Banks calling you - they just dont get it do they?!?!?

[JaffaB]

Today, despite me not giving out my phone number to MBNA, they called
me (or at least, one of their robot dialers did) who then put me
through to one of their advisors. She then wanted to take me through
their ‘standard security questions’, so I said sorry, but my own
policy is not to give out this information without running through my
own security checks with them.

So my questions were (wanted to start off simple, and get more tricky)

1) Please name 4 members of the MBNA board of directors (she gave me
3, they may have been right or wrong – I didn’t really care)
2) Please give me the year, month and date that MBNA was listed at
companies house when it was first formed (this stumped her, but she
took a guess at 15 years ago). “Wrong” I said (again, I have no
clue) , but onto the next question
3) Please give me digits 9, 3, 6 and 1 of the MBNA registered company
number (“you what?” she said)
4) Please give the name of the chairman’s daughters’ 2nd gerbil

At this point, the lady at the end of the phone started to loose it.
I then went on to explain that as her robot had called me on my work
mobile (a number I had not given to MBNA, but they must have
(illegally logged from Call line Identification when I had called them
one time), on a withheld number, and then they had asked me for
security information, why would anybody with an I over 10 give out
their account number, name, phone number and mothers maiden name to
somebody who they did not know who they were. I asked to be put
through to a supervisor.

Mr Supervisor came on the line, and asked why I was being difficult. I
explained (again). He said that he understood and suggested I call
them on an 0800 number. “is this a listed MBNA number, such as on the
back of my card, your MBNA web site or on my statement” I asked. The
answer was of course no, it was an unlisted number.

“So how do I know I would be really calling MBNA” I asked. Just
because it is (he explained). I asked it was at all possible that
somebody could registered an 0800 number, and dial random numbers,
pretending to be MBNA and asking for peoples ID to cause scam. He
said it was very unlikely.

They just don’t get it do they?

 

[Mike Barnes]

They just don’t get it do they?

Well, some do. When my credit card company rang me recently to ask about
suspected fraudulent use, I said I wouldn't reveal anything to an
incoming caller. Without missing a beat she said she was pleased to
learn that I take security seriously and could I ring them using any of
the numbers on the back of the card. Of course it would have been better
if she'd said that in the first place.

 

[RobertL]

Well, some do. When my credit card company rang me recently to ask about
suspected fraudulent use, I said I wouldn't reveal anything to an
incoming caller. Without missing a beat she said she was pleased to
learn that I take security seriously and could I ring them using any of
the numbers on the back of the card. Of course it would have been better
if she'd said that in the first place.

IThat's assuming it was rge card company cazlling. Probably it
wasn't. I had such a call from "Nationwide fraud department" late
one evening. When I refused to give out info they politely said I
could call the number on my card. I did and was told the fraud
department was closed at that time of night.

Robert

 

[Gordon H]

In message

why would anybody with an I over 10 give out
their account number, name, phone number and mothers maiden name to
somebody who they did not know who they were.

I know somebody who did just that, and the cold caller was BT.
When she told me, I immediately called her son, who altered all bank
details on their joint account.

Fortunately it really was BT, who were pushing a credit card application
at a 75 y/ lady who is on Pension Credit and housing benefit.
Not just the banks who don't get it....

 

[davidmcn]

They just don’t get it do they?

Whenever Egg Bank have phoned me about my credit card account, they
haven't asked any security questions at all. Which I think is the way
it should be - if somebody else is picking up my phone and answering
to my name, that should be my problem rather than my bank's.

 

[PeterSaxton]

Whenever Egg Bank have phoned me about my credit card account, they
haven't asked any security questions at all. Which I think is the way
it should be - if somebody else is picking up my phone and answering
to my name, that should be my problem rather than my bank's.

I had a phone call today and I was asked for security information. I
was asked for security information and I refused and pointed out that
the Information Commissioner's Office advises that if they phone and
number and they have no reason to think the person answering the phone
is not the person who has originally given them the number they
shouldn't ask for security information. We had an interesting
disagreement about this. Her response was to repeatedly say that she
had to ask because of the Data Protection Act and ignore my questions
and explanations.

I offered to phone her back on the number I knew. I phoned back
immediately and she wasn't available so when I was told she would call
me back I said she would have to say "elephant" before I would go
through security. She called back and said "elephant" and we got
somewhere.

 

[Mike Barnes]

IThat's assuming it was rge card company cazlling.

I called them using the 0800 number on the back of the card. They were
expecting me.

 

[Martin]

Whenever Egg Bank have phoned me about my credit card account, they
haven't asked any security questions at all. Which I think is the way
it should be - if somebody else is picking up my phone and answering
to my name, that should be my problem rather than my bank's.

I had a phone call today and I was asked for security information. I
was asked for security information and I refused and pointed out that
the Information Commissioner's Office advises that if they phone and
number and they have no reason to think the person answering the phone
is not the person who has originally given them the number they
shouldn't ask for security information. We had an interesting
disagreement about this. Her response was to repeatedly say that she
had to ask because of the Data Protection Act and ignore my questions
and explanations.

I offered to phone her back on the number I knew. I phoned back
immediately and she wasn't available so when I was told she would call
me back I said she would have to say "elephant" before I would go
through security. She called back and said "elephant" and we got
somewhere.

========================

So "elephant" is the word. I'll now proceed to hack into all your bank
accounts without delay... ))

 

[PeterSaxton]

I had a phone call today and I was asked for security information. I
was asked for security information and I refused and pointed out that
the Information Commissioner's Office  advises that if they phone and
number and they have no reason to think the person answering the phone
is not the person who has originally given them the number they
shouldn't ask for security information. We had an interesting
disagreement about this. Her response was to repeatedly say that she
had to ask because of the Data Protection Act and ignore my questions
and explanations.

I offered to phone her back on the number I knew. I phoned back
immediately and she wasn't available so when I was told she would call
me back I said she would have to say "elephant" before I would go
through security. She called back and said "elephant" and we got
somewhere.

========================

So "elephant" is the word.  I'll now proceed to hack into all your bank
accounts without delay... ))

By all means phone me and say "elephant" and I'll give you my security
information!

 

[Robin T Cox]

I had a phone call today and I was asked for security information. I
was asked for security information and I refused and pointed out that
the Information Commissioner's Office advises that if they phone and
number and they have no reason to think the person answering the phone
is not the person who has originally given them the number they
shouldn't ask for security information. We had an interesting
disagreement about this. Her response was to repeatedly say that she
had to ask because of the Data Protection Act and ignore my questions
and explanations.

I offered to phone her back on the number I knew. I phoned back
immediately and she wasn't available so when I was told she would call
me back I said she would have to say "elephant" before I would go
through security. She called back and said "elephant" and we got
somewhere.

Did you get a date?

 

[Martin]

I had a phone call today and I was asked for security information. I
was asked for security information and I refused and pointed out that
the Information Commissioner's Office advises that if they phone and
number and they have no reason to think the person answering the phone
is not the person who has originally given them the number they
shouldn't ask for security information. We had an interesting
disagreement about this. Her response was to repeatedly say that she
had to ask because of the Data Protection Act and ignore my questions
and explanations.

I offered to phone her back on the number I knew. I phoned back
immediately and she wasn't available so when I was told she would call
me back I said she would have to say "elephant" before I would go
through security. She called back and said "elephant" and we got
somewhere.

========================

So "elephant" is the word. I'll now proceed to hack into all your bank
accounts without delay... ))

By all means phone me and say "elephant" and I'll give you my security
information!

=========================

On second thoughts, I'll simply xfer my overdraft to you )

 

[Chris Blunt]

I had a phone call today and I was asked for security information. I
was asked for security information and I refused and pointed out that
the Information Commissioner's Office advises that if they phone and
number and they have no reason to think the person answering the phone
is not the person who has originally given them the number they
shouldn't ask for security information. We had an interesting
disagreement about this. Her response was to repeatedly say that she
had to ask because of the Data Protection Act and ignore my questions
and explanations.

I offered to phone her back on the number I knew. I phoned back
immediately and she wasn't available so when I was told she would call
me back I said she would have to say "elephant" before I would go
through security. She called back and said "elephant" and we got
somewhere.

What a sad reflection it is on today's society that we have to go to
such lengths just to have a telephone conversation with somebody we do
business with. It just goes to show how dishonest and distrusting
people have become.

It was never like this years ago. You used to be able to call a
company and just talk to staff there about all kind of things without
all this nonsense.

Chris

 

[PeterSaxton]

What a sad reflection it is on today's society that we have to go to
such lengths just to have a telephone conversation with somebody we do
business with. It just goes to show how dishonest and distrusting
people have become.

It was never like this years ago. You used to be able to call a
company and just talk to staff there about all kind of things without
all this nonsense.

Chris

Years ago people had common sense. People would be able to tell
whether you knew enough about the subject under discussion and could
avoid giving unnecessary information. Now it's just about covering
their backs and not thinking.

 

[tim.....]

What a sad reflection it is on today's society that we have to go to
such lengths just to have a telephone conversation with somebody we do
business with. It just goes to show how dishonest and distrusting
people have become.

Actually I think it's more that people have become (un-reasonably IMHO)
protective of their "own" data.

The banks have to jump through these hoops because of the DPA, and it is
quite noticable the number of people who complain that their rights have
been breached when the Banks (and others) don't do this for even the most
trivial piece of data.

tim

 

[Mark]

Actually I think it's more that people have become (un-reasonably IMHO)
protective of their "own" data.

I disagree. Many organisations are asking for more and more personal
data and we all know how well they look after it, don't we?

With Identity theft and similar crimes on the rise people are starting
to learn how valuable their personal information is and therefore look
after it better.

--
(\__/) M.
(='.'=) Owing to the amount of spam posted via googlegroups and
(")_(") their inaction to the problem. I am blocking most articles
posted from there. If you wish your postings to be seen by
everyone you will need use a different method of posting.

 

[Theo Markettos]

The banks have to jump through these hoops because of the DPA, and it is
quite noticable the number of people who complain that their rights have
been breached when the Banks (and others) don't do this for even the most
trivial piece of data.

....which is a knock-on due to the way data is much more easily transmitted
and processed these days. In past decades, the nearest anyone needed to be
concerned about data protection was whether they were ex-directory or not.
And to find out much more you had to engage in physical espionage.

So the worth of each piece of information was relatively low, because it was
very hard to accumulate enough undetected (you probably had to ask lots of
people for information, so you'd leave a trail).

But now there's so much data flying around and it's so easy to collate then
people are clinging to it ever tighter.

Theo

 

[Chris Blunt]

...which is a knock-on due to the way data is much more easily transmitted
and processed these days. In past decades, the nearest anyone needed to be
concerned about data protection was whether they were ex-directory or not.
And to find out much more you had to engage in physical espionage.

So the worth of each piece of information was relatively low, because it was
very hard to accumulate enough undetected (you probably had to ask lots of
people for information, so you'd leave a trail).

But now there's so much data flying around and it's so easy to collate then
people are clinging to it ever tighter.

That's true, but a lot of data used to commit fraud is apparently
obtained by rifling through people's dustbins.

Chris

 

[Ronald Raygun]

That's true, but a lot of data used to commit fraud is apparently
obtained by rifling through people's dustbins.

Apparent to whom? Sounds like urban legend to me.
It's just what sellers of shredding machines want you to believe.

 

[Chris Blunt]

Apparent to whom? Sounds like urban legend to me.
It's just what sellers of shredding machines want you to believe.

Not according to CIFAS, Experian and Gloucestershire Police.

http://www.cifas.org.uk/default.asp?edit_id=555-56

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1387347/Household-dustbin-is-gold-mine-for-crooks.html

http://www.gloucestershire.police.uk/crimestoppers/National Campaigns/item4051.html

 

[JaffaB]

OP back here. From my POV, its all because of a change of process.
When I first operated a bank account, if you wanted to set up a direct
debit or standing order, you either went into your branch or wrote
them a letter/filled out a form. If you had problems, again, you went
into your branch or again, wrote them a letter. However, in the last
3 or 4 years, its all changed to internet banking (good thing) and
call centres (bad thing). If you had the basic details, you can phone
up a call centre and set up a d/d in 5 minutes, and nobody can trace
you.

A classic example is Jeremy Clarkson. A year or so ago he said it was
all piffle, and put his bank account number and sort code in the
Sunday Times. 24 hours later, his bank account was empty and money
had been transferred to various charities.

Now, we have moved on from people sifting through dustbins. Today its
Nigerians’ phoning you trying to get information (I have received 2
calls with very broken English in the past 6 months, both disconnected
quickly when I challenged them to prove who they were when they asked
me for my information), or trying to make friends on Skype (add me as
a contact please).

However, coming back to my original point, I treat my information as
belonging to me. I don’t care if the people want my phone number to
commit crime, rob me, call me at 10pm to sell me windows or for any
other reason, you don’t need it, you are not getting it. This is true
for all my information, from bank account number, email address, phone
number, or email address.

If anybody thinks this information should not be kept secure, when not
test your faith, and post all your personal details in a reply.