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Internet banking service

Common enquiries

Still have a query? Here we answer your most commonly asked questions about Internet Banking.

Is it safe to use Internet Banking?

Yes, we have an extremely secure banking system, which means that Internet criminals cannot gain access to your accounts. To protect all our customers we use a range of strict security measures including the latest encryption technology. We are so confident in our systems, we've got a no risk policy.

We have introduced a Chip and PIN Card Reader to provide secure access to online banking services and to provide an extra level of security to your online identity. The Card Reader works in a similar way to Chip and Pin machines in shops and it is really easy to use. Chip and Pin is available from most UK banks and since 2006 it is the natural way to use credit or debit cards in retail shops and ATM's. The small microprocessor embedded in the card provides the security functions and each time a PIN code is keyed in, it is checked by the chip authorising the secure transaction.

Find out more about how we protect you and what you can do to help protect yourself and your pc .

What do I need to access Internet Banking?

No special software is needed. Internet Banking will work on any computer as long as you are connected to the Internet and have a suitable web browser and operating system. We also strongly recommend you have up to date anti-virus software installed on your computer.

To get the best from Internet banking we now recommend the following as a minimum specification:

A computer using:

  • Windows 98
  • Windows 2000
  • Windows Me
  • Windows XP
  • Windows Vista

With one of the following Internet browsers:

  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 6 or above
  • Firefox 2 or above
  • Safari (Not compatible with Vista)
  • Google Chrome
  • Opera
  • AOL

Or:

An Apple Macintosh using

  • OSX or above

With one of the following Internet browsers:

  • Safari
  • Firefox 2 or above

We're also confident other browsers and operating combinations can be used to access the internet banking service.

You also need to ensure you have cookies switched on.

When using the Internet banking, it is essential that the appropriate security settings are enabled. Please make sure that you have SSL 3 and/or TLS 1.0 turned on

To turn on SSL 3 and/or TLS 1.0 in Internet Explorer or AOL 9:

  • Open the Control Panel (To do this, click on Start and then Control Panel)
  • Double-click the 'Internet Options' icon (if you're using Windows XP/Vista you may need to first select 'Network & Internet Connections') Select 'Internet Options' at the bottom of the list of options
  • Click on to the 'Advanced' tab along the top of the window that opens
  • Scroll down to the 'Security' section Tick the box for SSL3
  • Ensure both 'Use SSL 2.0' and 'Use SSL 3.0' options are selected / ticked (click in the box (es) and ensure a tick is present)
  • Once the appropriate boxes are 'ticked' select OK to return to the Internet Options screen
  • Select 'File' and 'Close' to exit the Internet Options screen.

To turn on SSL 3 and/or TLS 1.0 in Firefox:

  • Click on “Tools” at the top of your browser
  • Select “Options” at the bottom of the list of options
  • Click on to the “Advanced” icon along the top of the window that opens
  • Click on to the “Encryption” tab
  • In the Protocols sections tick the boxes for SSL 3.0 and/or TLS 1.0

To turn on SSL 3, TLS1.1 and TLS1.1 in Opera:

  • Click on the 'Tools' Menu
  • Select 'Preferences...'
  • Click the 'Advanced' tab at the top
  • Select 'Security' in the left hand margin
  • Click 'Security Protocols...' button
  • Make sure 'Enable SSL 3', 'Enable TLS 1', and 'Enable TLS 1.1' are ticked
  • Click OK
  • Click OK again

I do my banking from work and we've got a policy that says "no cookies". What can I do?

You'll need to have cookies turned on to do your personal banking. If you can then you may want to switch cookies on each time you visit the Co-operative Bank site and switch cookies off when you've finished. Check with your system administrator to see if this is okay.

We've thoroughly researched other ways of maintaining our security standards with the new changes and took everything into account and found that using cookies is the best solution.

Can I bookmark the login page?

You are able to bookmark the Co-operative Bank home page http://www.co-operativebank.co.uk but we don't recommend you have Co-operative Bank banking bookmarked. This is because on occasions we may need to backup or update our system without affecting its performance.

What should I do first if I have a problem?

Please read through the list below of our most common enquiries which should fix most problems you have accessing our website:

Page cannot be displayed

Try these steps to help you find the source of your problem:

  • Clear the cache/ temporary files as an initial step. Find out how to do this.
  • Press control & F5 on the page you're having problems with to clear your transparent cache - (this forces the page to load).
  • Try accessing the Co-operative Bank service from another computer. If this is successful, it may show where your problem lies.
  • Upgrade your browser – if you're using an early version of Internet Explorer, you can upgrade to a later version by following these instructions
  • Try using a different web browser - There are many web browsers available to download but it's worth trying Firefox first. Go to www.getfirefox.com and follow the free download instructions.
  • Get a critical updates package - Microsoft offers a Critical Updates Package, which solves many problems with Internet Explorer. This can be downloaded from windowsupdate.microsoft.com .
  • You could also try de-selecting your Internet service provider proxy settings. Here's how: Many ISPs store 'frequently used pages' to enhance speed of access. This can prevent us from completing our security checks. To overcome this select your Browser options or user set-up menu item and search for the proxy settings and deselect any proxy option - Check if the smile banking service now works. ** Repeat the above to reselect any proxy when not accessing the Co-operative Bank service.

There is a problem with the websites security certificate

The message about the site's security certificate expiring can appear for one of three reasons:

  • The certificate for the site you've gone to has expired
  • The date on your computer clock is wrong
  • The browser needs upgrading.

The certificate for our site doesn't run out until April 2011. To check the clock on your computer, right click on the time (normally displayed in the bottom right hand corner of your computer) and then choose the option in bold 'adjust date/time'. A smaller window will appear with the information in.

The first thing to do would be to check the date and time on your computer on a Windows PC you can do this by double clicking on the time in the lower left hand corner of the screen to open the 'Date/Time Properties'.

If the date is correct then you may need to upgrade your browser as older versions of Internet Explorer, which are now no longer supported by Microsoft, can have problems. You can do this by going to http://www.microsoft.com/ie.

What is a cache and how do I clear it

Every time you open a browser to view a web page, that information is stored on your computer for later use. Windows operating systems store all this material in what are called temporary Internet files or cache.

Your web browser will store a list of websites you've visited in a history file on your computer. Whenever you log off the Co-operative Bank site we tell your browser to delete these, but just in case, it's worth regularly clearing the temporary Internet files from your PC to stop someone looking at where you have been.

If you are a Mac OS X user we would recommend clearing your cache every time you log off.

Clearing the cache for Internet Explorer 6

Click “Start” and select “Control Panel”.
(Note: With Windows XP Classic View click the Windows “Start” button and select “Settings” and “Control Panel”).
Open the “Internet Options” icon.
Click the “General” tab if it isn't selected already.
Under the heading "Temporary Internet files," click “Delete Files”.
Click “OK” to exit.

Close down the Internet Properties and Control Panel windows and restart Internet Explorer.

Clearing cache in Internet Explorer 7

Click “Start” and select “Control Panel”.
(Note: With Windows XP Classic View click the Windows “Start” button and select “Settings” and “Control Panel”).
Open the “Internet Options” icon.
Click the “General” tab if it isn't selected already.
Click the “Delete” button.
Under the heading "Temporary Internet files," click “Delete Files”.
Click “OK” to exit.

Close down the Internet Properties and Control Panel windows and restart Internet Explorer.

Clearing cache in Internet Explorer 8

Click on the "Safety" menu at the top of the page. Tick the box next to: Temporary Internet Files and History Click the "Delete" button.

Clearing the cache for Mozilla Firefox

Click on:
Tools
Select Clear Private Data/Clear Recent History
Make sure cache and cookies are ticked
Click 'Clear now'.

Clearing the cache in Safari

From the Safari menu, click “Empty Cache”.
When asked “Are you sure you want to empty the cache?” click “Empty”.
Click “Done”.
Reload the page.

Clearing the cache in Google Chrome

Click the Tools menu (the spanner in the upper-right corner) Click Clear browsing data Tick the boxes for the types of information you wish to delete.

  • Clear browsing history
  • Clear download history
  • Empty the cache
  • Delete cookies
  • Clear saved passwords

You can also choose the period of time you wish to delete cached information using the Clear data from this period dropdown menu. Click Clear Browsing Data when ready.

Clearing the cache in Opera

Once your browser is open, select the Tools menu and click Delete Private Data.
Click the Details button.
If you do not wish to delete cookies, saved passwords, etc., remove checks from them in the list.
Press Delete.

Clearing the cache in AOL

Right click the AOL icon in the system tray
Select System Information
Under the Utilities tab click ‘Clear browser cache'

A problem has occurred with your connection to internet banking

This message will be displayed if the cookies from our site are being blocked. Enable cookies in your browser.

What are cookies?

A cookie is a piece of information sent to your computer when you access a website. You should choose to accept cookies when using the Co-operative Bank. Cookies come in two forms permanent and temporary.

The Co-operative Bank website uses permanent cookies to:

  • Identify the link you used to find our site
  • Check which browser you use
  • Monitor traffic on our website.

The Co-operative Bank banking service also uses temporary cookies to:

  • Form part of our security process, by identifying your computer by our Co-operative Bank banking service
  • Temporary cookies are removed when you close down your browser.

Our policy on cookies is that we do not pass on, or sell, personal details to any other company.

Also the cookies we use on our website will never contain any information that is personally identifiable to you.

You can enable cookies by following the instructions below :

Using Microsoft Internet Explorer 6 / AOL Explorer

Click on:
Tools
Internet options
Privacy
Slide the 'settings' bar to medium
OK.

Using Microsoft Internet Explorer 7 / AOL Explorer

Click on:
Tools
Internet options
Privacy
Click the ‘default' button, which should move the setting to medium

Using Microsoft Internet Explorer 8

Click on:
Tools
Options
Privacy
Advanced
Override automatic cookie handling

Using Firefox 2

Click on:
Tools
Options
Privacy
In the cookies section, put a tick in the box ‘Accept cookies from sites'

Using Safari

Go to the “Safari” drop down menu.
Select “Preferences”.
Select the “Security” icon from the top panel.
Under “Accept Cookies” section select “Only from sites you navigate to”.

Using Opera 9.0

Open the Tools menu.
Select Preferences
Open the "Advanced" tab
Select "Cookies" item.
Select "Accept cookies" or "Accept cookies only from the site I visit" option depending on your needs.
Click OK

Google Chrome

Click on:
The tool symbol in the top right hand corner
Select Options .
Click the Under the Hood tab and find the 'Security' section
Under Cookies settings, select to 'Allow all cookies'

Your sort code and account number are unable to be entered

If you're typing your sort code and account number into the entry field and it's not being displayed, you will need to press the number lock button on your keyboard.

The information entered is being rejected.

If you're confident the correct sort code, account number and security information is being entered correctly, please call our customer service team on 08457 212 212 as we'll need to investigate this for you.

Statements printing on 2 pages

You can lower the sizes of margins that Internet Explorer uses when printing web pages.

To do this:

  • Choose 'File' from your browser and then select 'Page Setup'
  • A window should appear and from here you will be able to adjust your print margins

You can also lower the text sizes that are used when showing web pages in Internet Explorer. If you do this, the text size will also be reduced for printed documents.

Here is how you do this:

  • Select 'view' from your Internet Explorer and then select 'text size'
  • From the 'text size' menu select smaller or smallest
  • Re-start Internet Explorer

Now when you print a statement it should only print one page.

Visa account showing as N/A

This happens when the Visa system is updating. Please log out and log back in.

What if my technical question isn't answered here?

If you still do not have an answer to your question, you may call 0870 600 0328 for further assistance on technical problems. Lines are open 9am - 5pm Monday to Friday.

If your question is banking related please call Customer Services on 08457 212 212. Our lines are open 24 hours a day 7 days a week, 365 days a year.

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