Credit cards made useless in mobile not-spots

SIR – I received this email from Barclaycard: “From time to time, to make sure it’s you who’s using your Barclaycard online, we’ll send you a text with a verification code for you to use on the Verified by Visa screen that’ll pop up on your payment page. This is instead of asking for three characters from your password – and it’s just as secure.”

Despite living in a village 20 miles from London, I cannot get a reliable mobile phone signal, so any attempt by Visa to text me a code to verify my internet purchase would fail.

I phoned the customer service number that Barclaycard gave me, to inform them of this problem. They were unaware that the process was being implemented – initially they thought the email was a scam – and had no concept of the difficulties it would cause for people with no signal.

Eventually I was passed to a senior manager. He apologised for Barclaycard’s service staff but stated that this was a Visa requirement, so all other Visa card providers would have to comply with the new process.

Being unable to use the new system will have a serious impact on people living in country areas. Unlike city-dwellers, they can’t pop round the corner to buy items they need – so internet purchases are vital for them. Ongar, Essex

SIR – Your report (September 28) on the new “simple” tax return – pre-filled in by HMRC – was accurate.

I received a “simple” letter, demanding £387. However, this took no account of my online Self Assessment return, on which I had already recorded additional income that HMRC was unaware of. I had then made the full payment to HMRC.

On calling the “simple” line, I was told that the system has not been linked to the Self Assessment system.

Woodgate, Norfolk

SIR – I wouldn’t trust HRMC to fill in my tax return for me. The following came with my latest tax code notice: “We previously told you that you owe £0 tax from an earlier tax year. We have therefore included an adjustment to reduce your tax-free allowance by £3 so we can collect the £0 tax in equal instalments. To make sure you pay the £0 by 5 April 2018, we will increase the amount of tax deducted from your wage, salary or pension.”

Reading, Berkshire