Phone calls from your bank?

catweazle_2

Hi,

Earlier today I received a cold call from my bank, informing me of new products and asking if I was interested. Fair enough - but it got me thinking, in the course of the call I was asked a few personal details for 'security purposes'.. Fair enough, or so it seems. But my question is, how do I know I was called by a genuine bank employee and not someone phishing for information?

Any thoughts, people?

456789

It is a difficult thing to decide

I once got called by Halifax offering me a credit card and they asked lots of details back then I didn't know better so I told them everything nowadays I would be more careful.

One way is to check online if the number is genuine or tell them to put a note on your account and then call them back on a number that you know is genuine (or get them to call you again if halifax https://www.halifax.co.uk/bankaccounts/callback.asp )

Paul_Herring

Fair enough, or so it seems. But my question is, how do I know I was called by a genuine bank employee and not someone phishing for information?

Unless you instigated the phone call, or it was about something you know about, you don't.

If you're at all unsure, ask them for a reference number, and a public phone number you can call them back on which can be verified as belonging to them.

Alternatively, if you can be bothered, play the 'why won't you prove who you say you are,' and ask them for the answers to your personal details. DOB, Mother's maiden name, first pet, inside leg measurement etc.

rb10

Paul_Herring wrote: »

Alternatively, if you can be bothered, play the 'why won't you prove who you say you are,' and ask them for the answers to your personal details. DOB, Mother's maiden name, first pet, inside leg measurement etc.

This is incredibly unfair on a call centre worker who is just doing their job.

Aspiring

I queried this years ago because, like you, I really thought it was bizarre. I refused to answer their security questions (for the same reasons as you) and said if they wanted to offer me any promotions, to do so via the snail mail system.

End of.

Paul_Herring

rb10 wrote: »

This is incredibly unfair on a call centre worker who is just doing their job.

This particular 'job' shouldn't exist. Unless they're able to prove that they work for whatever institution they're calling on behalf of, they have no business ringing, since it's nigh on impossible to differentiate them from some random stranger ringing you up claiming they work for your bank.

willo65

Paul_Herring wrote: »

This particular 'job' shouldn't exist. Unless they're able to prove that they work for whatever institution they're calling on behalf of, they have no business ringing, since it's nigh on impossible to differentiate them from some random stranger ringing you up claiming they work for your bank.

But would it not depend what they are ringing about? I can think of three examples where you would probably be pleased they called:

1) you are going o/d today if you pay in by x time you won't get any charges.
2) We have noticed some unusual transactions on your account can you verify they where you? - Oh £3000 no that transaction definately wasn't me. thanks for calling
3) With the new tax year you can change from our standard ISA to an ISA paying much more interest but as you have a s/o going into your ISA in the next week you need to arrange sharpish.

robpw2

willo65 wrote: »

But would it not depend what they are ringing about? I can think of three examples where you would probably be pleased they called:

1) you are going o/d today if you pay in by x time you won't get any charges.
2) We have noticed some unusual transactions on your account can you verify they where you? - Oh £3000 no that transaction definately wasn't me. thanks for calling
3) With the new tax year you can change from our standard ISA to an ISA paying much more interest but as you have a s/o going into your ISA in the next week you need to arrange sharpish.

1. i dont answer any security questions by people who ring me ..
they can send me a text like they normally do
2. i don't answer any security questions by people who ring me
they can write or leave a message with a contact number asking me to call back .
3. I dont EVER give any answers to security question by people who ring me .
they can WRITE, LEAVE a Message or TEXT

Paul_Herring

willo65 wrote: »

But would it not depend what they are ringing about? I can think of three examples where you would probably be pleased they called:

1) you are going o/d today if you pay in by x time you won't get any charges.
2) We have noticed some unusual transactions on your account can you verify they where you? - Oh £3000 no that transaction definately wasn't me. thanks for calling
3) With the new tax year you can change from our standard ISA to an ISA paying much more interest but as you have a s/o going into your ISA in the next week you need to arrange sharpish.

1) When do banks ever do this? Mine certainly wouldn't/doesn't (ignoring the fact this wouldn't happen to me anyway.)
2) My credit card company ring me from a known number that is in my address book. I know it's them before I answer the call.
3) Anyone with ISA's would/should know this.

None of your points, however, address the OP's situation - they were ringing yup to advertise.

RobertoMoir

rb10 wrote: »

This is incredibly unfair on a call centre worker who is just doing their job.

No, it isn't. Not if it's done nicely.

If someone cold calls me claiming to be from my bank or whatever, they can damn well prove to me that they are who they claim to be or they can hang up. Nothing to do with being unfair or unpleasent to legitimate callers and everything to do with keeping my financial affairs secure... you know, like the banks say we're required to do and will stitch you up like a kipper over if there's any funny business on your account and they think you gave your details to someone.

If anyone is being unfair to the call centre worker in those conditions, it's the people at the banks ordering them to make unreasonable phonecalls, not the people who receive those phonecalls and who have actually paid attention to the very same bankers imploring them not to discuss their personal financial information with random phone callers.

masonic

Banks should not be making unsolicited phonecalls to customers that require "security questions" to be asked. If they really need to verify they are speaking to the person they are calling, they should ask something that is never asked as a security question in another scenario.