Enhancements to HSBC's Personal Internet Banking

We are pleased to inform you that from 6 April 2009, we have enhanced our personal internet banking (online@hsbc) features for greater online banking security. These features are:

• Alert services
• Re-authentication window

Alert services
You will now receive Short Message Service (SMS) alerts on your mobile phone when you add/change a new payee/template. This will also apply for all bill payment and fund transfer transactions done via internet banking. If you have previously unsubscribed from the "Debit notification" alerts, you will be re-subscribed and unsubscription of this feature is no longer available. However, you may change the notification amount to your preference and you may do so in the “Change Alert” page as shown below.

If your mobile number is not maintained with the bank, you will receive the alerts in the form of a paper advice which will be sent to your mailing address. You may update your mobile number in the “Update Alert Delivery” page as shown below.

Re-authentication window
You will see a new Re-authentication pop-up window which requires you to enter your security code periodically in order to resume your internet banking activities as shown below.

This is to ensure that only the authenticated user is carrying out the transaction throughout the entire internet banking session and also to prevent an internet banking session to continue indefinitely.

To find out more about re-authentication, please click on the "Help" button (top right) on the Logon page and refer to sections on Re-authentication.