RBS warning - If you register for the app you cannot pay for anything online without it

London7766551

My smart phone is broken. I took the sim card out and put it into a dumb phone. I went online to buy a new phone, suddenly it is saying I need to confirm the payment in the app. But the app is on the broken phone so it is impossible to do this. I spoke to RBS who said there is no other way to confirm payments once you register with the app. I stated on the RBS site it states you can get a text code (as I have many times before). They said no. Computer says no response. "You must use the app".

Just a warning as if this is your only account and you have no other cards you will be pretty stuck. Luckily I have back up accounts but I must say I find this policy stupid and will leave RBS in due course.

Zellah

I suspect it’s only for certain online transactions (eg high value) that you must use the app for verification. I made a low value transaction online using my RBS credit card last night and did NOT need to verify the transaction in any additional way. 

Polly05

Yeah I've never had that before.. I used my card online this morning. 

London7766551

Polly05 said:

Yeah I've never had that before.. I used my card online this morning. 

Are you registered for the app? did you get a text instead?

I just tried to buy something for £10 and indeed it still asks me to confirm the payment in the app

Lightning360

I think quite a few banks are introducing this due to Strong Customer Authentication regulation. Nationwide is introducing it and I read it on another banking site (possibly NatWest's).

London7766551

Lightning360 said:

I think quite a few banks are introducing this due to Strong Customer Authentication regulation. Nationwide is introducing it and I read it on another banking site (possibly NatWest's).

As far as I know a OTP text code meets the requirements of the new rules. There is no reason why they cannot turn the text method back on for me and still be within the rules. I expect this is more a push to keep people tied to the app so they can close branches and perhaps harvest data. These banks want to remember that not everyone can afford the latest smartphone or have access to an instant replacement. Especially when they don't allow you to use the card to buy a new phone in the first place. We are all doomed. These smartphones are the work of the devil every action in life almost requires the damn things.

EssexExile

London7766551 said:

Lightning360 said:

I think quite a few banks are introducing this due to Strong Customer Authentication regulation. Nationwide is introducing it and I read it on another banking site (possibly NatWest's).

As far as I know a OTP text code meets the requirements of the new rules. There is no reason why they cannot turn the text method back on for me and still be within the rules. I expect this is more a push to keep people tied to the app so they can close branches and perhaps harvest data. These banks want to remember that not everyone can afford the latest smartphone or have access to an instant replacement. Especially when they don't allow you to use the card to buy a new phone in the first place. We are all doomed. These smartphones are the work of the devil every action in life almost requires the damn things.

I understand your frustration but many come on these pages bemoaning the fact that banks are willing to use the insecure text system to confirm payments. They can't win, poor banks.

In this particular situation can't you pay by another means? I have many payment cards, I'm sure you do too.

knack92

They're right that there is only one way to authenticate once you've set up the app.

"I have the app but can I continue to receive one time passcodes by SMS? No. If you have the app, you will need to use Face ID, fingerprint or your app passcode to confirm the transaction."
https://personal.rbs.co.uk/personal/fraud-and-security/sca.html

But they should be able to deregister your app access which I'd hope would revert the authentication to SMS. They surely have a process for this for people who have lost access to their phone through theft or other reason!

London7766551

EssexExile said:

London7766551 said:

Lightning360 said:

I think quite a few banks are introducing this due to Strong Customer Authentication regulation. Nationwide is introducing it and I read it on another banking site (possibly NatWest's).

As far as I know a OTP text code meets the requirements of the new rules. There is no reason why they cannot turn the text method back on for me and still be within the rules. I expect this is more a push to keep people tied to the app so they can close branches and perhaps harvest data. These banks want to remember that not everyone can afford the latest smartphone or have access to an instant replacement. Especially when they don't allow you to use the card to buy a new phone in the first place. We are all doomed. These smartphones are the work of the devil every action in life almost requires the damn things.

I understand your frustration but many come on these pages bemoaning the fact that banks are willing to use the insecure text system to confirm payments. They can't win, poor banks.

In this particular situation can't you pay by another means? I have many payment cards, I'm sure you do too.

I understand the need for better security, but there needs to be a method people can use should they lose/break their device. It is going to happen a lot to people and a disaster waiting to happen.
As I stated in the first post I have other cards to use. The text method is secure as long as you put a lock on your sim and set a pin with your mobile network, along with making sure you keep ID documents safe etc. Of course nothing is impossible., but you require a text code to set up the app in the first place.......

London7766551

knack92 said:

They're right that there is only one way to authenticate once you've set up the app.

"I have the app but can I continue to receive one time passcodes by SMS? No. If you have the app, you will need to use Face ID, fingerprint or your app passcode to confirm the transaction."
https://personal.rbs.co.uk/personal/fraud-and-security/sca.html

But they should be able to deregister your app access which I'd hope would revert the authentication to SMS. They surely have a process for this for people who have lost access to their phone through theft or other reason!

I might try ringing them back in the week, maybe the person I chatted to did not know what they were talking about.

colsten

London7766551 said:

EssexExile said:

London7766551 said:

Lightning360 said:

I think quite a few banks are introducing this due to Strong Customer Authentication regulation. Nationwide is introducing it and I read it on another banking site (possibly NatWest's).

As far as I know a OTP text code meets the requirements of the new rules. There is no reason why they cannot turn the text method back on for me and still be within the rules. I expect this is more a push to keep people tied to the app so they can close branches and perhaps harvest data. These banks want to remember that not everyone can afford the latest smartphone or have access to an instant replacement. Especially when they don't allow you to use the card to buy a new phone in the first place. We are all doomed. These smartphones are the work of the devil every action in life almost requires the damn things.

I understand your frustration but many come on these pages bemoaning the fact that banks are willing to use the insecure text system to confirm payments. They can't win, poor banks.

In this particular situation can't you pay by another means? I have many payment cards, I'm sure you do too.

....... there needs to be a method people can use should they lose/break their device.

There is. https://www.supportcentre-rbs.co.uk/Searchable/913246632/If-my-phone-is-lost-or-stolen-can-anyone-log-in-to-the-app-using-an-image-of-my-fingerprint.htm