TANDEM APP SECURITY CONCERN

Qyburn

VNX said:

If someone managed to get into ones Tandem account what is the worst that could happen?

Learning all the details of the account, and of any OB linked accounts could help with ID theft. Money could be moved between your accounts out of mischief or malice which could screw up payments etc.

Conceivably they could link another bank account and move your money away. That might not worry you if you have complete faith in Chip/Tandem's "security" that they apply to OB linkage.

VNX

boingy said:

This thread seems to be split between people not caring if others get access to their Tandem App, because they can only transfer money between it and the linked account(s), and people who want to add extra PIN numbers to SIMs etc.

I just think Tandem should have better security.

Good synopsis.

I would say I’m sort of in the middle, I would rather Tandem had a more secure log in process but also I am personally not concerned as the chances of someone getting my phone and access is low and those that do can only really see my balance and move money to my (much safer) nominated account and as Tandem is purely a savings account this is ok by me.

but this is the beauty of the savings world we live in if you’re not too fussed stay with tandem, good rate very fast transfers, if one is bothered by it then other savings accounts exist with similar or even slightly better rates. 

Consumer is king 

Qyburn

Just as a related point, my LTE router can receive text messages. I've started using that in some cases as the SMS verification number. I think that's more secure, firstly "security by obscurity" and secondly because I can apply proper security to control access to the route.

poseidon1

My approach with all mobile banking apps ( apart from Chase ) is to have them on my android tablet that does not leave the house! 

 Pretty much all the bank  app accounts are configured for tablet use as well as phone, including Tandem under discussion.

My 10 inch  tablet is from Samsung with biometric protection and is currently host to 12 banking and credit card apps.

My phone only has the Chase app which does not have a tablet option, and is the account I use for daily out of pocket spending.

Seems to me keeping access to  ones high value savings apps at tablet level only and kept at home, should quell a lot of the 'lost phone' anxiety expressed on many of the posts.

flaneurs_lobster

poseidon1 said:

My approach with all mobile banking apps ( apart from Chase ) is to have them on my android tablet that does not leave the house! 

 Pretty much all the bank  app accounts are configured for tablet use as well as phone, including Tandem under discussion.

My 10 inch  tablet is from Samsung with biometric protection and is currently host to 12 banking and credit card apps.

My phone only has the Chase app which does not have a tablet option, and is the account I use for daily out of pocket spending.

Seems to me keeping access to  ones high value savings apps at tablet level only and kept at home, should quell a lot of the 'lost phone' anxiety expressed on many of the posts.

I do the same, albeit that my stay-at-home device is a mobile phone (with all the security turned on). 

NorwichMan

I'm a little concerned there seems to be no way into my tandem app other than via fingerprint. Sometimes my finger doesn't work with the sensor for some reason. At these times I can usually use a pin instead to get into the phone or other apps (Starling for example will take either biometrics or pin). But I might have a situation where I urgently need to withdraw savings but can't get into the tandem app, and there's no alternative way in. That would be really annoying.

flaneurs_lobster

Your phone should allow you to store more than one fingerprint, all will be valid to open the Tandem app (and anything else). It can be a good idea to store more than one finger (accidents happen) and to setup each finger multiple times. 

The Tandem app will work without fingerprint access but you are right, once it has been set up there does not seem to be any way to turn it off (at least not that I can find). 

friolento

flaneurs_lobster said:

 

The Tandem app will work without fingerprint access but you are right, once it has been set up there does not seem to be any way to turn it off (at least not that I can find). 

A bit cumbersome - uninstall and re-install the app? 

Bad design that they don‘t allow change in the app

Bigwheels1111

I keep all my banking and savings app on my Ipad, with face id.

Just use my phone for texts

masonic

NorwichMan said:

I'm a little concerned there seems to be no way into my tandem app other than via fingerprint. Sometimes my finger doesn't work with the sensor for some reason. At these times I can usually use a pin instead to get into the phone or other apps (Starling for example will take either biometrics or pin). But I might have a situation where I urgently need to withdraw savings but can't get into the tandem app, and there's no alternative way in. That would be really annoying.

You don't have to worry, all you (or anyone else) need to access your account is the ability to read an SMS message sent to your registered phone number. For an existing installation, just clear data to remove any biometric security that had been set up, then log in with your phone number. If you can't unlock your device, but can read text messages on the lockscreen then you can install to a different device and log in using the SMS code. Alternatively, pop your SIM into a different phone to receive the text message and use the app on a different device.