Card activation call - scaremongering sales pitches

jd87

Is there really any need to call the credit card company to activate a new card, or is this just a chance for the credit card company to try and sell you card protection? Why is it they always use scaremongering lies to sell you these pointless services? I just got told by someone at barclaycard that if someone steals my identity and applies for a loan in my name I will be liable to pay it all back. How gullible do they think we are? They shouldn't be allowed to do this.

97trophy

I agree with you, this is a very bad practice.

Write a letter of complaint, I did.

PNPSUKNET

There calls are recorded, remind them of this and the fact that you can request a copy of the call under the data protection act.

davethorp

When I got credit card the other week from Sygma bank it was just a robot activation line. Had to enter my card number and date of birth and job done. No sales spiel or anything which was nice!

duggie1982

davethorp wrote: »

When I got credit card the other week from Sygma bank it was just a robot activation line. Had to enter my card number and date of birth and job done. No sales spiel or anything which was nice!

Thats the way it should be. DOB card no and telephone number should be fine

Mozette

I quite enjoy letting them witter on about PPI & ID theft protection and just say 'no thanks' when they've done. Free phone number, why do I care how long they go on for? Shame really, must be a rubbish job.

duggie1982

Mozette wrote: »

I quite enjoy letting them witter on about PPI & ID theft protection and just say 'no thanks' when they've done. Free phone number, why do I care how long they go on for? Shame really, must be a rubbish job.

I do feel sorry for those guy's though.

digitalphase

davethorp wrote: »

When I got credit card the other week from Sygma bank it was just a robot activation line. Had to enter my card number and date of birth and job done. No sales spiel or anything which was nice!

Yup, same for my Vanquis card. Capital One was quite long winded though...

bluffer

Mozette wrote: »

...Shame really, must be a rubbish job.

it depends. if they get the sales targets - depending on the company of course - they get extra holidays, rock festival tickets, ipods etc...

the poor guys you should feel sorry for are the ones in customer service who have to deal with any of the mis-selling. they dont get the sales bonuses but do get all the complaints


Oh, the alternative to phoning up to get the card activated is sending out the card pre-activated with all the risks of interception etc on a LIVE card. The phone call is there for your safety. The companies that dont do it, think its worth paying the losses against hiring the staff.

Paul_Herring

Is there really any need to call the credit card company to activate a new card, or is this just a chance for the credit card company to try and sell you card protection?

Oh yes. My conversations with them go something like this...

Me: I'd like to activate my card please
<hands over details>
Them: While that's going through, may I ask you some questions. Are you in full time employment?
Me: Is this for PPI?
Them: Erm... yes.
Me: No thanks.
Them: Your card is now activated
...

jegudiel

Interested in your 'experience' with Barclaycard. They outsource a lot of their card activation calls to a company who specialises in identity protection and card protection, so whilst the cards are initially blocked I do wonder what the motivation for them outsourcing to a insurance provider could be...mmmm.

If you have an experience that's poor like that I would complain, but here's the important distinction. Don't complain to Customer Services or even complaints, but to COMPLIANCE. The police this kind of pratice and don't have as much of a vested interest to keep these things under the hat as Customer Services/Complaints/Sales do. Also, here's a tip; many of the banks I've worked with seperate out complaints letters when they're addressed to the CEO or Chairman. Indeed, in the organisation you refer to, the CEO gets to see ALL the complaints letters with his name on and they do, strangly, get resolved much quicker...