New A&L Account - Hard Sell on Identity Theft Protection

brooksy_2

Hi all,

Just a note really. Phoned up to activate my A&L card for their new premier direct account, and I was rather surprised when the person I was talking to launched into an extremely long and relatively hard sell on identity theft protection.

Personally I thought it bordered on scaremongering - "you've read about identity theft in the papers" - "they go through your bins and steal your details" - it was all talked up, obviously, to sell their £59.99 identity theft insurance. In fact the whole talk was rather like it had already happened - "you'll get a personal case worker", etc, etc.

Thought it was all a bit out of order. So, be prepared for it if you're activating your A&L card!

Edimew

I rang to activate mine yesterday at 9:05. They didn't mention it. Perhaps your person hadn't reached their quota.

Sting_2

I had the same treatment, rang up to activate my replacement card and was told, "this will just a take a few minutes", and while I was waiting I was told about this great product - I told the lady I wasn't interested but kept getting comments like "you REALLY need this product."

Eventually I asked if my card had been activated and could I go now please!

MattyNeth

Hi - had the same thing. Waited for her to finish, and then said "Have you finished?", and then said no thanks and hung up

mleonard79

Hi there - just to add I got the same hard sell not that long ago. I wasn't very impressed with it either as I also think it's pretty blatant scaremongering and there's no way we should have to be paying £60 to get something done that should just be automatic! I did the same as the others who have responded and simply said I didn't want it and is my card activated?!!

James

There is a cheap, simlpe and effecitve way to protect yourself from ID theft, putting you and not the institutions in control of your ID.

If someone tries to use your address (old or new) and your personal information then any of the following should happen.

You will get a free warning from the lender/bank that someone has attempted to obtain credit, credit cards, open a bank account etc using your name and details.

If someone does manage to obtain open accounts in your name, and your signed up to this system, then you can hold that lender/bank to account if they've failed to comply with YOUR instructions.

If compliance is full and fraud still occurs then you can prove without doubt that it wasn't you who submitted the initial application and forensic evidence can be supplied to aid identification of the perpetrator.

See

Identity Theft - Self Help

oldfella

banks are liable for fraud anyway - the max you can pay is £50

Mike

newlywed

brooksy wrote:

Personally I thought it bordered on scaremongering - "you've read about identity theft in the papers" - "they go through your bins and steal your details" - it was all talked up, obviously, to sell their £59.99 identity theft insurance. In fact the whole talk was rather like it had already happened - "you'll get a personal case worker", etc, etc.

I bought a £9.99 shredder and so they can't nick my details from the bins!!

niccy

I topped up a loan with them last week,and boy did they try and flog me that protection thingy(which i NEVER buy) me and the girly had a right ding dong