Should PIN be sent by default?

HillStreetBlues

I've had about 10 cards delivered in the last couple of months, every time the card & PIN has arrived in the same delivery.
As many use apps and most of them you can get the PIN that way, wouldn't it be better in you need a PIN you can request it after card arrives.

The_Groat_Counter

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6670708/should-pin-be-sent-by-default

I've experienced similar. The security precaution of sending card and PIN separately gets somewhat neutered when Royal Mail seemingly batch up recent letters at delivery offices and then deliver them all at once.

However, whilst it's easy to criticise RM (and many do!), I've some sympathy with them - the volume of letters has decreased dramatically, and banks have absolutely been a part of that process, what with auto-opting customers out of receiving paper statements - but of course customers (that's us!) are very much part of the digital delivery expectation too!

I think you make a fair point, I've thought similar - find out the the PIN via the bank app, with postal delivery of it an option rather than something that happens by default.

I suspect the legacy banks might have systems that may not make such a change that easy to implement, but I'd guess it'll happen eventually.

clairec666

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6670708/should-pin-be-sent-by-default

Mine have often arrived in the same delivery. The postman also refuses to put anything through the letterbox (it's a low letterbox and he's got a bad back, apparently) so the post is always left out in full view. Complaints to Royal Mail have got me nowhere, so it would be great to have a way of delaying the PIN being sent out. Might not suit everyone, so best way surely would be to specify when applying whether you'd like the PIN to be posted to you. Postal service is unlikely to improve in the near future so I think it's important that banks adapt around this.

flaneurs_lobster

Chase go one step further, not only do they not send a PIN, they allow you to set your own PIN before the card arrives.

True of the other app-onlys?

Think most banks will continue to send a PIN in the post, some people don't do apps (or even online) so the default covers all cases. Is it really that much of a security problem - doesn't the card have to be activated before it can be used?

born_again

Card & pin are sent out by card production companies. They do go out separately on different days. So should not arrive together.

sadly as above RM can & do batch post up so they arrive together.

Which is why their deliver on time % is so low. perhaps a single postal service would be better rather than 1st & 2nd class.

saajan_12

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82019446#Comment_82019446

continuing this tangent a bit, but surely the better next step would be to get an external letter holder higher up or change your door with a higher up slot. Better than complaining the postie won't injure himself repeatedly bending down with a sack of letters?

clairec666

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82019871#Comment_82019871

I'll have to disagree with you here. I don't think it's unreasonable to expect someone to do their job properly, i.e. put the post through the letterbox provided. He can take the sack off his back to bend down. And it's hardly a low letterbox, it's around knee height. If he was really struggling he could have rung the doorbell, but he didn't.