Halifax sent false alert text.

Yorkshire_Pud

In February I got a text from Halifax bank saying they are now sending balance and overdraft charging alerts for my Halifax accounts.

Today I got a text saying I was very close to my overdraft limit which happens to be £1100.

I knew this shouldn't be so logged in only to find I'm £19 in credit as I would have expected.

Still a bit worrying. Unfortunately I deleted the text after reading so can't check its authenticity but no reason to think its not from Halifax bank.

Anyone else had similar texts without basis?

steveing64

Been getting the same for last few months have spoken with Halifax said looking into it

TheShape

A/C **** 16Mar. Your overnight balance was £09.00. As this is near your limit, please ensure you have enough money in your account to cover any payments.

We've started sending balance and overdraft charging alerts for your Halifax accounts. To opt-out of messages to this number text 'STOP' to 64449

These are the two texts I last received. Are you sure that your text wasn't a overdraft charging alert as a payment from your account of £26 or more would see you incurring overdraft charges?

AirlieBird

Yorkshire_Pud wrote: »

I knew this shouldn't be so logged in only to find I'm £19 in credit as I would have expected.

Did it fall to this balance today?

The approaching your limit text is triggered when your balance falls below £50 as well as when you are within £50 of your overdraft limit.

BooJewels

My husband gets a text the first day we get close to going into our overdraft (before we go into it) saying something like 'please pay funds into your account by 3pm today to prevent being charged'. Which whilst correct in itself, does tend to alarm him as I normally manage the bank balance. Which then results in me getting a text wondering what is going on.

You've reminded me to log in and check this, as his mobile number isn't one of the ones it usually presents me with when I'm setting up a new payee, so I'm not sure why it should send it to him.

Yorkshire_Pud

TheShape wrote: »

These are the two texts I last received. Are you sure that your text wasn't a overdraft charging alert as a payment from your account of £26 or more would see you incurring overdraft charges?

As far as I remember it said you are very near to your overdraft limit.

Halifax have many types of alert most are opt in ones. I haven't had this one before.

Yorkshire_Pud

AirlieBird wrote: »

Did it fall to this balance today?

The approaching your limit text is triggered when your balance falls below £50 as well as when you are within £50 of your overdraft limit.

It fell to this balance a full six days ago since when there has been no further activity on the account.

The balance is typically £10 to £25 and only more than this once a month for the reward payment. I don't get alerts for this balance range but I will check my alert settings, however Im not anywhere near my overdraft limit!

SnowTiger

I guess they've just restarted (or relaunched) their text alert service and everyone whose balance is below £50 will get this message.

There's info here: https://www.halifax.co.uk/aboutonline/things-you-can-do/mobile-alerts/.

It mentions "We’ll send a message when your balance falls below £50. If you have a planned overdraft, we’ll also send an alert when you’re within £50 of your planned limit."

"Also" presumably means when your balance is below £50 and when you're within £50 of your planned limit (overdraft).

Perhaps they need to tidy up the wording of the text messages a little to make it clearer.

Yorkshire_Pud

SnowTiger wrote: »

I guess they've just restarted (or relaunched) their text alert service and everyone whose balance is below £50 will get this message.

There's info here: https://www.halifax.co.uk/aboutonline/things-you-can-do/mobile-alerts/.

It mentions "We’ll send a message when your balance falls below £50. If you have a planned overdraft, we’ll also send an alert when you’re within £50 of your planned limit."

"Also" presumably means when your balance is below £50 and when you're within £50 of your planned limit (overdraft).

Perhaps they need to tidy up the wording of the text messages a little to make it clearer.

Yes I just phoned Halifax and was told that the message I or was becauseI was within £50 of possibly going in to my overdraft. I think bad wording using the word limit as that implies the ceiling of my overdraft ie nearly £1,000 used.

I had looked in my account to alter my Alert settings and choices but could no longer find them. The CS told me that's because its no longer there. Its now up to Halifax what it texts me and I can opt out if I want but that means no texts at all for other useful alerts.

As I run my account under £50 in credit most of the time I guess I will be getting a lot more of these messages or to quote the Halifax CS lady, "you may well do".

I hate these all or nothing type choices and having to react to usually unimportant messages from Banks, had one from NatWest today also, total garbage but probably satisfies some watchdog/FCA rules.

Hope my whinging doesn't get reported to Cambridge Analytica;)

Missus_Hyde

I’ve had the same text from Lloyds about one of our accounts, in which I always keep a small balance.

I just ignore it. :cool:

7182West

Had two texts today relating to overdraft texts stated we would receive charges unless we paid money into our account by 12 0’clock tonight.
As we have not used our overdraft and have a healthy credit balance to cover dd’s and so’s set up I phoned Halifax who confirmed they had sent texts in error and we were not the only ones.