Halifax - Harassment?

Scarlet_Fever

If this should be in the Vent board, please feel free to move, but as this is a credit card company, i thought it should be here.

I have had over 7 calls from the Halifax over this weekend.

Starting at 8.30 Saturday, they started by asking me for my date of birth and postcode. I told them I was not going to give them any information over the phone (due to identity fraud) and that if they had a problem they should send me a letter.

Each time they phoned I asked them to stop calling and to write.
The 5th phone call - the caller said 'we'll just call you back then…' and hung up on me.

The 7th call came at 8.10 this morning. When my husband asked to speak to a supervisor, the caller hung up on him.

I have telephoned to complain, but they could not give me the information regarding the calls as I did not have the card with me. I identified myself to them with name address and date of birth, but the lady (very polite) would not give me any information on why they were calling.

I have advised them I will be closing the account

grumbler

I believe that there was a good reason for them calling you so hard. Some emergencies need to be solved urgently and sending a letter is not a way to do this. Do you want to have your credit card unexpectedly refused in a shop?

If you are afraid of giving your personal information in such cases (I am), just ask for a reference and and the name and call them back using the telephone number you can trust.

Scarlet_Fever

grumbler wrote:

I believe that there was a good reason for them calling you so hard. Some emergencies need to be solved urgently and sending a letter is not a way to do this. Do you want to have your credit card unexpectedly refuset in a shop?

If you are afraid of giving your personal information in such cases (I am), just teke a reference and call them back using the telephone number you can trust.

i called them back this morning and she wouldnt give me any info as i didnot have the card - i gave all the usual info eg: d.o.b etc - i like the idea of a reference number....

then i got another call at 9.42, and she hung up on me when i asked if this was another call from Halifax, or if it was an apology?

tomstickland

Are you sure it really is the Halifax?

Scarlet_Fever

tomstickland wrote:

Are you sure it really is the Halifax?

i think it most likely is, but i'm *not* talking to them on the phone now, cos they pi55ed me off big time (grrrrr)

Raksha

We came back from holiday last weekend, to find something like 10 calls on the answerphone from the Halifax, sometimes just a single vowel or a grunt. This was all because we'd missed a payment last month (OH filed the unopened envelope ontop of the filing cabinet!) I wouldn't mind, but I have BT 1571 service set up to my mobile, so I don't miss any urgent work calls, and have to pay 10p a time to receive them! Why can't they hang up on the answer phone instead of leaving some meaningless message...

lauren_1

They just wont sod off will they, the first phone call i stupidly gave my security details as they said they had urgent info about my accounts:eek: after giving my address, postal code the then asked for my bracnh address and telephone banking passcode, they would nt tell my what the call was about unless they were sure i was the only lauren in the house! Then i played dumb and couldnt remember the branch i opened the account in, i asked for the first letter to jog my memory but they said they didnt have the details in front of them so how the flick are they supposed to know it was me?????? I have complained to halifax 12 times because i have had since last month 38 phonecals, i see myself looking for another bank soon

rjm2k1

If they call again, give false details, get your passcode/dob wrong, give the wrong branch etc etc. If it really is them, they should be able to tell you it's wrong. Then, ask for a reference number for the call and call them back on a verified number (eg one from your statements or the website) and quote the reference number.

MissMuppet

Sounds a bit dodgy to me... If my bank (which is Halifax btw) calls me they will only ask a couple of security questions, usually 2 numbers from my security number... Maybe my dob and first line of my address or my postcode.

I've never had any problems with Halifax, apart from them trying to sell me stuff!

Astaroth

The catch 22 that banks are stuck with is if they suspected your card had been used fraudulantly and decided to write you a letter saying that £20,000 has been taken from your account then there would be another post just like this one saying how bad it was that they had left you £20,000 out of pocket etc whilst you waited the 5 days a letter takes.

As others have said, if in doubt, ask which department they are in and then call back on a trusted number and ask to be transfered.

As to not being able to give the "first letter" - in most cases the security screen they have infront of them is just like your log in for the web where it simply has a space for them to put your answers in and a submit button. Banks do not give your average call centre person access to your PIN/ passwords etc in full otherwise it would be far too easy for them to phone up themselves and then pretend to be you and get a totally innocent Rep to empty your account into theirs (or something a little more sophistocated if they dont want to be caught immediately)

Scarlet_Fever

Astaroth wrote:

As others have said, if in doubt, ask which department they are in and then call back on a trusted number and ask to be transfered.

i tried calling them back though and they were no help