Bank accounts, and credit card providers, that don't need texts by phone

slopemaster

I had my phone stolen, and I'm still trying to sort out the fallout almost 3 weeks later.

I haven't yet managed to get my number transferred to a new SIM - I'm working on it, long story.

Anyway, the worst thing is not being able either to check  my bank accounts or to buy anything online with any of my credit cards.

I want to avoid this in the future, so I am looking for banks or card providers that offer alternative methods for 2FA - such as getting a code sent by e-mail - or that allow you to put an alternative phone number on your account for use if you lose access to the main one, or maybe use an authenticator app.

I bank with RBS and Nationwide, and have credit cards with RBS, Halifax, mbna and Barclays.

NONE of these offer any alternatives at all.

Even though I still have card readers for the RBS and Nationwide, I cannot use them to log in, only to confirm transactions once logged in already.

Very grateful for any suggestions.

(But I do all my banking on the wbsites and don't want to bank on a phone app because a phone is too easy to lose- so please no solutions which rely on the apps - which is all the customer service people can ever suggest.)

grumpy_codger

IIRC Nationwide works fine without SMS, they are optional. Online purchases work with their card reader.

https://www.nationwide.co.uk/help/online-banking-help/using-a-card-reader/

Barclays - I can login and create a new payee without an app or SMS. ATM PINsentry is needed for the latter but possibly will be needed soon for the former as well. Don't remember about online purchases. ETA: https://www.barclays.co.uk/ways-to-bank/confirm/ - if you have a Barclays PINsentry card reader, you can use it to generate a code

RBS - the same. I can login easily, card reader is needed for a new payee.

QrizB

AMEX send codes by email.

MattMattMattUK

Amex send codes by text and email at the same time.
Nationwide is in app which can be on multiple devices, they are phasing out card readers for payment verification.
MBNA send codes to the app, which can be installed on multiple devices.

I have the apps on my phone and tablet, tablet lives at home, both devices fully locked down and kept up to date.

That is a long time to get a new SIM activated, it can normally be done the same or next day.

osmarks

Some VoIP services will redirect incoming SMS to email. You could look into that.

Rob5342

You could install the apps on a tablet that you keep at home, or have a second mobile phone you use just for banking text messages.

Halifax let me log in to their website with an automated call to my phone, don't you get that option? You can have multiple phone numbers so you can add your home phone number if you still have one. I don't know if that works for payment authorization though. 

wmb194

slopemaster said:

I had my phone stolen, and I'm still trying to sort out the fallout almost 3 weeks later.

I haven't yet managed to get my number transferred to a new SIM - I'm working on it, long story.

Anyway, the worst thing is not being able either to check  my bank accounts or to buy anything online with any of my credit cards.

I want to avoid this in the future, so I am looking for banks or card providers that offer alternative methods for 2FA - such as getting a code sent by e-mail - or that allow you to put an alternative phone number on your account for use if you lose access to the main one, or maybe use an authenticator app.

I bank with RBS and Nationwide, and have credit cards with RBS, Halifax, mbna and Barclays.

NONE of these offer any alternatives at all.

Even though I still have card readers for the RBS and Nationwide, I cannot use them to log in, only to confirm transactions once logged in already.

Very grateful for any suggestions.

(But I do all my banking on the wbsites and don't want to bank on a phone app because a phone is too easy to lose- so please no solutions which rely on the apps - which is all the customer service people can ever suggest.)

You need a phone or tablet that doesn't leave the house. Recently I've been using Santander online and it has an, 'approve via app' option and Chase the same. IIRC you'll need a phone number to setup the apps, though.

PRAISETHESUN

wmb194 said:

slopemaster said:

I had my phone stolen, and I'm still trying to sort out the fallout almost 3 weeks later.

I haven't yet managed to get my number transferred to a new SIM - I'm working on it, long story.

Anyway, the worst thing is not being able either to check  my bank accounts or to buy anything online with any of my credit cards.

I want to avoid this in the future, so I am looking for banks or card providers that offer alternative methods for 2FA - such as getting a code sent by e-mail - or that allow you to put an alternative phone number on your account for use if you lose access to the main one, or maybe use an authenticator app.

I bank with RBS and Nationwide, and have credit cards with RBS, Halifax, mbna and Barclays.

NONE of these offer any alternatives at all.

Even though I still have card readers for the RBS and Nationwide, I cannot use them to log in, only to confirm transactions once logged in already.

Very grateful for any suggestions.

(But I do all my banking on the wbsites and don't want to bank on a phone app because a phone is too easy to lose- so please no solutions which rely on the apps - which is all the customer service people can ever suggest.)

You need a phone or tablet that doesn't leave the house. Recently I've been using Santander online and it has an, 'approve via app' option and Chase the same. IIRC you'll need a phone number to setup the apps, though.

This is my approach. My old phone barely lasts an hour off the charger these days but is a perfect fit for this. Minimal risk of it getting lost/stolen.

GeoffTF

wmb194 said:

slopemaster said:

I had my phone stolen, and I'm still trying to sort out the fallout almost 3 weeks later.

I haven't yet managed to get my number transferred to a new SIM - I'm working on it, long story.

Anyway, the worst thing is not being able either to check  my bank accounts or to buy anything online with any of my credit cards.

I want to avoid this in the future, so I am looking for banks or card providers that offer alternative methods for 2FA - such as getting a code sent by e-mail - or that allow you to put an alternative phone number on your account for use if you lose access to the main one, or maybe use an authenticator app.

I bank with RBS and Nationwide, and have credit cards with RBS, Halifax, mbna and Barclays.

NONE of these offer any alternatives at all.

Even though I still have card readers for the RBS and Nationwide, I cannot use them to log in, only to confirm transactions once logged in already.

Very grateful for any suggestions.

(But I do all my banking on the wbsites and don't want to bank on a phone app because a phone is too easy to lose- so please no solutions which rely on the apps - which is all the customer service people can ever suggest.)

You need a phone or tablet that doesn't leave the house. Recently I've been using Santander online and it has an, 'approve via app' option and Chase the same. IIRC you'll need a phone number to setup the apps, though.

A Chromebook will also run Android apps. I have just bought one for accessing my financial accounts. It should also be useful if my main PC goes on the blink.

wmb194

Rob5342 said:

You could install the apps on a tablet that you keep at home, or have a second mobile phone you use just for banking text messages.

Halifax let me log in to their website with an automated call to my phone, don't you get that option? You can have multiple phone numbers so you can add your home phone number if you still have one. I don't know if that works for payment authorization though. 

Yes, Lloyds, Halifax and BoS allow you to do most things with a home phone number and it’s given as an option when setting up a new payment in online banking.

Chief_of_Staffy

This is the enhanced security we hear about. So secure you can't even get to your own money. And the solution seems to be to have a phone that you keep at home by your computer, basically performing the same function as your computer could, at extra cost and reduced security.

For the record, NatWest will only send you a code if you're logging in from a new device, or you've cleared your cookies, or (sometimes) if you're making a purchase from a source you don't normally use. So you can often go months or years without having to enter a code. And if you are unable to receive a code I believe you can use your card reader to log in.

For setting up and making payments you use the card reader.