Progressive BS online banking - unable to receive access code

Yorkie006

Hi everyone,
this post is on behalf of a friend.
My friend opened a regular saving account with Progressive BS last summer.
She tried to log in to check when exactly the account matures but is having issues.

She filled in her log in details (email+password) and then on the second page it's asking her to enter a 6-digit Whatsapp code. The trouble is that she doesn't have Whatsapp (her phone is quite old and Whatsapp is not compatible with it). She opened the account without Whatsapp so had no idea she would need it for future log ins.

The message on the log in page says: We have sent a 6-digit access code to you by WhatsApp. If this is your first login, you may receive this by SMS. It may take five minutes for your code to arrive.

She doesn't think if she logged in since she opened the account but is not sure. So, how does she access the online banking without Whatsapp? It seems a bit strange that she was able to open the account without it but now needs it to access her money. Visiting branch is not possible as they don't have any in England and phone lines are closed at weekends.

Any ideas what to do in this situation? Thanks!

Bobblehat

She'll need to phone them to get the passcode, then ask for future codes to be sent to the held email address.

Hoenir

Isn't the 6 digit code sent by TEXT ?

Bobblehat

Hoenir said:

Isn't the 6 digit code sent by TEXT ?

It used to be until recently! I think there was a recent exchange on here somewhere, about Progressive deciding to drop SMS with some people saying they had no notice of the change.

SiliconChip

What operating system does she have on her phone? There seems to be a huge difference in WhatsApp compatibility between Android and Apple - it works on Android as far back as 5.0, which was released in 2014, but for Apple it requires iOS 15.1 from 2021. If she has an iPhone has she tried to update to a more recont version of iOS? If it's android then she should just get a new phone as one that won't support a version that's already 11 years old is hopelessly out of date (and support for 5.0 itself ended in 2024).

flaneurs_lobster

SiliconChip said:

What operating system does she have on her phone? There seems to be a huge difference in WhatsApp compatibility between Android and Apple - it works on Android as far back as 5.0, which was released in 2014, but for Apple it requires iOS 15.1 from 2021. If she has an iPhone has she tried to update to a more recont version of iOS? If it's android then she should just get a new phone as one that won't support a version that's already 11 years old is hopelessly out of date (and support for 5.0 itself ended in 2024).

....and if the OP's friend doesn't have (or want) a smartphone?

Bobblehat

flaneurs_lobster said:

SiliconChip said:

What operating system does she have on her phone? There seems to be a huge difference in WhatsApp compatibility between Android and Apple - it works on Android as far back as 5.0, which was released in 2014, but for Apple it requires iOS 15.1 from 2021. If she has an iPhone has she tried to update to a more recont version of iOS? If it's android then she should just get a new phone as one that won't support a version that's already 11 years old is hopelessly out of date (and support for 5.0 itself ended in 2024).

....and if the OP's friend doesn't have (or want) a smartphone?

......... She'll need to phone Progressive to get the passcode, then ask for future codes to be sent to the held email address.   

Yorkie006

SiliconChip said:

What operating system does she have on her phone? There seems to be a huge difference in WhatsApp compatibility between Android and Apple - it works on Android as far back as 5.0, which was released in 2014, but for Apple it requires iOS 15.1 from 2021. If she has an iPhone has she tried to update to a more recont version of iOS? If it's android then she should just get a new phone as one that won't support a version that's already 11 years old is hopelessly out of date (and support for 5.0 itself ended in 2024).

She's got an old Android. She is not interested in getting a new one though. She's over 80 years old and doesn't use any phone apps. All her online banking is done on a desktop PC, she is refusing to use app-only banks (despite them usually having better % rates) because she doesn't trust them. Her phone is only used for phone calls and to receive text messages (mostly online access codes and GP appointment reminders). Can't see her replacing a phone she's used to and happy with just because 1 bank decided to send codes by Whatsapp (she'll probably decide not to bank with them in the future but that doesn't solve the current access issue).

Yorkie006

Bobblehat said:

Hoenir said:

Isn't the 6 digit code sent by TEXT ?

It used to be until recently! I think there was a recent exchange on here somewhere, about Progressive deciding to drop SMS with some people saying they had no notice of the change.

As far as she's aware, she received no notification of the change.

IanManc

Yorkie006 said:

Bobblehat said:

Hoenir said:

Isn't the 6 digit code sent by TEXT ?

It used to be until recently! I think there was a recent exchange on here somewhere, about Progressive deciding to drop SMS with some people saying they had no notice of the change.

As far as she's aware, she received no notification of the change.

Nobody received notice of the change. Progressive just stopped sending codes by SMS without warning anyone.

Yorkie006

IanManc said:

Yorkie006 said:

Bobblehat said:

Hoenir said:

Isn't the 6 digit code sent by TEXT ?

It used to be until recently! I think there was a recent exchange on here somewhere, about Progressive deciding to drop SMS with some people saying they had no notice of the change.

As far as she's aware, she received no notification of the change.

Nobody received notice of the change. Progressive just stopped sending codes by SMS without warning anyone.

So Progressive assume all of their customers have Whatsapp without giving any notice, making it difficult for anyone who is (for whatever reason) unable to use it access their own money... Can't imagine a big bank doing this without it causing a major uproar.