Security News > 2023 > May > Users complain over UK state-owned bank's services as Atos eyes the exit
The UK National Savings and Investment bank is being bombarded with complaints over failing online security and authentication features which customers say have locked them out of their accounts.
The Register has contacted NS&I to offer it the opportunity to respond.
In May last year, NS&I launched a procurement for a contract to "Deliver and integrate front-office services to support digital self-service transactions, requests, queries and complaints, through webchat, messaging and telephony." Tech suppliers were asked to keep their bids open for the contract - worth £275.8 million - until 31 March 2023.
A competition for core banking services worth £480.3 million and to "Deliver digital self-service experiences and journeys to NS&I's retail banking customers" worth up to £172 million also appears to be ongoing.
In 1999, the bank transferred its operations to Siemens Business Services under a public-private partnership deal, which "Appeared to be good value for money," according to the National Audit Office.
"Siemens Business Services and NS&I underestimated the challenge involved. Siemens Business Services has encountered a number of problems and so is unlikely to make its projected returns on the project," the NAO said in a 2003 report.