MBNA Phoned Work

pursuitofmoney

Hi All,

I applied for an MBNA card, on the application it asked me who my employer. The next day MBNA called my work up to speak to me. They ask me to provide general info like address and dob.

My question is, is this a norm for credit card companies, why couldn't they just phone my mobile which I had provided to them instead of phoning my work phone. (I didn't even give them my work phone number just my employers name).

shortcrust

Seem pretty obvious that they were checking you actually work there.

Edit to add: No it's not the norm (at least never happened to me!) so it's either a random check thing or something made them suspicious.

pursuitofmoney

hmm,

so what about employees who can't be reached through the switchboard.

shortcrust

pursuitofmoney wrote: »

hmm,

so what about employees who can't be reached through the switchboard.

They weren't really bothered about talking to you. A "never heard of them" or "they're not available" would have been enough to tell them whether you were employed there or not.

Isn't it obvious?

Emily_Joy

shortcrust wrote: »

They weren't really bothered about talking to you. A "never heard of them" or "they're not available" would have been enough to tell them whether you were employed there or not.

Isn't it obvious?

Not really. The company I work for has over 4000 employers and several locations. I am pretty certain that about 99% of the employers have never heard my name.

[Deleted User]

Global Address Lists?

Org Charts?

shortcrust

Emily_Joy wrote: »

Not really. The company I work for has over 4000 employers and several locations. I am pretty certain that about 99% of the employers have never heard my name.

So what's your alternative and less obvious explanation for MBNA going to the trouble of finding out the OP's employer's number and calling him there instead of calling his mobile (the number of which they had to hand) to get information they already had.

I reckon most companies with 4000 employees have a central contact number and an internal directory.

Nebulous2

This takes me back!

I once had to submit a formal complaint because MBNA was pursuing a member of staff with debt problems and were quite aggressive towards our admin staff. It was our policy to take a contact name and number to pass on and not to confirm whether the named person worked for our company or not.

chattychappy

Barclaycard once phoned my business. Conversation went like this:

Hello this is Barclaycard. [After asking to speak to HR or a director]. We have received an application for a credit card from Miss X who gave your details as her employer. Could you answer a couple of questions?

Me) OK, please wait a moment.

Me) Miss X, I have Barclaycard on the phone. They said you applied for a card. Would you be happy for me to answer their questions?

Miss X) Yep.

Me) Hello Barclaycard, fire away.

Could you confirm her full name? Her DoB if you have it to hand? Does she work full time with you? How long has she worked for you?

Me) I answered.

Thank you for your help, goodbye.

System

chattychappy wrote: »

Barclaycard once phoned my business. Conversation went like this:

Hello this is Barclaycard. [After asking to speak to HR or a director]. We have received an application for a credit card from Miss X who gave your details as her employer. Could you answer a couple of questions?

Me) OK, please wait a moment.

Me) Miss X, I have Barclaycard on the phone. They said you applied for a card. Would you be happy for me to answer their questions?

Miss X) Yep.

Me) Hello Barclaycard, fire away.

Could you confirm her full name? Her DoB if you have it to hand? Does she work full time with you? How long has she worked for you?

Me) I answered.

Thank you for your help, goodbye.

I'm glad that you aren't my boss...

You put them in the position of refusing (making them look suspicious to the employer and the card company)

I would have declined to provide more than confirmation of their employment on the basis of the DPA and now the GDPR.

chattychappy

Heng_Leng wrote: »

I'm glad that you aren't my boss...

You put them in the position of refusing (making them look suspicious to the employer and the card company)

I'm not sure I understand "suspicious to the employer" - I was the employer. But I don't think I made her look suspicious to Barclaycard. I may have told Barclaycard I needed her permission before answering the questions (can't remember the exact conversation). I'm guessing as soon as they got through there realised we were a proper company and not a mate of hers.

Heng_Leng wrote: »

I would have declined to provide more than confirmation of their employment on the basis of the DPA and now the GDPR.

But that's just an excuse, isn't it? You can disclose stuff if the person whose data it is wants you to.

As a "good boss", I have no problem giving references, confirming ID stuff if I'm asked to and they want me to. Anyway, she thought I was a good boss. We're still in touch today, despite her having left the job.