Verifying a caller's identity over the phone

HairyMonkey_2

How do you know if someone calls saying he is calling from the Halifax bank that he really is from the Halifax.
I got a call today from one of them and he asked me to confirm my name and address etc over the phone and we discussed account information.

On this occasion I knew he was a Halifax person but I came away thinking what if it wasn't. How does one know if he says who he says he is. Does anyone have any ideas?

JayS_3

You could take his name, and call them back on a telephone number you have checked does belong to the company he says he is calling from or the telephone number you normally us to contact the bank.

I have this worry too, but have not had reason to try this yet, might next time now I've thought of it.

Bilbodotcom

If the call was regarding your bank account - you could have asked him to quote the last three transactions. That way you would know he had access to those details (meaning more than likely he was an employee of the bank.)

Glad

Martin discussed this on Radio 2 last week

he suggested you always call them back on a number you know is legit

Viz_2

You could always ask to put everything in writing to your address, and as above call back with a reference number on an offical phone number.

JulesClarke

As a call centre employee for one of the big banks I often receive calls from customers worried about this.

The simple answer is you can seldom be 100% sure that a caller is genuine so if you are ever in doubt insist upon calling them back. I would recommend calling on a the general customer services number and then being transferred to the extension of the individual calling you.

One thing I can say to reassure anyone who might be worried is that Banks do have an awful lot of employees making totally genuine outbound calls and that regrettably many are not as sensitive to customers fraud concerns as would be ideal. Too many temps and highs sales targets can lead to a culture where a customer who feels worried about an unsolicited call is dealt with as an objection to be overcome rather than as a person in need of reassurance.

That said my top tips when asked for information from an unknown caller are:

1. If in doubt raise your concerns with the caller. A genuine caller should be sympathetic and should not pressure you for any information. They should instead ask you to call them back on a customer service number. If they cannot provide you with a number or insist it is an outbound centre only do not worry, simply call the number on your statement or chequebook.

2. We will not be seeking to "confirm your full card number or account details". We know these we are your bank! In exceptional circumstances I may ask you to tell me the last four digits of either an account number or card pan but this would only be to confirm or find an existing transaction, and not usually on an outbound call.

3. I may ask you to confirm some personal information i.e. date of birth and address (especially true for sales calls) but we would only ask for appropriate information. If the information we ask for seem unusual, inappropriate or excessive follow the advise in tip 1.

4. I have never had a need to ask a customer for a full card pin number, full internet passwords/pins or three digit security code on the signing slip of their card. This is because I don't have these details readily on file. These bits of information are supposed to be secret to you and can only be verified by a computer when you or I enter them.

5. If you are worried you may have disclosed sensitive or personal information to a caller that you now think isn't genuine; don't panic but do get in touch with your bank. We will be able to judge if the information poses a threat to your accounts and if needs be can change your account details, issue new cards and watch the accounts for you.

In closing I would like to stress that the likelihood of being a victim of this sort of fraud is very small. Providing you exercise common sense and contact your bank if you do get a supicious call you are pretty much safe.
Just remember the golden rule is:

If in doubt don't provide the information.

Midas

Thanks for that Jules, very sound advice indeed.

Of course we should all also remember that when we call the bank back, we should be sure to check the number on http://www.saynoto0870.com/ first!

JulesClarke

Yes I agree. The bank I work for uses 0845 for it's general enquiries, but couldn't swear to all the countless of other departments we have.

Of course if you came through to me I would just dial the 0870 number for you and pass you through.

one-non-blonde

I called M&S recently to do a 0% balance transfer to my &More card. She went through the usual security questions but there was a little difficulty due I presumed to accents, especially when I tried to give her my address/postcode. After completing the transaction it became clear that the problem had been that I'd given her completely the wrong address (my new one, but I hadn't got round to telling them I'd moved). She'd got so confused she'd given up and just moved on. Worried me slightly that she still continued to process the transaction without saying anything when I gave her blatantly wrong information.

I think security questions are a bit of a joke... it's not that hard to find out someone's date of birth, address and mother's maiden name - all my family members know that for a start (not that I don't trust them!). :eek:

Paul_Varjak

I agree that security questions are a joke. I rang Barclays Stockbrokers when their computer password system was not working. The only security question I was asked was where I was calling from. I just gave them the name of the village I was in (I was in a call box). They accepted that!

Twmble

I recently applied for (and have now opened) a Halifax ShareBuilder Account. One of their security questions is a question you make up yourself

e.g. What's my favourite word?
Who is the ugliest out of all my invisible 'friends'?
What's the most irritating thing about high street banks? :rolleyes:

A touch harder to find out than "What's my mother's maiden name?"

T