HSBC Internet banking gadget

[koster]

For HSBC internet banking you now need one of their little gadgets to log on.

I find this quite annoying because you might want to log on at work and the gadget is at home, or the other way round. I know you can put it on your key ring, but I have enough keys and cards to carry around already.

I phoned up and asked for a spare one so that I could keep one at work. However, they told me this is not possible because the device is unique and only one can be paired with the account.

I was thinking, though, surely if you had a joint account then both husband and wife would need their own gadget, or if you had a business account you would need more than one. Are HSBC lying when they say it wouldn't work to have two gadgets on the account?

NatWest is much more convenient, you only need their gadget to set up a new payee. And it's even better with Metro bank, where there's no gadget at all. I know there are probably security advantages, but convenience is more important to me.

[craft1948]

I used to have one for banking with Tesco.............they've just got rid of them.

[China Doll]

I have one for my HSBC account. I have it on my keys and don't really regard it as much of a problem.

[suechu]

Was just talking about this with my daughter who works for a bank that uses these gadgets - I said to her if they're so good why don't all the banks use them - mine doesn't. (LLTSB)

[koster]

I just find them annoying and a waste of my time. Fine, they can have extra security for things like making payments through internet banking, but less security for just checking your balance.

It's silly anyway, I can check my HSBC balance and mini statement through mobile phone banking, just by entering a 6-letter password. So why can't I get the same information on a computer just as quickly.

[Old_Geezer]

Convenience is more important if you don't bear the cost of criminal activity. But I know what you mean, the customer ought not be inconvenienced because of an insecure service provider's system.

Who is to say that a joint account isn't obliged to share a gadget ? Not that I bank on the Net myself.

[EDDIE51]

They are NOT linked to one account , thet are fobbing you off.
Just tell them the one you have is broken and they will send you a new one.
My son is on Nat west and I am Barclays both key pads work on either account !

[whiskeryron]

SMILE (Co op) on line banking had the little gadget & I must say that I found it quite inconvenient. I am happy to say they have done away with it now.

Ron.

[SlackAlice]

I have a 'gadget' for Nationwide on our joint bank account, but I also have the option to still use the old way as well, although its been 'beefed up' with an extra password.

[China Doll]

Well if you can get the balance by calling then I actually really don't see what the problem is at all. You don't have to carry it and you can still have your balance. It's more inconvenient for me to call for my balance so I'm happy to carry it. (If I left it at home and was desperate to check I could always just use a cash point anyway).

Personally I've not had a problem with my online banking prior to and post having this gadget. But if it's supposed to be more safe then I don't begrudge the bank trying to do that.

Honestly can't see what the issue is.

[koster]

Thanks Eddie51 - I will phone and get a spare one to keep in my drawer at work.

By the way, China Doll, I was talking about mobile phone banking, not phone banking. It's like a mini website on your phone. So I was just saying, why have more security for the normal website than for the mini website.

I definitely don't want to phone the bank to get my balance, I have better things to do than waste my time on hold. And I certainly don't want to have to walk to a cash machine every time I want to get my balance (and it would have to be an HSBC cash machine if I wanted a mini statement). Also, the mini statement shows less information than the online statement, so for example you could see the amount of an incoming payment on the mini statement but you would not know who it was from.

Interesting to hear that some banks have introduced these and then withdrawn, them, it must have been customer feedback.

[sandyRoe]

Don't you have a choice of using it or your 'memorable data'?

[Mick-Talbot]

No, Sandy

[sandyRoe]

Both Nationwide and the Ulster Bank, a branch of RBS, allow either.

[dzug2]

<<I said to her if they're so good why don't all the banks use them - mine doesn't. (LLTSB) >>

Lloyds TSB do use them - for business accounts at present. I've no doubt it will come

[twix123]

What did you do before the advent of internet/on line banking?

[buildersmate]

I believe Eddie is barking up the wrong tree. These are not keypads but devices that generate a security code that is timed-dependent.
And I do believe that they are paired one to an account-holder. If you have a joint account you do have two log-ins and hence two security lozenges - that way the bank knows specifically which account-holder is accessing the account - much the same as having two cards on the account.
Since you can see what HSBC has to say about the matter.

[EDDIE51]

I don't know if 'keypad' is the correct word but we have Nat West and Barclays ones in the house and I just use which ever is to hand. I'm talking about thr little pad where you enter your PIN and it gives 2 Four digit nos to type into the internet log on page , which then lets you access the account.
The bank staff actually told me you can use any pad even another banks one.
you still use the 'memorable word/ password' access if you don't have a pad.
My dog chewed up my Barclays pad , so I used the Nat West one for a week until the new card pad arrived.
Now I think about it is it called a 'PIn Sentry'?

[buildersmate]

Nope - that's not what we are dealing with here. HSBC uses a 'lozenge' shaped device with a single button that produces (what appears to be) a random code of six digits when pressed.
Don't quite understand how it works but there is a 'time' factor, in that if you fail to enter the momentarily displayed code into the 'puter within a minute or so, the code is invalid