National Bank Of Greece

[jeansy]

Is anyone else who banks with NBG having problems to access there internet banking. Have tried now for weeks with no luck also tried ringing there 181818 number just recorded messages or engaged tone. I assume it may be because of the problems with banks.

[bobscott]

Alpha Bank re-vamped their website a matter of days before the long Bank Holiday and it works fine. Maybe NBOG tried the same and came unstuck?

[Kilkis]

I think there are certainly problems within the banking system generally, apart from the obvious ones. I still haven't got a replacement debit card from Cooperative Bank of Chania and the old one expired at the end of May. Also I've bee trying to get a replacement second password generator from Alpha bank. I completed the on-line request for a new one and got the message that the request had been submitted and someone would contact me. That was five weeks ago. Nobody has contacted me. I tried phoning but get two rings followed by the engaged tone. I sent an email over a week ago and still I've had no reply.

Warwick

[Hameziman]

I bank with NBG. Just logged on a few minutes ago. All working perfectly. Downloaded statement etc.

[moved 2 crete]

Have tried to pay my private pension cheque into my Chania bank account since May 27th the manager tells me that they cannot get a quote pounds Sterling to Euro yet, surely they need incoming money, I am mystified.

[Kilkis]

I suspect it might be a question of controls on the movement of capital outside the country. If a company has Euro in its account it can at least pay for goods and services within Greece using some form of electronic transfer. If they use those precious Euro to buy Sterling they probably can't do anything with the Sterling because controls prevent them sending outside of Greece and nobody inside Greece is going to want to take payment in Sterling.

I think as long as capital controls are maintained it is better to change Sterling into Euro outside Greece, by whatever mechanism you prefer, and then send the Euro to Greece. If people have a bank account in the UK, get the pension provider to pay the pension directly into that account. Open an account with Currencyfair or Transferwise. Transfer the Sterling from the UK bank to the account at Currencyfair or Transferwise. Convert to Euro. Transfer to your Greek bank account. If you don't have an account in the UK you could try approaching Barclays. I detest them as a bank but I believe the UK government negotiated with them to allow UK citizens resident in Cyprus to open accounts with them when capital controls were applied there as an emergency measure. They might be prepared to do the same for Greek residents.

Warwick

[Jean]

I've used the National Bank of Greece online banking a number of times in the last few weeks. No problem here at all.

[moved 2 crete]

Thanks for info, only one cheque is outstanding, we transferred all incoming pension payments accounts to our English bank as soon as the trouble with the Greek banking system became apparent, the bank manager assured us that the problem will soon be sorted.............watch this space.

[Carolina]

Jeansy,
You've probably locked yourself out of the internet account somehow (maybe not used for over 3 months?). Try calling the 181818 number (it's supposed to be open 24 hours) out of bank hours as the NBG bank employees also use the same phone centre for cards and internet problems & the call centre is overwhelmed at the moment!

[Kilkis]

You could also try going into your local branch. I tried phoning Alpha Bank's Customer Service Line (sic) and spent an hour listening to some pretty horrible music and a message saying, "The line is busy, please wait." before giving up. I went down to the branch where the account was registered and complained about the service I was getting. Apparently hundreds of thousands of people are suddenly, i.e. since the bank closures, demanding cards and second password generators that they had never used before and the bank can't cope with the demand. When I said I had been waiting on the customer service line for an hour with no response she said, "Yes. They are not answering." She then did some phoning of her own and told me that there would be a new device waiting for me in that branch on Friday. I started getting phone calls to do the necessary security checks before I got home. I'm tempted to exclaim, "RESULT!" but being a long term resident of the asylum I think I'll wait until Friday before doing that.

Warwick

[Carolina]

At National Banks the branch also has to call the same call centre to reset the password etc for internet banking . My son is currently doing work experience at NBG (what an experience!) and they have problems getting through - he says it can take them over an hour of continually redialing during banking hours (and that's after queuing for I-don't-know-how-long to get to a member of staff). Call yourself outside banking hours is the best bet.

[jeansy]

Thanks for your help. Have been into the NBG branch in Heraklion. Who phoned 181818 for me, After sitting there for half an hour listening to music both the bank clerk & I got fed up waiting. Will do as you say and try in the evening when the branches are closed

[jeansy]

Well at long last after sitting on the phone for an hour listening to piano music of sorts was connected to a person who was very helpful. We are now up and running again. Thanks for your help.

[Kilkis]

Glad you got it sorted.

...I'm tempted to exclaim, "RESULT!" but being a long term resident of the asylum I think I'll wait until Friday before doing that.

My cynicism was not warranted. The replacement second password generator was ready and waiting at Alpha bank on Friday. Still waiting for the replacement debit card from the Cooperative Bank of Chania. Only ten weeks now. I was told that there are some people whose cards ran out at the end of April who haven't got a replacement yet so for them it's over fourteen weeks.

Warwick