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Voice ID FAQs

Table of contents:

What is HSBC Voice ID?

HSBC Voice ID is a new technology that enables you to use just your voice to verify when calling either the HSBC Premier, HSBC Advance or HSBC Personal Banking hotline, depending on your account type. With the use of Voice Biometrics, HSBC Voice ID creates your unique voiceprint which is used for verifying your identity. A voiceprint combines both:

physical factors (e.g. vocal tract, mouth shape and size, nasal passage) and behavioural factors (e.g. speed of speech, pronunciation and emphasis, accents). Voice ID provides another form of verification and aims to make verification easier for you by reducing the need to remember phone banking PINs and answer additional security questions.

Who is eligible to use HSBC Voice ID?

HSBC Voice ID is available to all Wealth and Personal Banking (WPB) customers in the Bahrain, who are 18 years or older.

You need to be registered for phone banking services and have your Phone Banking PIN. 

If you need help registering, you can contact us using the HSBC Premier, HSBC Advance or HSBC Personal Banking hotline, depending on your account type.

When can I use HSBC Voice ID?

If you are already a HSBC phone banking customer, you can register for the HSBC Voice ID now.

If you are not currently a phone banking customer, please contact us. 

What is the benefit of Voice ID?

Voice ID makes identifying yourself easier and enhances your security. 

Successful Voice ID eliminates the need for entering PINs or answering additional security questions, making it possible for you to speak a simple phrase to identify yourself.

If I have a cold, can HSBC Voice ID still verify my identity? What if I am in a noisy place, or if it's a bad line?

HSBC Voice ID is based on the way you speak, rather than the sounds themselves. Therefore, we can still verify your identity when you are suffering from a general cold or sore throat. In exceptional situations where you may have a more severe illness that affects your voice or the background is too noisy, Voice ID may fail to recognize you. Each time our hotline gives you 3 chances to verify using the Voice ID passphrase. If the system is unable to verify your identity attempts, you will be directed to a call centre agent.

Similar to phone banking PIN failures, if you fail Voice ID verification several times consecutively, your Voice ID services will be temporarily suspended.

To increase your chances of successful Voice ID verification, we encourage you to avoid calling from noisy locations.

Can others imitate my voice or use a recording of my voice to access my account?

It will be extremely difficult for imposters to get through by imitating your voice, as we measure more than 100 physical and behavioural factors of how a voice is produced, rather than the sounds themselves. 

This includes both physical characteristics 

– the size and shape of the larynx or nasal cavity, for example 

– and behavioral characteristics – rhythm of speech, intonation, accent, etc. 

While behaviors can be easily mimicked, physical voice characteristics cannot, and this prevents impersonators from "tricking" the system. 

HSBC has a number of protocols in place to ensure highly accurate matching of a person's voice against their unique voiceprint.

What if I have a speech impediment, or perhaps use a synthetic speech device or mobile apps to speak?

You can continue to use phone banking PIN to perform verification for phone banking services as you do today.

Why is there a minimum age requirement to enrol in HSBC Voice ID?

As younger customers are still developing physically, the production of their speech is highly likely to change rapidly.

Changes in physical factors of young customer’s voice could result in failed verification attempts which will cause inconvenience to the customer, and would require them to re-enrol with the service on a regular basis.

We have implemented the under 18 restriction to ensure our customers continue to receive the best possible experience when using phone banking. Young customers under 18 can continue to use phone banking PIN to perform verification for phone banking services.

How do I register?

You'll need your Bank Account number or Credit Card / Debit Card number and PIN on hand to get started. Get set up in 3 easy steps:

  1. Call 80008500 (within Bahrain), or +973 17528635 (outside Bahrain).
  2. Verify yourself using your phone banking PIN.
  3. Create your voiceprint saying 'My voice is my password' up to 5 times.

Once you agree to the Terms and Conditions, you'll be all set and ready to use your voice instead of your Phone Banking PIN, the next time you call to make an enquiry or a transaction.

What if I forget my phone banking PIN?

To reset your phone banking PIN, you can call either the HSBC Premier, HSBC Advance or HSBC Personal Banking hotline, depending on your account type to reset your phone banking PIN.

Do I have to register via the HSBC Voice ID Enrolment Hotline?

Yes, you have to register via the HSBC Voice ID Enrolment Hotline on 80008500 (within Bahrain), or +973 17528635 (outside Bahrain). You can call the Enrolment Hotline at any time to register. Alternatively, phone banking customer service officers will also be able to transfer you to the Enrolment Hotline to perform registration.

Can I choose when to be verified by phone banking PIN or HSBC Voice ID?

Once you have successfully enrolled for the HSBC Voice ID services, we will use Voice ID as the verification method automatically when you call us for phone banking services going forward.

However, if you choose not to enrol in Voice ID services, you can continue to use your phone banking PIN for verification, as you do now.

Why did Voice ID successfully verify my identity even though I spoke a similar, but different, phrase than the Voice ID passphrase?

Voice ID is based on the way you speak but not what you say. Voice ID has an acceptance tolerance for slight variations from the Voice ID passphrase. This takes into consideration people with different accents who may pronounce the same word differently, and allows all HSBC customers to enjoy Voice ID services.

Can customer service officers remind me which language I chose for HSBC Voice ID recording?

No, the customer service officers will not be able to know which language you chose at enrolment. However, when you use our phone banking service and once you have successfully entered your account number, the Interactive Voice Response system (IVR) will prompt you to repeat the Voice ID passphrase in the language you chose at enrolment.

What if I forget which language I chose for HSBC Voice ID recording?

When you use our Phone Banking service and once you have successfully entered your account number, the Interactive Voice Response system (IVR) will prompt you to repeat the HSBC Voice ID passphrase in the language you chose during enrolment.

What services will be provided to me after HSBC Voice ID verification? Are any services offered only after verification by Voice ID in addition to the standard service scope provided after verification by phone banking PIN?

You will have access to the same services that are currently provided by phone banking regardless of whether you are using Voice ID or phone banking PIN for verification.

What do I do if my Voice ID services is temporarily suspended?

If you have failed Voice ID verification several times consecutively, your Voice ID services will be temporarily suspended. You can call our hotline and speak to our phone banking customer service officers for help resetting your phone banking security.

Can I opt-out of Voice ID services once I have enrolled?

Yes, you can opt-out of the service at any time. To opt out, you will need to call our hotline and speak to one of our customer service officers. They can update your profile status for you.

Do I still need to use my phone banking PIN if I have Voice ID set up?

Yes, please keep your phone banking PIN safe as there will be occasions when you will be required to use it to verify your identity. When registering for online banking for the first time, your phone banking PIN is required during set up. If Voice ID fails to recognise you, your PIN will be used to reset access when you call our hotline to speak to our phone banking customer service officer.

Disclaimer

By registering to Voice ID, you consent that HSBC will be collecting, storing and analysing recordings of your voice to generate a ‘voice print’ that is unique to you, and use this voice print to identify you when you call us. Your Voice ID may be stored and produced by a third party and shall constitute an unequivocal evidence to you requesting any services. You agree that  the Bank’s records shall conclusive in that regard. For more information on how we collect and store your data, please refer to our Personal Banking General Terms and Conditions and Privacy Statement.

Enrolling to Voice ID is optional. you can continue to use your Phone Banking PIN at your convenience.

Using the Voice ID shall be considered as your extended consent for Personal Banking General Terms and Conditions and Online Banking terms and conditions as may be applicable to your use of the Phone Banking services in general and to Voice ID in particular. 

HSBC have the right to amend/suspend/ terminate this service at any point of time at HSBC’s own discretion without providing any justification or the need to provide any prior notification.

Any transactions made by you using the Voice ID are subject to our Personal Banking Terms and Conditions and any other related services/products terms and conditions associated with your relevant requests.

HSBC Personal Banking General Terms and Conditions (Bahrain) and Online Banking Terms and Conditions (Bahrain) apply.

Issued by HSBC Bank Middle East Limited Bahrain Branch, P.O. Box 57, Manama, Kingdom of Bahrain, licensed and regulated by the Central Bank of Bahrain as a Conventional Retail Bank for the purposes of this promotion and lead regulated by the Dubai Financial Services Authority. CRN201108/BAH.

© Copyright. HSBC Bank Middle East Limited. 2020. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, on any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of HSBC Bank Middle East Limited.