Halifax in denial over Web account terminations

Following a complaint from a ZDNet reader, online bank Halifax has denied it is trying to prevent customers cancelling their Internet trading accounts after a serious security violation was revealed Monday.

A weary Halifax customer contacted ZDNet to complain that he has been immersed in red tape after trying to terminate his share dealing account. The customer suggested this could be the reason why the Halifax appears to have lost only two of its customers, as the bank is keen to point out.

Managing director of Halifax' Share Express, Sue Concannon dismissed the suggestion saying, "We don't see any truth in this. You do have to write in a cancel your account because that is part of the terms of agreement. If someone want to transfer to another provider we can do that electronically."

Concannon implied that the reputation of the Halifax may have actually improved following Monday's blunder. "Yesterday we had our best trading day ever. The implication from that is that customer confidence has not been affected and that it is actually better."

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