Santander OTP code every time I want to look at my account

etienneg

If, being old, you find stairs difficult, why not just get into the habit of keeping the phone with you? Or, at least, taking it upstairs when you go to bed and bringing it downstairs when you get up? Many "issues" have a simple solution you can implement yourself, without blaming the bank! And having the phone always with you would surely be better if you had an accident and needed to call for help?

Regarding your comment about having trouble receiving OTP's and having to clear data to make room for them, again this would be so much easier if you deleted each OTP once you had entered it into your browser.

wmb194

etienneg said:

If, being old, you find stairs difficult, why not just get into the habit of keeping the phone with you? Or, at least, taking it upstairs when you go to bed and bringing it downstairs when you get up? Many "issues" have a simple solution you can implement yourself, without blaming the bank! And having the phone always with you would surely be better if you had an accident and needed to call for help?

Regarding your comment about having trouble receiving OTP's and having to clear data to make room for them, again this would be so much easier if you deleted each OTP once you had entered it into your browser.

Move the computer downstairs, get an iPad*, new phone? Running out of space for text messages brings back vague memories of 20 years ago…

*Using e.g., Splashtop you can use your iPad/Android phone or tablet to remote control Windows PCs and Macs from anywhere.

sausage_time

Android phones can show and compose texts from Google Messages in a browser.  Go to https://messages.google.com/web and pair your phone using the QR code.  Very handy.

Scotjock

Not santander specific but this can be an issue with dynamic ip addresses which randomly assign a new ip address sometimes within minutes. To the provider it looks like you are accessing from a different location. This is especially a thing on mobile Internet.

35har1old

wmb194 said:

SirFreddy said:

Every time I log in to my Santander online account I get a request to put in a code into my mobile phone.This is inconvenient as I do not always have my mobile handy to my desktop PC, I am 78 years old and it is not an easy task to get up and down the stairs etc.

I have spoken to Santander and they are not interested, they tell me that it is all automated and they cannot do anything. I have been with the same bank since Alliance and Leicester days.

I always use the same desk top computer,correctly ticked, never had any previous problems and never use my mobile for on line banking.

Even with the threat of leaving Santander they are not interested in helping the older generation and just quote it's for your security etc

Do many board members have to use a OTP code every time they look at their online account? .

Are you clearing your browser cookies or using a VPN? Try a different browser and/or another device.

Except when setting up for the first time, I don't have this issue with my iPad and iPhone and I rarely have to enter OTPs when using a browser to login to my main bank, Lloyds (no VPN, no cookie clearing).

Not clearing the browser history for the likes of YBS  if you don't clear you browser history you will not be able to make a debit card payment 

wmb194

35har1old said:

wmb194 said:

SirFreddy said:

Every time I log in to my Santander online account I get a request to put in a code into my mobile phone.This is inconvenient as I do not always have my mobile handy to my desktop PC, I am 78 years old and it is not an easy task to get up and down the stairs etc.

I have spoken to Santander and they are not interested, they tell me that it is all automated and they cannot do anything. I have been with the same bank since Alliance and Leicester days.

I always use the same desk top computer,correctly ticked, never had any previous problems and never use my mobile for on line banking.

Even with the threat of leaving Santander they are not interested in helping the older generation and just quote it's for your security etc

Do many board members have to use a OTP code every time they look at their online account? .

Are you clearing your browser cookies or using a VPN? Try a different browser and/or another device.

Except when setting up for the first time, I don't have this issue with my iPad and iPhone and I rarely have to enter OTPs when using a browser to login to my main bank, Lloyds (no VPN, no cookie clearing).

Not clearing the browser history for the likes of YBS  if you don't clear you browser history you will not be able to make a debit card payment 

You mean debit card deposit? If so, this isn't my experience with Chrome on my Mac with Halifax DC deposits to YBS. To date I've had no issues and I don't clear anything.

callum9999

SirFreddy said:

Thanks everyone, put it all in a mixer and it makes sense. I have a VPN but I only use it a little, and not when trying to access Santander. I do however use System Mechanic a lot to clean my PC as I do spend a few hours everyday on the desktop.

As one or two of you have said, most banks are goig down the secure route so I will keep my mobile next to me when I want to access my account as I still want to de-clutter my PC with System Mechanic.

FWIW I did have trouble receiving OTP's on my Mobile but after a bit of Googling I saw that I had to clear my Data etc to make room for codes. Once again thank you all.

Is your computer very old/slow? A few hours a day is not a lot of use and it shouldn't require regular decluttering.

(You can do what you want obviously, but I remember when I did remote technical support, I helped so many "older" people who were doing things like running these programs daily because a computer magazine told them to 20 years ago but they were just wasting their time)

robatwork

I sympathise as I have a similar issue, and Santander are intransigent regarding their use of SMS for one time codes. 

My house seems to be in a blackspot of phone reception, and while wi-fi calling makes calls very reliable, SMS doesn't use that network (despite promises otherwise for years - another story for another day). I can only receive SMS reliably on occasion upstairs, or about 200m away at the end of the road. 

When I get sent an OTP that means a trip upstairs or more likely wandering up the road waving my phone around like it's 1997. And hoping I make it back to the PC before it's timed out. 

Just about every other institution or important login that I use has a decent alternative. They will offer to call and read out the OTP. Or send in WhatsApp. Or use Authenticator like like a proper grown-up security proposition. But not Santander. I've asked them a few times if they will offer another OTP method. 

It's a shame as I'm actually very happy with them as my main bank, and this isn't quite annoying enough to leave. 

sausage_time

robatwork said:

I sympathise as I have a similar issue, and Santander are intransigent regarding their use of SMS for one time codes. 

My house seems to be in a blackspot of phone reception, and while wi-fi calling makes calls very reliable, SMS doesn't use that network (despite promises otherwise for years - another story for another day). I can only receive SMS reliably on occasion upstairs, or about 200m away at the end of the road. 

When I get sent an OTP that means a trip upstairs or more likely wandering up the road waving my phone around like it's 1997. And hoping I make it back to the PC before it's timed out. 

Just about every other institution or important login that I use has a decent alternative. They will offer to call and read out the OTP. Or send in WhatsApp. Or use Authenticator like like a proper grown-up security proposition. But not Santander. I've asked them a few times if they will offer another OTP method. 

It's a shame as I'm actually very happy with them as my main bank, and this isn't quite annoying enough to leave. 

I'm confused by this.  I just logged into Santander on my computer for the first time in months (checking for interest due on my Easy Access Saver account).  I had to approve via the app, not by SMS.  If that is true for all users won't that work for you @robatwork and others?  App will use Wifi and not rely on the legacy phone network for texts.

Stargunner

robatwork said:

I sympathise as I have a similar issue, and Santander are intransigent regarding their use of SMS for one time codes. 

My house seems to be in a blackspot of phone reception, and while wi-fi calling makes calls very reliable, SMS doesn't use that network (despite promises otherwise for years - another story for another day). I can only receive SMS reliably on occasion upstairs, or about 200m away at the end of the road. 

When I get sent an OTP that means a trip upstairs or more likely wandering up the road waving my phone around like it's 1997. And hoping I make it back to the PC before it's timed out. 

Just about every other institution or important login that I use has a decent alternative. They will offer to call and read out the OTP. Or send in WhatsApp. Or use Authenticator like like a proper grown-up security proposition. But not Santander. I've asked them a few times if they will offer another OTP method. 

It's a shame as I'm actually very happy with them as my main bank, and this isn't quite annoying enough to leave. 

Do you not have the Santander app on your mobile phone, because if you did Santander would ask you to approve the log in via the app which would be connected to your wifi