Smile - Please !!! (smile.co.uk)

Member Name: snappy

Product:	smile.co.uk
Date:	25/01/02 (454 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: safe, secure, easy to operate, very little fuss and it's as 'fancy' as you want to to be

Disadvantages: none - yet!

If you are worried about Online banking, you could do a lot worse than dip your toe in the water with the Co-operative Bank's online enterprise, SMILE.CO.UK

My first successful attempt at banking online was with First-e, but when that French based 'online-only' outfit withdrew their operations from the UK Some six months ago, it left me looking for an alternative.

I did not want anything fancy or complicated. My intention -To be able to put my online earnings - eBay auctions, Ciao, Dooyoo etc - to good use, but basically as a savings medium.

I looked at the competition - EGG, IF, CAHOOT and settled, in the end, on SMILE.

I opened purely a 'Savings' account, but they offer a cheque book current account too. You also get a free £500 overdraft with the current account, plus a slightly higher interest rate on your Savings account balance too.

SMILE is simple to operate, easy to set up and apply for - all done online. Go to www.smile.co.uk and select what account you would like. As well as your regular details, they ask for several 'security' favourites like 'place of birth', 'mothers maiden name' etc and you are asked these - at random ?-each time you log in to your SMILE Account. In addition you are requested for a four digit pin number (which you decide on) - all of these things are needed before you or anyone else can access your account.

So, the security aspect of 'smile' is excellent. If someone tried to hack into your account, they'd have to know a lot about you - and then some! If the details are entered incorrectly twice in succession, your account is blocked until you make contact with SMILE Customer service - by phone - to address the situation. If someone has tried to gain access to your money, they'd be blocked, unless they knew your answers and code.

? Who are SMILE?

Well, like I mentioned at the outset, they are part of
the Co-operative Bank, so an extremely sound and well backed company. Your hard earned money is safe and secure with the Co-op.

? How do you pay money in and take money out?

If you are paying in cheques you can do it through any bank, but they may levy a charge at the till. You can pay in cheques and cash - for Free - at the Post Office and also if you have a branch of the Co-op Bank nearby.

To take money out, if you have opted for the Current account, you can, of course, write cheques on your account. Both current and savings accounts are issued with ATM Cards, so withdrawals can be made at any 'Link' machines (and there are 000s of those). I believe you can also withdraw money over the counter at Post Offices - Current account holders only.

What other services do they offer?

Pretty much a full range of Banking services. Certainly you can apply for a SMILE Credit card online and through their Co-op bank parent, loans, insurance and even mortgages.

I have had no problems since opening my own SMILE Account. I have also linked my Smile account to my Paypal US$ account and can withdraw funds (in $ but converted into £) from there back to my UK Account which usually takes around 4 business days. I also have a 'bill payment' facility with my Nationwide account which I can transfer money - it's like a flexible standing order - to SMILE.

So there you go - EASY PEASY. So easy you even get time to SMILE

? NOTE - for current interest rates go to the website www.smile.co.uk and check them out.

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