Banking Security

Last week, I received a new debit card from my bank. All well and good – except that I hadn’t requested one.

When I called them to find out who had ordered it, they told me that they’d sent it themselves, as part of an “upgrade” to their security. This ‘upgrade’ involves sending out a new card with a different chip on it, and then at some point they’ll also be supplying me with some kind of card-reader. When that happens, supposedly it’ll plug in to my PC, and then I won’t be able to access my internet banking without both card and card-reader.

And that would all be lovely – except I have a nasty habit of using three or four PCs in any one given week, what with home PC, laptop, work PC and occasionally the work laptop as well. So in a fit of “upgrading” security, they’re making me go through extra hoops of inconvenience, having to carry this extra piece of gubbins just so I can access my online banking.

And when it comes to ‘increasing’ security, all that is immediately failed by the fact they sent out the cards with no warning. In envelopes that obviously contained a plastic card. So how would I have known if it didn’t appear? Simply – I wouldn’t.

So I don’t quite see how that’s an ‘upgrade’ to security…