Aral Balkan

What is your memorable answer?

Can you get any dumber? Apparently, you can:

Here's a wonderful example of blindly copying a convention without understanding why.

If anyone from Abbey is reading this, here's how it's supposed to work: You're supposed to display my memorable question so I can remember my answer to it and give it to you (that's the memorable answer).

I wouldn't be so pissed off if I hadn't actually spent time on the phone with these people, telling them about this exact same issue almost a year ago. Have they fixed it? No. Why not?

"Sir, it's a security issue."

Oh, so in other words, you're just totally clueless. All right, then!

Comments

• With all the passwords, usernames, pins and "memorable answers" needed in society today, shouldn't there be a simple way to make it a one size fits all thing? One password for one, one password for all. So it could work online, at the atm with local utility or cell phone companies. Who can remember them all?

  by Bruce Swedal on 2007-07-23 00:34:40

• I wonder if you phone up to say you don't know your memorable answer, they will ask you your memorable question. Probably not, that would be a security issue! Sigh

  by Rob on 2007-07-22 18:16:21

• Is there actually a usable online banking system in existence today? In the world? I've used several German and UK based online banking systems and so far the answer must be no... I smell a business opportunity but the complexities going on behind the scenes can only be imagined (by me anyway). Still it's no excuse for bad usability. Aral, keep em coming, I love having a go at banks :-)

  by Stefan Richter on 2007-07-22 20:34:41

• Trying to make sense of those two screenshots makes my head hurt.

  by Meekish on 2007-07-22 21:55:48

• Hilarious. Reminds me of the PIN number you have to make up over the phone for my cable company. Then the next time you call the cable company, which is probably like a year later, they ask you your PIN. Yeah, sure. "I don't remember my PIN." "Well, sir, I can't access your account without a PIN." "Well, I don't don't it." "Well, I can't access your account without it." "Well, I still don't remember it" "...OK, well, we can use the last four digits of your Social Security Number." It's the same little dance every time. :)

  by Keith Peters on 2007-07-22 22:10:45

• I was attracted towards the Abbey (Irrational) because of their interest rates on Savings accounts ... stayed with them for a couple of months because I just couldn't use the online banking system ... and was worried about security issues after ring their helpdesk to get ... confused. I never give out security info over the phone, but when I was simply trying to get a savings account linked with a deposit account ... they couldn't proceed with any help if I didn't disclose information that I considered should be secure. All I know is that, if I have to use a helpdesk to do the simplest of tasks, something aint right.

  by Space Monki on 2007-07-22 22:52:01

• I use firstdirect.com and find their online banking system good to use (although its not a business account) They're also great on the phone. Abbey is stuck in the stone age. I have a mortgage with them and if I want to pay any of it off I can only do so by sending a cheque - no electronic transfer ;( I'm convinced they have a lot of systems in place that are in their interests and not the customers. i.e the prob you raised is just to cover their backs for online fraud insurance and hasn't been though through about how to make it easier for the customer. It's a small symptom of far greater disregard of the customer that I perceive Abbey to have.

  by paddy on 2007-07-23 12:36:55

• When I remember my past dealings with Abbey, I get goosebumps, or fly into a rage. I'm definitely glad I do not have anything to do with them anymore. Having said that, more often than not the banks just implement stuff because someone somewhere said it was a good idea, no matter whether the use case actually fits. How it affects the user is no concern of their's. The fact is the customer is replaceable, the whole system is set up so it is impossible to survive without using one bank or the other.

  by aYo on 2007-07-23 15:18:47

• That hilarious, next they will tell you the answer and ask you what the question is :)

  by Mike on 2007-07-26 10:32:02

• This gets even better. Just press F5 and they'll ask you another. Keep going till you get to the really secure Mother's Maiden Name. Account number would be more secure!

  by Stuart on 2007-12-13 14:26:12

• On a related note, you might like this hilarious article On Setting Appropriate Security Questions

  by Paul Annett on 2008-03-18 13:26:45

• Last Wednesday I logged on to my Abbey account to find some unknown direct debits on the account. I immediately called the bank in London, I am in Atlanta and have been since 2005,only to get a young man who told me that he should have gone home at 4:30 and it was nearly 6 so, I should call back tomorrow and speak to the fraud office. No, he couldn't give me the number because he wanted to go home. One week, and numerous calls later Abbey are still not investigating the fraud, because the purchases made in London were apparently made with something called "chip and pin" using my card. Since I am looking at my card, still pristine and unused, here in Atlant, there is a pretty good chance that there is a fraudulent card somewhere in Marble Arch London. One wonders that in the city with the most CCTV cameras in the world, there would not be footage of someone using my card at Selfridges, Mothercare and PCWorld. A couple of years before I left England, my handbag was stolen just 30 minutes after I had made my usual weekly withdrawl from the bank, in person. So, I found it somewhat amusing when the teller later told me that she thought it was a little odd that someone was taking out another withdrawl after she had served me only half an hour before. Apparently, the thing that stuck in her mind, but not enough to question the person making the withdrawl, was that my dog was no longer present. Now, I am a 5'7" white woman with red hair, I weigh 126lbs and usually have my 4lb Yorkshire Terrorist with me. Wouldn't most people find it odd that in less than an hour, I had lost the dog, shrunk from 5'7" to 5', yet gained over 50lbs? And Oh, did I mention I turned black? These things she did not find strange. Is there some stupid exam that these people have to take? So here I am venting to you, because I have spoken to 10 different people at Abbey this morning. It has taken over an hour and nothing has been achieved as the phone disconnected when putting me through to the 11th person. However, the one thing I did learn in the last week is this. If you are going out of the country, it is very important to take all your money out of Abbey before you go. Abbey are not responsible for any funds they hold and will no longer refund money fraudulently taken out of an account if you do not log in every day. This came from an employee of Abbey!!!!! Any comment Abbey?

  by Debra on 2008-08-06 16:36:24