number. They can speed up the process if you open the account in branch. This is normally explained once you have opened the account.

You'll have the same delay if you wish to change the registered phone number. This is to stop anyone else changing your phone number, setting up a payee, and stealing all your money.

You can however visit a branch with id and setup payees there, so in effect the account is "ready to use".

aldredd

yikes - I had been considering a Halifax account - think i should slowly turn around and walk the other way!

Cosmic_Poppy

Thanks for all your suggestions, I finally transferred it via a BACS payment in the bank which cost £25 so will seek a refund and apology and close my account.

Agricolae

Closing your account seems a little drastic.