Banks ringing you and wanting to ask security questions

Archi_Bald

Armorica wrote: »

Banks have to 'know their customers' - if you have opened accounts online then it's not unreasonable to want to speak to you / have follow up questions.

You can always insist on calling back through a published number.

If they don't call you, how are you meant to know they'd like to speak to you??

I have around 30 current accounts with about a dozen banks, all bar a couple opened online. None of them ever called me to get to know me as everything they need to know about me is either on my credit files or on my accounts with the banks.

If they wish to talk to me, they can write to me and explain what it is we need to talk about. I will most certainly not talk to anyone who calls me on the phone and can't identify themselves beyond doubt.

Archi_Bald

pmduk wrote: »

If only it were just marketing calls when banks ask you to do this. RBS fraud department asked me to do exact this last Monday and seemed surprised when I wouldn't answer their questions.

It should be easy enough for us customers to ask the caller for e.g. character 4 and 7 from the secret word we agreed they would use if they had reason to call me. And they should be able to tell me what the last one or two transactions were on my account. I'd also like them to tell me what my DOB and my address is. Plus I would like to know their name and employee serial number, and I would like them to confirm that they are not recording the phone call (hah, fat chance of that!! but some of them expect me to confirm that.) None of these questions would be unreasonable, as it's the questions banks ask us when we call them.

Until they can identify themselves in that manner, I need to assume the caller is most likely a fraudster and I will not give them any information about myself and my account(s).

brewerdave

I had one of my "banks" phone me a couple of months ago to do a survey -before she started , she wanted ME to answer her security Qs ! Seemed very surprised when I refused - she said that I couldn't be entered in the prize draw if I didn't:rotfl:

meer53

FireWyrm wrote: »

What security questions do you suggest?

I'm absolutely with the OP on this one. The banks complain and weasel out of paying back stolen money when we are caught by vishing scams, but are quite happy to call customers and demand potentially sensitive information from them in order to go through a stupid marketing call we didnt want in the first place. Make your mind up, you cant have it both ways. Either banks never call customers and never ask for sensitive information, or they do sometimes, but sometimes, they have to pay out for people who get caught by a scam that claims to be a call from the bank!

Some customers ask me for random letters from their mothers maiden name, or their address, some ask me who they have direct debits with, some ask me when was the last time they used their debit card. They can ask whatever they like, i've never had anyone object when i've suggested this. I'm quite happy to answer whatever questions they ask.

bolzano

Had a call from M&S bank today. For all the security questions they provided me with partial information and got me to complete it. Eg you were born on 3rd of May, can you tell me which year? The first line of your address is... can you tell me the postcode?
Seemed to be a good system.

Goldiegirl

Archi_Bald wrote: »

It should be easy enough for us customers to ask the caller for e.g. character 4 and 7 from the secret word we agreed they would use if they had reason to call me. And they should be able to tell me what the last one or two transactions were on my account. I'd also like them to tell me what my DOB and my address is. Plus I would like to know their name and employee serial number, and I would like them to confirm that they are not recording the phone call (hah, fat chance of that!! but some of them expect me to confirm that.) None of these questions would be unreasonable, as it's the questions banks ask us when we call them.

Until they can identify themselves in that manner, I need to assume the caller is most likely a fraudster and I will not give them any information about myself and my account(s).

meer53 wrote: »

Some customers ask me for random letters from their mothers maiden name, or their address, some ask me who they have direct debits with, some ask me when was the last time they used their debit card. They can ask whatever they like, i've never had anyone object when i've suggested this. I'm quite happy to answer whatever questions they ask.

When I call a customer, I wouldn't give out information like the customer's DOB, Address or direct debits to the person who answered the phone. If they are not the customer I want to speak to, and were just SAYING they were, I'd have given out a load of personal information to someone who had no right to the information!

When I phone a customer, it's normally because I have information for them, not me trying to sell something. If they don't want to confirm who they are by answering security questions it's really no skin off my nose, I just tell them to call back. But at that point, oddly enough, they get all interested and want to know what the call's about, and suddenly become happy to answer the security questions.

meer53

Goldiegirl wrote: »

When I call a customer, I wouldn't give out information like the customer's DOB, Address or direct debits to the person who answered the phone. If they are not the customer I want to speak to, and were just SAYING they were, I'd have given out a load of personal information to someone who had no right to the information!

When I phone a customer, it's normally because I have information for them, not me trying to sell something. If they don't want to confirm who they are by answering security questions it's really no skin off my nose, I just tell them to call back. But at that point, oddly enough, they get all interested and want to know what the call's about, and suddenly become happy to answer the security questions.

I don't give out personal information, i give out random characters. My calls relate to a very specific type of query, this information wouldn't be of any use to anyone other than the customer. It works for me and for the customer although the number of people who refuse to answer my security questions is very small, it's not really an issue for me.

matttye

I always just say "Without going into too much detail, can you tell me what prompted you to call me" or words to that effect.

If they say "We had an e-mail" or "Someone applied for an account online" or whatever, if they're right then you can be pretty sure it is actually them calling. Would have to be a massive coincidence for them to contact you and know how you contacted them as well, if it wasn't actually the organisation in question.

Archi_Bald

matttye wrote: »

I always just say "Without going into too much detail, can you tell me what prompted you to call me" or words to that effect.

If they say "We had an e-mail" or "Someone applied for an account online" or whatever, if they're right then you can be pretty sure it is actually them calling. Would have to be a massive coincidence for them to contact you and know how you contacted them as well, if it wasn't actually the organisation in question.

They could get into red hot water by giving away such information, however small, as they have no idea who they are speaking to at this stage. If my partner/butler/builder/gardener etc answers the phone, I don't want my bank to tell him anything at all about my dealings with my bank as this would be in breach of the DPA.

TheTracker

Archi_Bald wrote: »

If my partner/butler/builder/gardener etc answers the phone

What a find! Such talents.