PKO BP still not sending SMS codes to US and Canada, gives no date
Almost 20 weeks after its estimate, PKO BP still cannot send SMS codes to customers in the US and Canada. The bank is waiting for operators to approve message templates and gives no date.
Author: Editorial teamPublished: 2 min read
Contents
PKO BP customers living in the US and Canada are still not receiving SMS authorisation codes. The bank has not said when the service will return. Bankier.pl reported this in an article dated 22 October 2026.
A promise made months ago
PKO BP's press office estimated on 2 June 2026 that introducing solutions compliant with local operators' requirements would take from several to a dozen or so weeks. According to Bankier.pl, 139 days, or almost 20 weeks, had passed by 19 October.
Without SMS codes, customers cannot log in to iPKO or confirm transactions.
The code card and a vicious circle
For months the bank has advised customers to order a card of one-time codes. One customer, who wrote to Bankier.pl on 25 September, ordered such a card but could not activate it. To change his authorisation method he needed an SMS code, which never arrived. He says he phoned the bank several times and got no help.
What the bank says
PKO BP replied to the publication on 19 October. The bank said it had adjusted its procedures and customers can activate a code card without an SMS code. It also said it was at the final stage of implementing the solution, with telecoms operators in both countries agreeing and approving message templates. According to the bank, this is a time-consuming procedure and its timing does not depend on the bank.
Bankier.pl points out that the bank did not explain since when the simplified activation has applied or how it works in practice. Nor did it say when it began registering the templates. According to the publication, the largest US operators have fully blocked unregistered bulk messaging since February 2025. PKO BP admitted in June that it had not known about the new rules earlier. In June the Polish Financial Supervision Authority (UKNF) said that without registration stating the exact content and purpose of messages, they could be blocked.
The June complaints also concerned customers of Erste, Alior, mBank and VeloBank. The latest report concerns PKO BP.
What customers can do
According to Bankier.pl, a customer who does not receive SMS messages can cite the bank's statement and ask for a code card to be activated without an SMS. If the adviser refuses, the customer can file a complaint. If the bank rejects it, the Financial Ombudsman may take up the case.
The sources do not mention SMS problems in the United Kingdom. The article concerns only customers in the US and Canada.
Sources
This article was prepared automatically by AI from the listed sources and published without prior editorial review. Spotted a mistake? Use the “Report an error in this article” button.
Photos
- Cover: „online banking, online, bank, banking, username”, author: Tumisu, licence Pixabay Content License; cropped or resized.
- Photo 1: „make a phone call, mobile, phone, smartphone, communication”, author: VinzentWeinbeer, licence Pixabay Content License; cropped or resized.
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