MSE News: Co-op, Halifax and Lloyds customers hit by banking chaos

MSE_Guy wrote: »

"Many bank customers are unable to access their cash or account information this afternoon ..."

Read the full story:
Co-op, Halifax and Lloyds customers hit by banking chaos

Went to the shops earlier. Co-op debit card declined (even though my wages were in this morning when I checked). Tried atm but no services available. Got worried when Nat West machine said my card had been DECLINED (rather than service unavailable).

Went to Post Office, same again, declined. Tried to access my account online via my phone, no joy, so I rang the CS line (from my mobile :eek:) went through the authorisation sequence only to receive a message at the end saying all services were offline, please try later !!! (not given option to speak to anyone :mad:)

2 hours later and the co-op service status still says nothing, although internet banking does say it's not available at the mo.

Worst thing is our other account is with the Halifax, so hope we can get some money for the weekend

Just out of curiosity I tried texting for my balance and I got this reply back.

We are sorry but this service is currently unavailable; please try again later. Alternatively you can use the internet or a cash machineCo-op Bank

I had to laugh really:wall:

pete_v wrote: »

later."

Glad I keep £200 backup cash under a brick in my house...

Pete

Wish I had a brick like that lol.

As it's our 1st pay day after all the monthly payments have gone out we are down to the contents of the kids money boxes if we can't get any money tonight:o

At least I have fuel in the car for work in the morning :rotfl:

I've banked with the Co-op since before time began, and can't remember a time when I've noticed a problem like this affect me, being unable to access my money.

I'm of an age where I can remember going to my local post office or co-op handybank (a little counter somewhere inside a co-op food shop) to cash a cheque - an old fashioned but effective manual system of getting at my money.

If the credit card system went down in shops, manual card processing would take place (remember those little carbon-paper receipts anyone?).

Has the notion of any kind of manual back up system completely left us? When the computer says no are we just stuffed?

Mistakes will happen and systems will fail. Manual backup worked well in the past. Some method should be reinstated.

Having all of my banking with the Co-op has never been a problem in the past. If the notion of manual backup has been eradicated , then sadly innovate is right, the backup method is now down to the individual to have a back up account of some sort.

Although, I thought Co-op and Halifax/Lloyds were different systems - is it just coincidence that they have both failed at the same time? Not much point in a back up if the back up fails at the same time.

innovate wrote: »

After the Natwest/RBS meltdown earlier this year, it is soul-destroying to see that some people still have all their eggs in one basket - - - i.e. still rely on a single bank for money.

Exactly why we have 2 seperate accounts. 1 with the Co-op and 1 with, errrr the Halifax. Damn, both of them don't work :eek: