Comments on: Abbey National Business’s logon page: a perfect example of stupidity

By: Debra

Debra — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 16:36:24 +0000

Last Wednesday I logged on to my Abbey account to find some unknown direct debits on the account. I immediately called the bank in London, I am in Atlanta and have been since 2005,only to get a young man who told me that he should have gone home at 4:30 and it was nearly 6 so, I should call back tomorrow and speak to the fraud office. No, he couldn’t give me the number because he wanted to go home. One week, and numerous calls later Abbey are still not investigating the fraud, because the purchases made in London were apparently made with something called “chip and pin” using my card. Since I am looking at my card, still pristine and unused, here in Atlant, there is a pretty good chance that there is a fraudulent card somewhere in Marble Arch London. One wonders that in the city with the most CCTV cameras in the world, there would not be footage of someone using my card at Selfridges, Mothercare and PCWorld.

A couple of years before I left England, my handbag was stolen just 30 minutes after I had made my usual weekly withdrawl from the bank, in person. So, I found it somewhat amusing when the teller later told me that she thought it was a little odd that someone was taking out another withdrawl after she had served me only half an hour before. Apparently, the thing that stuck in her mind, but not enough to question the person making the withdrawl, was that my dog was no longer present. Now, I am a 5′7″ white woman with red hair, I weigh 126lbs and usually have my 4lb Yorkshire Terrorist with me. Wouldn’t most people find it odd that in less than an hour, I had lost the dog, shrunk from 5′7″ to 5′, yet gained over 50lbs? And Oh, did I mention I turned black? These things she did not find strange.

Is there some stupid exam that these people have to take?

So here I am venting to you, because I have spoken to 10 different people at Abbey this morning. It has taken over an hour and nothing has been achieved as the phone disconnected when putting me through to the 11th person.

However, the one thing I did learn in the last week is this. If you are going out of the country, it is very important to take all your money out of Abbey before you go. Abbey are not responsible for any funds they hold and will no longer refund money fraudulently taken out of an account if you do not log in every day. This came from an employee of Abbey!!!!!

Any comment Abbey?

By: Paul Annett

Paul Annett — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 13:26:45 +0000

On a related note, you might like this hilarious article On Setting Appropriate Security Questions

By: Stuart

Stuart — Thu, 13 Dec 2007 14:26:12 +0000

This gets even better. Just press F5 and they’ll ask you another. Keep going till you get to the really secure Mother’s Maiden Name.

Account number would be more secure!

By: Mike

Mike — Thu, 26 Jul 2007 10:32:02 +0000

That hilarious, next they will tell you the answer and ask you what the question is :)

By: aYo

aYo — Mon, 23 Jul 2007 15:18:47 +0000

When I remember my past dealings with Abbey, I get goosebumps, or fly into a rage. I’m definitely glad I do not have anything to do with them anymore. Having said that, more often than not the banks just implement stuff because someone somewhere said it was a good idea, no matter whether the use case actually fits. How it affects the user is no concern of their’s. The fact is the customer is replaceable, the whole system is set up so it is impossible to survive without using one bank or the other.

By: paddy

paddy — Mon, 23 Jul 2007 12:36:55 +0000

I use firstdirect.com and find their online banking system good to use (although its not a business account) They’re also great on the phone. Abbey is stuck in the stone age. I have a mortgage with them and if I want to pay any of it off I can only do so by sending a cheque – no electronic transfer ;( I’m convinced they have a lot of systems in place that are in their interests and not the customers. i.e the prob you raised is just to cover their backs for online fraud insurance and hasn’t been though through about how to make it easier for the customer. It’s a small symptom of far greater disregard of the customer that I perceive Abbey to have.

By: Bruce Swedal

Bruce Swedal — Mon, 23 Jul 2007 00:34:40 +0000

With all the passwords, usernames, pins and “memorable answers” needed in society today, shouldn’t there be a simple way to make it a one size fits all thing? One password for one, one password for all. So it could work online, at the atm with local utility or cell phone companies. Who can remember them all?

By: Space Monki

Space Monki — Sun, 22 Jul 2007 22:52:01 +0000

I was attracted towards the Abbey (Irrational) because of their interest rates on Savings accounts … stayed with them for a couple of months because I just couldn’t use the online banking system … and was worried about security issues after ring their helpdesk to get … confused. I never give out security info over the phone, but when I was simply trying to get a savings account linked with a deposit account … they couldn’t proceed with any help if I didn’t disclose information that I considered should be secure. All I know is that, if I have to use a helpdesk to do the simplest of tasks, something aint right.

By: Keith Peters

Keith Peters — Sun, 22 Jul 2007 22:10:45 +0000

Hilarious. Reminds me of the PIN number you have to make up over the phone for my cable company. Then the next time you call the cable company, which is probably like a year later, they ask you your PIN. Yeah, sure. “I don’t remember my PIN.”
“Well, sir, I can’t access your account without a PIN.”
“Well, I don’t don’t it.”
“Well, I can’t access your account without it.”
“Well, I still don’t remember it”
“…OK, well, we can use the last four digits of your Social Security Number.”

It’s the same little dance every time. :)

By: Meekish

Meekish — Sun, 22 Jul 2007 21:55:48 +0000

Trying to make sense of those two screenshots makes my head hurt.