If you go with HSBC in the UK and your country of residence, you can go online and into their "Global View" and monitor all of your accounts from one site.

To the best of my knowledge, they never text the account holder when an online transaction is made or tell them you no longer have a mobile/cell phone.

natwest will give you a card reader to use in conjunction with your natwest debit card to verify you when doing online transactions like setting up new payments. No mobile required.

I assume that this is similar to the HSBC secure key which basically does the same thing? Like you say, no phone needed.

https://www.hsbc.co.uk/1/2/security-...arnMore_Button

I was sent a card reader on my smile account (sent to the UK address I use) and I had to use it for bill paying. But several months ago they said not to bother anymore.

Maybe because there was only one bill I was regularly paying.

With HSBC UK at least, when paying bills, you only need to use the Secure Key when you pay a bill for the first time to each company from your account.

Nationwide also give you a similar thing on their Flex account. Seems to work ok from here so far

Have had no problems with Natwest either.

Using their mastercard abroad doesn't seem to require advance notice.

not sure if anyone has mentioned this but why don't just get someone in the uk send you a a 'pay as you go' UK Sim card and when you do online banking simply pop it into your Cellphone in canada and off you go.....

rant

I have to agree 100% HSBC are HOPELESS
I've been with HSBC since they bought the Midland in 1992 and it was all good whilst back in blighty. But since moving here we've had nothing but problems...but our main gripe is if your card is suspected of being used for fraud...which has happened a lot here and in England...they insist on cancelling your card without telling you and sending another. The replacement takes a loong time to get to Canada, and in the meantime you've got no card.

We also had a HSBC account here, but that ended up costing us $$$s in fees and I'm still getting statements dispite closing the account in person, in writing, TWICE.

Oh, and I'm still waiting for a replacement VISA card 12 months down the line after 2 atempts of getting it here, after it was cancelled for suspected fraud.

AND, their offshore collegues are fricking RUDE as hell if you've got a security issue like it's it ME that's commited the fraud.

HSBC


/rant

Strange, seems to be almost a mirror of the problems we had with A&L Premier account (sadly now Sandander) when we arrived, they cancelled credit card for no good reason, then closed our bank account without our instruction, 15 months on, still waiting for the replacement visa debit card so shut the account - total pants