New Nationwide Card Reader Security - A Problem For Expats?

[JetsetBkk]

My brother just sent me a copy of a letter from Nationwide (attached). They're introducing "Card Reader Security" and have sent to my UK address a gizmo that you plug your new Flexaccount card into and it generates a pass code that you must enter for "some" internet transactions.

What a PITA.

Anyone else got this letter yet? Are you getting the gizmo shipped out to Thailand? I don't even get my Flexaccount cards sent here because of mail theft. What chance do you think this nice little box will ever arrive?

[sweetchariot]

Barclays have had the same for nearly a year now. The box isn't personal to your card, so if it goes missing then just ask them to send you a new one. But it is completely useless if you don't have your card here!

Edit - just read the letter. For Barclays you need it to log in, but not for Nationwide. Not sure what the 'certain' transactions are though.

Edited April 9, 2008 by sweetchariot

[JetsetBkk]

Barclays have had the same for nearly a year now. The box isn't personal to your card, so if it goes missing then just ask them to send you a new one. But it is completely useless if you don't have your card here!

Edit - just read the letter. For Barclays you need it to log in, but not for Nationwide. Not sure what the 'certain' transactions are though.

Maybe I should just tell them to send a gizmo to my Thailand address and I'll send the one in the UK back to them .

From their web site:

You may be asked to use your card and Card Reader when you:

make a payment to a third party

set up or change a single or regular arrangement to a third party

view a PDF of your Statement

change your memorable data or passnumber

It's the third party payments that will be a problem for me - I regularly transfer money to another bank in the UK. I may quickly set up a regular payment now, before this "enhanced security" kicks in.

More info here:

http://www.nationwide.co.uk/rca/frequently...er_security.htm

I suppose I could keep telling them that I haven't received it yet...

Edited April 9, 2008 by JetsetBkk

[sweetchariot]

It is a huge extra layer of security though. When it kicks in even if someone gets holder of your login details they will not be able to transfer money out without physically having your card (chip), and knowing the PIN.

Pain in the arse, but a good step IMO.

[JohnC]

I got an e mail from Nationwide a couple of months ago telling me about this and also that my card would be replaced even though not due yet, the new card plus machine will be sent to my UK address and from there my daughter sends everything to me registered post. Never had a problem so far so fingers crossed! As I understand it the machine will only be required for new payments so any current registered payments will stand. Like the poster above I regularly move money between accounts and make payments to my kids on birthdays and christmas, as these details are already registered I forsee no problems but time will tell.

[cophen]

There's a previous thread on it here

[JetsetBkk]

There's a previous thread on it here

Thanks for the link. Sorry, I didn't spot it earlier.

I agree it's a much enhanced level of security. I first saw something like it about 7 years ago - a credit sized card with a 6 digit number that kept changing every 30 seconds or so. You had to enter the number when you logged in. If you entered a number just as it changed, the system would accept that you were "one off" and ask you for the next one. Get it wrong three times in a row and you had to make a telephone call...

I guess I'll have to give registered post a go.

[Dave the Dude]

There's a previous thread on it here

Thanks for the link. Sorry, I didn't spot it earlier.

I agree it's a much enhanced level of security. I first saw something like it about 7 years ago - a credit sized card with a 6 digit number that kept changing every 30 seconds or so. You had to enter the number when you logged in. If you entered a number just as it changed, the system would accept that you were "one off" and ask you for the next one. Get it wrong three times in a row and you had to make a telephone call...

I guess I'll have to give registered post a go.

Hi JetsetBKk

I have received e-mail correspondence from Nationwide saying as I have an address already registered in Thailand, I will not be included in this change. I should continue to use the existing Security arrangements until further notice.

As my old boss used to say 'Do a concise effort of non-activity'

In other words 'Do sweet F.A.

Dave

[JetsetBkk]

Hi JetsetBKk

I have received e-mail correspondence from Nationwide saying as I have an address already registered in Thailand, I will not be included in this change. I should continue to use the existing Security arrangements until further notice.

As my old boss used to say 'Do a concise effort of non-activity'

In other words 'Do sweet F.A.

Dave

Good idea - when you log in there's a box you can check about "a new activation code". I'm sure I've received one in England, but I'm b*ggered if I'm going to get it sent here and go through some process that may or may not screw up. If it screws up am I supposed to fly back to the UK to sort it out?

So I never check that box.

Hopefully I can get my Thailand address registered with them too, but I still want all my correspondence sent to my UK address. I'll see what they say and report back.

[JetsetBkk]

... I'll see what they say and report back.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?s=...t&p=1951415