World Events and the BibleWEB Notes: This continues to happen around the globe. Markets have been very shaky the past few days. This week should be a bit more telling. Yesterday, South Korea held an emergency meeting to discuss economic markets. In addition we now seeHSBC limiting cash withdrawals.
(Sky News) – Lloyds Banking Group has apologised after customers were unable to withdraw money from cashpoints or pay for goods with their debit cards.
The group – made up of Lloyds, Halifax, Bank of Scotland and TSB – has 30 million UK account holders, and became aware of the difficulties on Sunday afternoon.
It later said the problems – which lasted for several hours and were blamed on a “server failing” – had been fixed.
A spokeswoman said: “We apologise that earlier today, between 3pm and 6pm, some customers were unable to complete their debit card transactions.
“Although the majority of transactions were unaffected, we are very sorry for the inconvenience that this will have caused.
“At the same time, some customers encountered problems at approximately half of our 7,000 ATMs.
“This was resolved by 7.30pm, and all of our ATMs are now working.”
Online and telephone banking were unaffected by these issues, and customers were still able to withdraw cash from other ATMs.
Customers earlier used Twitter and other social media to vent their anger at the failure, which has left many stranded without cash.
TSB customer Nicky Kate said: “Really embarrassed to get my card declined while out shopping, never had any problems with lloyds then they changed my account.”
Hannah Smith tweeted: “I am a TSB customer with a Lloyds card still (like everyone else). And I’ve been embarrassed three times today re: card declined.”
Another customer, Julia Abbott, said: “Lloyds bank atm and card service down. 20 mins on hold to be told this. Nothing even on website. Shoddy lloyds. … shoddy.”
Another Twitter user wrote: “This problem is also affecting Halifax debit cards as I found out trying to pay for lunch with my wife!”
And Jane Lucy Jones tweeted Halifax, saying: “Why can’t I get any money out of any cashpoints, what is going on?
TSB – which has more than 630 branches across England, Scotland and Wales – said it “unreservedly apologised” for the problem.
Its chief executive Paul Pester had said in a tweet: “My apologies to TSB customers having problems with their cards.
“I’m working hard with my team now to try to fix the problems.”
Lloyds customer services said the problem affected debit cards and not credit cards.
The glitch is the latest technology meltdown for the UK’s high street banks.
Last month, all of RBS and NatWest’s systems went down for three hours on one of the busiest shopping days of the year. – Sky News: Lloyds Banking Group ‘Sorry’ Over IT Glitch
http://brandontward.blogspot.com/2014/01/lloyds-banking-group-sorry-over-it.html
More than anything I watch the banks for indications of impending doom, more than stock markets, troop movements, politicians dropping out of sight, etc. I’m a member of Lloyds and have been more fortunate than some and I have been able to use my debit card twice these past two days with no problem. I had a bit of cash but I used the card to see if it would work and to pocket a bit more cash just in case. And I’m going to try withdraw some more tomorrow. I suspect the banks are limiting cash withdrawals because the collapse is very close.