Halifax Bank - Telephone Manner Appalling

patanne

Just in case you don't find out elsewhere. It does not cost hundreds of pounds to get a power of attornet (POA). I think the curent price is £110 and you can DIY it. Also if her income is low enough it is possible to do it free.

HUMBUG

patanne wrote: »

Just in case you don't find out elsewhere. It does not cost hundreds of pounds to get a power of attornet (POA). I think the curent price is £110 and you can DIY it. Also if her income is low enough it is possible to do it free.

What I don't understand is how they knew it wasn't my mother trying to make an online payment. It was a small payment and as soon as I pressed the button to process it, a 4 digit number popped up on the screen . Then the phone rang and an automated message requested I input the number seen on the screen. I did this and the message said your payment is now authorised and the 4 digit number vanished from the screen. But then a few seconds later another message appeared saying that there needed to be further security checks before the payment could be approved. But why? What security checks can they do because my telephone number replaces my mother's telephone number in the personal details and both numbers are ex-directory.
All I can think has happened is that I access websites via 'DuckDuckGO' search and maybe my computer IP address is being replaced by a generic one via the Duck servers . If this is recognised by the Halifax security systems and deemed a shared network IP , then maybe they automatically stop all payments and bar online access.

Dobbibill

https://www.gov.uk/power-of-attorney/overview

This shows you how you apply for POA.

Keep your password secure and!do not let anyone else make use of your security details, even if they share a joint account with you

Info found here http://www.halifax.co.uk/aboutonline/security/protecting-you/?pagetabs=3

Another suggestion is for your Mum to apply for telephone banking to move money around. She can do that from the comfort of home rather than trips to branch.

HTH

henm2

From Halifax's terms and conditions

'You should:
• carry out regular virus checks on devices you
use for Online Banking or mobile services.
You should not:
• tell anyone your security details;
• change or copy any software we provide,
or give it to anyone else;
• choose obvious passwords or codes (such
as your date of birth) as part of your
security details;
• write your security details on, or keep them
with, your device or banking documents;
• write down your security details in a
recognisable way; or
• let anyone listen to your calls with us,
or watch you entering or using your
security details.'

I would thought this was standard across all banks.
Some banks such as HSBC do allow third party online access if there is a Power of Attorney registered with them and the attorney is wanting access.

Biggles

HUMBUG wrote: »

What I don't understand is how they knew it wasn't my mother trying to make an online payment. It was a small payment and as soon as I pressed the button to process it, a 4 digit number popped up on the screen . Then the phone rang and an automated message requested I input the number seen on the screen. I did this and the message said your payment is now authorised and the 4 digit number vanished from the screen. But then a few seconds later another message appeared saying that there needed to be further security checks before the payment could be approved. But why?

I imagine it is standard to carry out extra checks if a user changes their security phone number, immediately followed by setting up a new payment.

If you think about it, the telephone security check is pointless if a fraudster can just put his own telephone number in.

HUMBUG

Hi All
The saga has now continued for over a month. I was advised via senior complaints exec person that my mother and I would have to visit the local branch with proof id , etc and sign the third party mandate forms. We did this and got the signed documents including all the accounts that I would have access to , including the online account. The branch official phoned up their security people and provide me access again to the online account to process one of the 'stopped' payments . It was also agreed that I could process a larger payment transfer (to my mother's new cash ISA account ) at a certain date and time. I did as was instructed and they stopped the payment again and barred me logon access. I had a major argument with Halifax people and asked them to officially write to me with the rules and access rights regarding third party mandate. So a month has passed with my mother not having access to her monies because of incorrect advice given by their customer helpdesk and now their executive complaints and local branch people. In the letter they both assumed that I would have online access but now after looking at more detail , this excludes telephone and online banking. But there is nothing I can find on their websites or even on the third party mandate forms that specifically states these exclusions. Obviously , this has caused confusion for their staff too . It seems the only people who actually know the rules are their security people who are probably contracted and have strict guidelines on which accounts they can give access to. I have now raised this whole mess to the financial ombudsman because they have misled and left us in limbo with no access to savings for over a month causing unnecessary stress. They have also wasted a lot of my time.
The only option I have is to transfer the online account funds back to the passbook account (0.1% interest) and then close it. Then consider opening a joint account with another bank/building society that would give me access via an online account . Then no need to spend solicitor fees for power of attorney etc.
I am really disappointed and shocked at how slipshod Halifax have become with regards their internal processes. Their people need to all 'sing from the same page' or need better training regarding access rights to various types of account.

patanne

I will repeat what I said earlier - you do not need a solicitor for a power of attorney. Just a cheque for £110 and the downloaded forms filled in. Whilst the form is tediously long, it is not difficult and there are a lot of notes to help. I contacted a solicitor when about to help my mother do her POA. The solicitor told me not to waste my money paying a solicitor to do something which I could easily do myself! It is not often you hear of one turning down money like that! Once I had the POA I had no issues with Barclays or Halifax but Nationwide whilst allowing me to do everything with the accounts would not allow online access.

HUMBUG

Yes but that's not the point is it? They gave me misleading information allowing me to have an online account, allowed me to transfer funds from my mother's passbook account to the online account and then barred us access to the account. They should fix the problem , not me or my mother. They should process a one-off payment to my mothers ISA , transfer any remaining funds to my mother's passbook account and then close the online account . But apparently their internal processes do not allow them to fix a problem of their own making while also preventing their customer from having access to their own savings. Why leave the customer in limbo to sort it out themselves with their Fraud Security people or insist that my sickly mother travel personally to their branch?