text alerts

theloniusplonk

A few weeks ago I tried to make a subscription on line and got blocked. I telephoned security and they said that they did not know why. However random checks are made and it could be because of Brexit. The payment was allowed and I was told I would not have this problem anymore.
Today I endeavoured to make another subscription and again was told that my number was not valid, please check and try again. It still did not work. Hence I phoned security.
This time I was asked whether I had looked at my mobile phone. I had not because I had spent over half-an-hour trying to sort this at the computer, next to the land line I was using. The security person said that it was a security check and under the conditions that I had signed up to they could give security checks when they pleased.
Afterwards i looked at my mobile and remembered something about security text alerts and I assume this is what has been happening. If so, could not the messages and information be clearer and not suggesting my card number was invalid, and could not there have been some proper communication from Bank of Ireland explaining this new procedure?
I should not have to rely on something that I once glanced at in the newspaper and promptly forgot about.

Bank of Ireland: Tara

Hi theloniusplonk,

Thanks for contacting us here on Boards.ie.

We're sorry to hear you had difficulty using your card. When you say you were told your card number was invalid was this on a company website or when you were speaking with one of our advisers?

With the increasing levels of card fraud we have 24 hour anti-fraud monitoring in place on our cards and this is not a new procedure. If a transaction triggers a security check our security team will try to contact the customer, by text or email, to ask if it's the card holder making the transaction. This is to protect your account from any losses.

Thanks
Tara

theloniusplonk

Hello Tara,
When I endeavored to make payment the message read “your number is invalid. Please check the number or use another card”. There was no mention of security checks. I also phoned the company in the U.K. because I had frequently used my card. They tried the number and it was blocked. The company suggested I use Cheques in future. I telephoned security and and they said it was a security check and had I not looked at my mobile. I had not even thought of looking at the mobile I had only been puzzling why I had a wrong credit card number.
It was a while afterwards all this that I remembered reading something about text alerts in a newspaper but I expect BofI to inform me and took little notice of it. Neither of my calls to security gave me any explanation either.
However this is the only company that seems to cause this difficulty and so I will take their advice and simply send a checque in future. It seems quicker and cleaner. Regards

Bank of Ireland: Alison

Hi,

Thanks for sharing the update here with us. We're happy to hear the card restriction has been lifted and we totally understand this may have been frustrating for you at the time. We'll certainly pass on your experience to our Card Security Team,

Thanks again for taking the time to check your query here with us,

Many thanks
Alison