Banking without a mobile phone - is it possible?

DH had a shock just before xmas. He was buying a big value item from Currys and the system wanted to send him a text verification. His bank has our landline number and various out of date info...he ended up having to ring them, clearing security, and in the process having to update years old personal info!! He only has a work mobile and email so ended up giving them my mobile number and also my email address as he doesnt have one of those either!!
So now Ive started getting "promotional" emails to Mr Riggie from his bank!

We have had a similar problem with e mail addresses. My father has no computer, ipad or smart phone. He is 89 and its all too much for him. He can't access the best savings rates if they are e savers, the best energy deals, order his prescription, get virtual consultations with his GP, shop on line etc.
I urge you not to be left behind in technology (even if its only a smart phone you don't have). Get a cheap phone that you use only for financial matters and don't give the number out to anyone else. It will still trap you in the circle of having to make a PAYG call every so often so you don't lose the number and your money and also it will need charging.
Good Luck

RBS has hassled me for years for my mobile number. I've resisted them every time, giving my landline and finally ticked the box saying i didn't have a mobile. I'd tried not to as I didn't want to lie, but it was becoming very annoying.
They seem to have given in as they now let me use my card reader as an extra security measure.
I'm all in favour of security - especially as money was taken out of my account recently. They wont admit it, but refunded the money immediately and I'm sure it was their fault. Amazon are happy to phone my landline with an OTP when I log in and they want to ensure my identity, so why can't a bank??!!

By the way, unrelated bit of information that might interest some of you.. I have card readers from 2 banks. I recently discovered that they are interchangeable, having always been very careful to use the correct one for whichever bank. So if battery on one runs out you can use the other.

Wow! Thank you. This thread is an eye opener. I was beginning to think I was the only one having to Battle with the Bank to get easy access to my account. A mobile phone signal is bad here. After doing some hunting around, I've found that Tesco banking, Lloyds and Halifax, plus a few others don't (at the moment) require a mobile phone. I bank with S*ntander and now read up they're the worst for over the top 'security' measures. Anyway, I'm taking my pennysworth to another bank - so 'Yah-boo-sucks S*ntander'

I have been successfully telephone banking for thirty years and feel there is no reason to change. Started because the nearest branch is twelve miles away and I had no transport. Being housebound I have given up having a mobile phone and my bank has never asked for a mobile number. Sometimes when buying on line a mobile number is requested so I give a fictitious number.

Don't use mobile for banking. Do though receive email with security code if purchasing from a new site on laptop.

Halifax is a good bank. We can use either phone.

We have been seeing huge changes in banking over the last few years - branches closing down, a move to paying for stuff using cards instead of cash, online banking and banking apps on our phones to name just a few. I have been banking online for years using my laptop, but resisted downloading the app until I discovered you can pay a cheque into your account without leaving your house if you have it on your smartphone. All I did was take a photo of the cheque and followed the simple instructions to send it to my account and it got paid in. I was really impressed and it was so easy. You still need to go through security measures to access your account on your phone, so I feel it's just as safe as your laptop. I really glad I took the plunge and downloaded the app as I use it a lot more than I thought I would

We had a similar problem now that Premium Bond prizes are to be paid into a bank account.NS&I insist on either an email address or mobile number, my FIL and his partner have neither.

I am just beginning to have these issues. I have always requested verification by email or landline, but now th Co-op are beginning to say that I must receive a text on my mobile (with me, it's the mobile reception that is the problem). I have asked if I can receive a text by landline (it is done by some delivery companies) but they can't cope with that. They can 'white out' my card for a short time whilst I make a transaction.
I should be clear that they are happy to continue with verification by email when I just log in to my account, but credit card transactions demand a mobile number.
Thank you to those who have suggested alternative banks.

Until a couple of years ago I only had a basic phone and although I now have a smart phone it is my DD's old one which she gave me when she upgraded. It is too old for some recent apps which is a bit annoying, but fine for most things I want or need.
What frustrated me most was that people always assume you have a smart phone with capability for everything theirs does. I was looked at like I was an alien at work when I said I didn't have a smart phone so couldn't participate in an activity I'd been allocated to!
I can't do online banking with mine but I do that at home on a laptop and the phone is fine for receiving codes, but I sympathise with anyone who hasn't got a mobile. There are areas near us where there is no mobile signal so there would be little point having one there. If the bank insist on a mobile I think it may be time to change banks! Unfortunately as time goes on these difficulties will become more common I fear as technology changes.

lemsip

I have a mobile phone that I don't use the internet on, its just a basic phone so I have text from bank to access my bank account on my laptop!

I do the same lemsip. I gave in and changed my ancient model for a smart phone at the start of the first Covid lock-down but I still prefer to do banking on-line.

I have been banking on line for years. I access my accounts with my finger. Since no one else has my finger it works a treat and involves no phone calls at all.

PollyDolly, if you had an electricity cut of more than a few hours, then you could find yourself in the proverbial as regards your mobile! A few winters ago, our area had a series of prolonged electricity cuts over several days. We keep an old "plug-in" landline phone for just such an emergency & it was a Godsend. In our university town, students could be seen queuing for the (few) public phones - which they didnt know how to use....

Banking is so easy on line is it not? l cannot have mobiles in use near me as l have ElectroHyperSensitivity. l get severe pins n needles in my face, then body with mobiles, lightning, any quick moving scenes on tv, fireworks, Christmas lights flashing. l do pass out sometimes too.
CO OP BANK ARE GOOD AND DO NOT ASK FOR MOBILE BECAUSE IT IS ON RECORD THAT I CANNOT USE ONE.
Good luck

Halifax will use a landline. If you’re set up for SMS on your landline they’ll use this too. Also, does anyone think online shopping/banking is becoming sillier, requiring multiple levels of security before accessing accounts/making card payments. I don’t like using my phone to browse the internet, prefer my ipad, but lately I don’t seem to be able to make a purchase without having my phone handy to either receive confirmation codes or phone calls to confirm my identity. PayPal is a huge offender - every single time I’ve tried to get into my account lately I’ve been denied access until I’ve taken a phone call to confirm my identity. I know online security is important and that banks have to protect themselves, but it’s all getting so complicated. Between advice not to use the same password for different sites, and being told my chosen password cant be used as it doesn’t meet criteria, I now have numerous passwords which have to be written down in order to remember them - a security risk in itself. Where does it all end, or am I just getting old.

Lloyds use my landline. No problem.

I do have mobile but have no apps on it for financial matters.

Yes same as some others Lloyd's bank gives you the choice of a landline or mobile and I always choose my landline. I use our desktop PC for banking. For Nationwide we have a little card reader they gave us in branch, you insert your bank card and it generates a code that you type in to the PC, no need for mobile or landline.
Altough I do use my mobile a lot I agree with others that I don't want to be carrying my banking details around with me everywhere. I am also not keen on contact less payments and no you have to remember to ask for a receipt as you pay as a lot of places don't offer one, no wonder people loose track of their spending.

Boheminan there will be a work around for this. Some banks use card readers which you keep at home. If your bank is none cooperative in resolving this then there are others out there only too willing to help. GL

I bank with Lloyds and wanted to pay a new recipient recently, the bank needed me to give them a code to confirm this. I was given the option of them phoning me on either my mobile or landline so no pressure from them

My landline has a call blocker. It won’t accept automatic calls and mucks up the phone if I get one, I have to unplug the phone and reset it.
I have a very basic PAYE mobile, which I use for emergencies and now receiving banking security codes.

Thanks for all your help. Mobile signal is bad/non existent here, which is part of the problem, but I feel uneasy that I'm being pushed in a direction I don't want to go in.

I'll contact Halifax and see if I can join them - they're one of the few banks that still have a branch in town too.

Sparkle I agree with everything you say (I have no idea what 'The Range' is - sounds pretty awful though)

I also bank with the Halifax and I can choose which number they contact me on when I'm setting up a transaction via online banking, it's a security check and I welcome it to be honest.
Personally, I would not be without my mobile phone, we have a cordless landline phone and when the power goes off it's useless so the mobile is great backup in case of emergency!

I had a really old mobile which has recently conked out. Doesn’t bother me, DH and I share his smartphone, and I use his mobile number if I have to give one.

Caused a hiccup with a building society account as they said our separate accounts couldn’t share a number, but they relented, warning me it may change in the future.

Really must get myself my own phone, but at the moment hardly go anywhere so doesn’t seem a priority.

We use Lloyd's who use our landline for authentification purposes. Our mobiles don't work in the house.