SMS activation not working when switching phones

Poncke

Hi, recently I tried to add a payee and activate by SMS. My phone number has been with BOI for over 12 years unchanged. Yet I could not activate the payee. No error message, no warning, nothing. I had deleted and added the payee 3 times. Followed all troubleshooting steps and nothing worked. So I called BOI customer service. Asked me if I had changed my phone, which I have. And therefor it stopped working. I have to request a code via the post and activate the payee and then my mobile number will work again. There was nothing he could do to help me make that payment, other then telling me to go into a bank office which wasn't an option at the time. So I have to wait 5 working days to be able to make a payment. 

Its 20 freaking 19. Why is BOI operating such an archaic system? Why is it when I have the same mobile number and the same SIM card, the mobile activation option stops working because of a new phone? Is the system checking the IMEI number as well to be able to send the SMS? And why is requesting an activation code via the post, activating my new phone? 

You have understand that sometimes a payment needs to be immediate and you cant wait 5-7 days to be able to make a payment. Why do payees have to be activated? On my Dutch account I can send a payment to any SEPA account without having to activate the payee with a code. <snip>

Sort it out....really.....sort it out. 

Bank of Ireland: Jennifer

Poncke wrote: »

Hi, recently I tried to add a payee and activate by SMS. My phone number has been with BOI for over 12 years unchanged. Yet I could not activate the payee. No error message, no warning, nothing. I had deleted and added the payee 3 times. Followed all troubleshooting steps and nothing worked. So I called BOI customer service. Asked me if I had changed my phone, which I have. And therefor it stopped working. I have to request a code via the post and activate the payee and then my mobile number will work again. There was nothing he could do to help me make that payment, other then telling me to go into a bank office which wasn't an option at the time. So I have to wait 5 working days to be able to make a payment.

Its 20 freaking 19. Why is BOI operating such an archaic system? Why is it when I have the same mobile number and the same SIM card, the mobile activation option stops working because of a new phone? Is the system checking the IMEI number as well to be able to send the SMS? And why is requesting an activation code via the post, activating my new phone?

You have understand that sometimes a payment needs to be immediate and you cant wait 5-7 days to be able to make a payment. Why do payees have to be activated? On my Dutch account I can send a payment to any SEPA account without having to activate the payee with a code. <snip>

Sort it out....really.....sort it out.

Hi Poncke,



Thanks for getting in touch with us here today. We are very sorry to hear that this has been your recent experience when adding a payee to your account. Please be assured of our best intentions at all times. Extra measures are taken to protect the account since the introduction of the Payments Services Directive known as PSD2 which applies to all payment services in the EU. It has been introduced to make electronic payments more secure. For more information on PSD2 please see here.

As you have changed the mobile phone from which you previously received the security codes the one time activation code would need to be sent to the Postal Address on the account prior to activating the payee and we do apologise for the inconvenience this has caused to you. Please be assured that once you have received and activated the payee any future security codes you request will be issued to the mobile phone number registered to the account without any further issues.

It is in the best interest of our customers that online payments from your account require the payee to be activated prior to making the payment, This is to prevent any fraudulent activity on your account.

I hope this clarifies matters for you.

Thanks Jen

Poncke

Hi Jen, 

I was expecting such a reply. You say you have security measures in place, but you are then assuming that someone has hacked into my BOI account, they know my 6 digit user code, they know my phone number and date of birth and they also know my 6 digit security code and they have gained control over my phone number. 

Can you please consider these improvements and pass it on. 

1. Apparently the system detects that I have a different phone and the SMS is not sent. Why not use that event to send an SMS explaining that I need to request activation per post and why? Or put up a warning on the website during the activation process of the same. 

2. I have gone through your troubleshooting steps here, why not add the warning about having changed phones? 

https://www.bankofireland.com/help-centre/faq/havent-received-security-code-online-banking-request/

3. Why does it take 5 working days to get a code per post? As soon as I request a code per post, an automated process should kick in printing a letter and have it in the post same day or next day. That way it will take a maximum of 2 working days to get a code. It shouldn't have to take 5 working days. 

4. Why not allow activation per email? If you say because your email could be hacked, consider this. Someone could wait outside my house and take the activation code from my mailbox as well. Maybe you need to start sending the codes via registered post with signature requirement. 


Its very lazy to let the customer figure out what is wrong when two simple implementations greatly improve the experience. 

Thanks
Ronald

tomister

I’ve read this a couple of times and I’m having trouble understanding the validity of the response.
How has B365 picked up that the customers’ handset has changed when the mobile number remains the same?
We’re not asked to register the IMEI nor does this information get transmitted anywhere. It can’t be the App as not everyone uses the app.
I’ve changed my handset many times over the years and have never needed to re-register for mobile activation codes.

Bank of Ireland: Jennifer

Poncke wrote: »

Hi Jen,

I was expecting such a reply. You say you have security measures in place, but you are then assuming that someone has hacked into my BOI account, they know my 6 digit user code, they know my phone number and date of birth and they also know my 6 digit security code and they have gained control over my phone number.

Can you please consider these improvements and pass it on.

1. Apparently the system detects that I have a different phone and the SMS is not sent. Why not use that event to send an SMS explaining that I need to request activation per post and why? Or put up a warning on the website during the activation process of the same.

2. I have gone through your troubleshooting steps here, why not add the warning about having changed phones?

https://www.bankofireland.com/help-centre/faq/havent-received-security-code-online-banking-request/

3. Why does it take 5 working days to get a code per post? As soon as I request a code per post, an automated process should kick in printing a letter and have it in the post same day or next day. That way it will take a maximum of 2 working days to get a code. It shouldn't have to take 5 working days.

4. Why not allow activation per email? If you say because your email could be hacked, consider this. Someone could wait outside my house and take the activation code from my mailbox as well. Maybe you need to start sending the codes via registered post with signature requirement.


Its very lazy to let the customer figure out what is wrong when two simple implementations greatly improve the experience.

Thanks
Ronald

Hi Ronald,

Thanks for getting back in touch with us here.

We appreciate the time you have taken to share your thoughts and insights into this process with us. We appreciate this valuable feedback and we will certainly be raising this with our development team. We are currently developing a new mobile app which will have enhanced security features.

Whilst we do not underestimate the inconvenience this matter has caused, please be advised that we will always advise our customers that the security code will take 5 working days. However it may not necessarily take this long. We advise of up to 5 working days because once the letter is sent from Bank of Ireland we can’t be exactly sure how long the letter will take to deliver within the 5 business days.

Thanks again for sharing with us and we do hope that this activation code is with you soon, Jen

Poncke

I received the code today after 5 working days, 7 days in total. 

Poncke

tomister wrote: »

I’ve read this a couple of times and I’m having trouble understanding the validity of the response.
How has B365 picked up that the customers’ handset has changed when the mobile number remains the same?
We’re not asked to register the IMEI nor does this information get transmitted anywhere. It can’t be the App as not everyone uses the app.
I’ve changed my handset many times over the years and have never needed to re-register for mobile activation codes.

Exactly why I am asking the question but I have been told by a rep on the phone and now here, that when switching phones you will no longer get an activation code via SMS until you requested an activation code per post. <snip>

Bank of Ireland: Jennifer

Poncke wrote: »

Exactly why I am asking the question but I have been told by a rep on the phone and now here, that when switching phones you will no longer get an activation code via SMS until you requested an activation code per post. <snip>

Thanks for coming back to us here Ronald.

We are happy that you have received the code and we can assure you that going forward there should be no issues with receiving the security code via text message.

We have taken all your comments on board and passed this onto our development team. As mentioned we are working on a new mobile app with enhanced security features. All customers would have received notification on this over the last few months and any further updates will be posted here.


Thanks Jen

Poncke

Much appreciated Jen 

Enjoy your weekend.

Bank of Ireland: Jennifer

Poncke wrote: »

Much appreciated Jen 

Enjoy your weekend.

You're very welcome.

Happy to help, have a nice weekend ^ Jen