Using Monzo for 6 months, for what it's worth some ideas

Exactly @garete, it would be up to the individual user. At the moment in the app there is only the option to disable all push notifications, would be good to have the additional option to only disable contactless push notifications.

@rolanddeschain - a widget/ notification bar that @evangelskies screenshot is clearly present on iPhone and I hope one that is coming to android

And I hope it is not :wink:

This is something I would support time being spent on.

I only put on the widget to show you, I personally don’t want my balance shown and by the time I scroll to it it would be quicker to do a single tap and open the app itself. But I’m guessing Android has a different layout and it gets put on the home screen directly? Maybe that’s why Monzo hasn’t done a widget

I wouldn’t want to turn contactless notifications off. Sure, the merchant can confirm they’ve taken my money, but - as iansilversides notes - the notification confirms they’ve taken the correct amount! It’s also useful when you get the contactless notification before the slow POS device the merchant is using catches up.

But, most important, if my card (or card details) end up being stolen or cloned, those push notifications are my first line of defence. Some weekends I’m not going out and spending money, so days might go by when I don’t open the Monzo app. Without push notifications, this could delay my taking action if there’s any funny business.

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That’s true. It’s Monzo’s cash which would be at risk, though, as they indemnify you against fraudulent use (or funny business, if you prefer😀).

This is why I doubt that Monzo will want to allow those notifications to be turned off. If a card it’s stolen, Monzo would want the user to freeze the card after the first fraudulent transaction if possible.

Is this actually a thing?

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Monzo already let’s the user turn push notifications off in their entirety, I just want the ability to turn off only contactless push notifications.

@HoldenCarver. The push notifications shouldn’t be viewed as a first of defence against fraud. Im guessing monzo already has algorithmic fraud detection which will spot card fraud straight much quicker than when a fraudster is using your card when you are asleep/not looking at your phone.

In my opinion the push notifications started off as being a great unique selling point for monzo, but they now need to be smarter as users as using a single solution for numerous problems.

An algorithm that can guess that a purchase made within your city, at a grocery store, under <£100? I would be surprised if they know you that well. Cloned details or online purchases I can imagine, but smaller scale is harder to spot.

It reminds me of this, one of the first blogs I ever read about Monzo.

Out of interest, if you’re concerned about this:

Would you not be concerned about this:

Unless your card gets cloned when you are in bed when it’s used…great story though.

@Toblerone nope. The idea would be that it would display your balance and spend for the day.
The fingerprint recognition prevents someone accessing transactions and more sensitive information.

But if someone had your unlocked phone they could access even more sensitive info in your email or use a magic link?

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@Toblerone I don’t understand your point there

I don’t think that dissuades from @HoldenCarver’s point though - while algorithm based fraud detection can be pretty smart, and 100% something that is a base expectation to have, it is only a single line of defence, and does not defend against simpler card theft anywhere near as well.

There is no harm in wanting to have the option to disable contactless notifications, but I don’t see why you would, for me the benefits in additional card security don’t outweigh the minor inconvenience in a notification even when you know it is you making the purchase.


I think @Toblerone’s point is that at the point someone has your phone, fingerprint access into Monzo (which already has pin security to make a transaction) is the least of your worries - at that point they likely have access to your email and so can reset any password for any account you have via it.

It has been discussed a lot that fingerprint security on the app is a completely false sense of security. Monzo are providing it because people loudly want it, not because it is actually something that is necessary.

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Monzo may well have their own systems, but it’s still my first line of defence. I will see a push notification about a transaction far sooner than I would any other way and will be able to react to it quicker. Even if I’m asleep, I will see the notification on my phone soon after waking up, as opposed to the Monzo app which I otherwise wouldn’t normally open until I had a reason to.

As for algorithmic fraud detection, I don’t know what state Monzo are at with theirs at the moment, but I hope it’s a heck of a lot better than my credit card provider - at one point they started blocking every online transaction I made after midnight for no apparent reason, which was most infuriating. Both in terms of trying to make Amazon purchases, etc and then the hassle of having to phone up and get the block removed later. Mind you, at least with Monzo it should only take a quick in-app chat with a COp.

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If someone has your phone they need a password to unlock it.

If you’re phone is unlocked, or not protected by a password then everything can be accessed via your email whether you have biometric or password protected apps.

Personally don’t see the need for needing to log in to an app once you have already logged in to your phone, find it a waste of time and I get annoyed when apps require it!

Just curious to understand why it’s such a must have for people?

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My legacy bank card got blocked once for buying flowers the day after mother’s day online. I mean, I know it was a mistake on my part, but I didn’t think they were that opinionated!

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Spot on, and much more concisely put.

And yes it has - apologies for dragging it all up again!

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To try not to derail this conversation I’m going to end commenting on app fingerprint login here, there is another specific thread for that, and regardless it is something that is planned to be released this month! :slight_smile:

Edit: this one:

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