to think HSBC are a bunch of idiots

[jade80]

I suspect I am in particularly grumpy mood today! But HSBC and their bloody new method for accessing internet banking! You used to tap in your date of birth, account details and two of the numbers from your 8 digit secret code, nice and easy, you could hold all the relevant info in you head.

Now you have to press a button on a little code pad, enter a PIN, then press more buttons and enter the code it gives you into the website, as well as type in an answer a question. And then repeat the whole bloody process every time you want to transfer money or make a payment, despite already being signed in.

Now a.) i had no issues with the way they used to do internet banking. I am confident it was secure and I took the necessary measures to minimise the chance of anyone accessing my account.

b.) as soon as it turned up I knew I would lose the bloody thing (which I did a few weeks later, and when replacing it- and moaning at the HSBC employee- he told me they cost three quid each to issue! What a waste of money!)

3.) it takes ages longer than it used to, when I held all the relevant details in my head and did not have to cart the code pad around with me (it's a bit crap and weak or I would attach it to my keys- but I don't think it would last more than a week without breaking.

So yeah, it now takes longer to use their system, limits you to either carrying the code pad around, or only using internet banking at home, and is generally a massive waste of money, which makes me want to throttle that kid on the advert every time she waves her crappy moneybox at the old bloke.

So, anyway, which banks have easier to access internet banking? Or are they all like this now? (Mr HSBC implied this was the case when I rang to ask if I could go back to the old way of accessing internet banking before I ejected my laptop from the window.)

Please tell me if you know of a better one, before I lose the damn thing again and have to wait a few days for the new one to turn up in the post, followed a day or so later by another letter with a code to activate it. By which time I've made the payment another way anyway.

Yes, yes, I am irrationally annoyed!

Euphemia- the code pad would have made no difference to what was stolen from you I suppose. People won't stop committing fraud, they will just do it a way that gets round the keypad, but I would guess that HSBC won't ditch the keypads even when they are useless.

I do hope the other banks don't do the same- will be most annoyed when I change if the new bank bring out the same thing!

Seona I would never have changed to Santander - who apparantly couldnt guarantee we could keep the level of account we had, basically it was up to them, they could even have taken our debit cards off us. Changing to Carlisle is no big deal really as I never visit the branch, e.g. if I have a cheque I usually post it anyway.

Nationwide have recently given me one of these annoying little keypads. Grrrr! I hate it.

Ok- nationwide struck off the list of possible new bank account providers- thanks vajazzler!

Euphemia- if I had a drink in my mouth it would now be all over the keyboard!

I don't have a problem with it either. It's no trouble to log on and I still check my bank account as often as I did. I always keep it in the same place, always returning it after I've used it so have never lost it. No big deal really. Also, once I'm logged in I can transfer money, make payments, do pretty much anything and never have to enter my details again, I only do that the once upon first logging in.

I guess if you only ever check in one place it is only marginally more awkward than it used to be. Plenty of people can't/don't always keep it in the same place though.

You say you don't have to enter the details again? Doesn't it ask you to press the yellow button as part of a code sequence if you want to transfer money?

It requires the green button to log in then the yellow button to do other stuff on mine- I wonder why it is different? It's a pain as you have to scroll up and down several times as it asks for numbers at the top of the page to be entered into the box at the bottom, so you have to scroll back to check. Am intriugued as to why they don't subject you to this too!

You are hsbc, yes? If so i shall add that to my list of complaints!

I'm with HSBC and keep my key pad in the spare zippy compartment of my purse. As I always have my purse with me, I always have my key pad with me.

Why not ring them up and say you've lost it, even though you haven't. They'll send you another and then you'll have two. Keep one in a safe place you won't forget - say in your cutlery drawer - and the other in your bag.

If you're generally happy with the bank apart from that, I wouldn't change just because of the key pad. You might find that your new bank starts to use key pads and then you'll be back to square one.

The HSBC pad thing is a pain as I have to now do all Internet banking from home so I don't risk leaving the pad thing anywhere. However, I've never had to use it again once logged on, even when making payments externally.
Nationwide also has a card reader thing which is even more cumbersome but at least it's not tied to the account/ card holder like the HSBC pad.

No op, I don't have to use the yellow button at all. In fact I didn't even know mine had one so just had to check I do all my transferring and making of payments just as I used to do.

Actually, come to think of it, I think I have once used the yellow button but I think that was when I set up a new payee? Other than that the yellow button is redundant.

Softkitty- I don't really have anything I carry all the time, or would probably have less of an issue with it! I don't carry a purse and often change bags.

The hsbc chap led me to believe I can't do this as the old one is disabled when a new one is issued. May try it anyway though, as it only costs them money, not me!

I would say I am not thrilled with the bank anyway, but have never had enough reason to actually make me want to change before. This is enough! They aren't good enough in other ways to convince me to put up with it. I will certainly be choosing a new bank after careful enquiries about their future plans.

I know it's only a minor thing, but even finding the code pad in a bag is a pain in the backside, it used to be so much simpler to just quickly log in, rather than having to get up and find the pad and go through the rigmarole!

Can you not attach to your key ring with that little hook thingy it has on it?

That key ring hook lasted 2 days in my handbag

Time, ah, all the recent payments I have made have been new payees- perhaps that's why!

No- it is far too flimsy, would last a couple of days at most before the screen cracked! Good idea if it was chunkier though, as I always have keys!

It will be an inconvenience when the battery runs out and I have to contact them and wait for a new one before I can access my account. I won't be very happy with the system then. I do love HSBC though, I've been with them for years and they are the best bank I have ever used.

As for finding the code pad in a bag, use a safety pin to attach it to you bag lining where you can easily get at it. Problem solved

Yes, that will be it. Once you have your payees set up it's business as usual

I hate it too and hardly ever check my HSBC as a result, it used to be primary account but now I transfer my wages out immediately and don't use it because of the keypad. Just after they introduced the keypad they ran a competition that gave you an entry for every time you logged in using the keypad - I assume in response to a drastic reduction in people logging in to their banking.

First Direct don't currently have it, but seeing as they're do closely affiliated with HSBC is probably just a matter of time.

I have used a small piece of velcro tape and I velcro it to the inside of the drawer on my bedside cabinet It never strays! I admit the hook thing is flimsy though.

Yes, and the battery fail is bound to happen when you need to use it lots! 5 days later by the time you get another will be too late.

I used to love HSBC too, I have banked with them since I was a kid and used to have a mortgage through them too. This is enough to send me elsewhere.

Nah, I've been jabbed by safety pins that have come undone too many times! I don't like to leave it in my bag for too long either for the same reason I don't attach it to my keys- too flimsy and will break in short order! Time for a new bank.

Who has a decent basic savings account, as I'm not impressed by HSBCs poor savings interest rate either?

It seems there is a split between a small number who think it's fine (I shall call them the organised ones!) and the majority who now very rarely check their internet banking because it has become a pain in the backside instead of simple. No skin off HSBCs nose I suppose- just more income in the form of penalties for people going overdrawn more often because of checking less! Meanwhile, the fraudsters are merrily continuing their fraud, just altering it slightly to sidestep this crap attempt at 'security'!

Northern Rock looked okay, they certainly had one of the best instant access ISAs too. Not sure what's going on now they are Virgin Money.
HSBC savings rate has always been shite in my opinion.

HSBC are driving more calls into their contact centre as half the time I want to do something I haven't got my key fob!

I will admit OP, I am OCD organised

If you have a look on the Martin Lewis website he may have recommendations for the banks with the best interest rates, services etc. He was waffling on about the different banks this last week.