Smile!

[kneeshooter]

I'm rapidly going off smile. I've just had another call from them trying to sell me services, but at the start of the conversation they ask me for selected digits from my passcode.

I've just spoken to the bank, but while I understand some bizarre fascination with needing to check the effectiveness of their direct marketing it seems a bit odd in this age of security paranoia that they expect people to give out this information to inbound calls.

Oh well...

Comments

[kingandy]

Well, you wouldn't want just any old person who answered the phone to be able to add services to your account, would you?

[kneeshooter]

But if they are ~selling~ stuff then surely there are better ways than encourage people to compromise their security?

For example you could just deliver the pitch, then say "log onto your account to press the accept button" once everything was ready to go. Now of course that would mean more people change their mind, but it's much better practice.

[cookwitch.livejournal.com]

*nods* No matter who rang up, I don't think I'd be tempted to give them passcode nummbers!

[(Anonymous)]

My general response to questions of this type is to tell them to tell me what the numbers/letters are and I will let them know if they match my passcode :)

I find this is very effective at getting rid of scammers who try to get your credit card number "for verification purposes" heheheh

[http://users.livejournal.com/eddy_/]

The only problem with that is even genuine callers won't know what they are as they aren't allowed to see them. The system just asks them for random letters/numbers, they type what you give them into the system and it tells them if they're correct.

That said, anyone trying to sell me something over the phone can take a running jump anyway. :o)

[davefish.livejournal.com]

Today I tried to order a new monitor, to hit the difficulty that in order to get past the procedures they have to prove you are who you say you are, they ask for stuff I'm unwilling to give due to risk of identity theft...

We are, as they say, at an impasse.

[kneeshooter]

ID Cards are the answer of course!

[allegrafade.livejournal.com]

ID card will solve everything. and by everything of course that means the contents of yoyr account will be gone.

[http://users.livejournal.com/eddy_/]

FSA regulations state that they must verify the identity of the person who has answered the phone before they conduct any business with an exsisting customer, but there are better ways of doing it. Egg at least give you some non DPA protected information about yourself to prove they are who they say before asking for x and y letters from your password. It's not perfect, but better than openly discussing your financial details with anyone who happens to answer the phone.