Benj’s blog!

This evening I made a purchase via the DABS (to replace the HDDs) website and was surprised to see a window popup (and refuse to go away) requiring me to register for yet another pointless customer information gathering system.

I have several issues with the Halifax secure system:

Firstly:

The Halifax Secure system is poorly designed. It gives MINIMAL additional security for a great amount of work on the users part. It adds another (broken) layer of complexity to — in the case of dabs — an already overly complex online shopping system. There is a real problem with security and identity on the web, adding yet another password IS NOT THE SOLUTION!

Secondly:

I notice HBOS make no guarantees at all about what will happen in the event that — god forbid — a fraudulent transaction takes place on a card that is registered for the Halifax Secure service.

Thirdly:

It should not be necessary to collect email addresses during the subscription process. Why should owning a Halifax credit-card mean HBOS can send even more (HTML) junk mail?

Fourthly:

Mandating that I must use Windows+IE/NS/Gecko if I want to shop with my credit card is NOT ACCEPTABLE. There is simply no excuse for statements like this in 2003:

E.g. “What are the system requirements for Halifax Secure?

Halifax Secure requires the use of Microsoft Internet Explorer version 4.0 and above, Netscape Navigator 4.0 and above, or America Online 4.0 and above. The Macintosh Operating System is not supported. ”

I could find no way to make my DABS purchase without first signing up for this ill conceived system. So in the case that I wasn’t using my Windows PC and couldn’t make the purchase because my Mac + OmniWeb wouldn’t work, what would HBOSs response be? “Sorry sir, you have to use windows if you want to do online shopping with a HBOS card”. How did VISA allow HBOS to keep the VISA logo on the card? It seems to me my Halifax Card has become less useful to me now?

Finally:

What precisely are the information flows between participating organisations and HBOS? How can I be sure that information about my purchases aren’t being used by HBOS for some grand information gathering exercise? Or how can I be sure that any VISA transaction details transmitted are sent securely?

Would it be possible to assure me that HBOS are not proposing to introduce any more broken-yet-mandatory services for any of their other offerings? What’s next “customers must wear pink shoes and yellow gloves when using ATMs, this is to enable easy identification of our customers”?!

I’ve been very happy with my card in the few years that I’ve had it. customer service has always been good. I was surprised (but pleased) when in 2000 I got a call from the fraud detection department wanting to make sure I had indeed made a purchase via the Internet.

Unfortunately this system has removed all of my faith in Halifax as technically competent and trustworthy organisation.

I look forward to your responses.

Sincerely.

-BK

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