New Halifax C.Card with just a name & postcode

Sillychuckie

I have a current account with the Halifax.
I heard yesterday of their new special offer 0% card (for 15 months on purchases) and went in today to apply.

I told them I didn't know my account number or sort code, and they found me on the system based just on my name, and post code.
They then proceeded to ask me various questions on my spending habits, earnings, other cards etc... and finally completed the application. They also stated that since I was an existing customer (auto guaranteed for the card), they didn't need to do a credit check.
A new card is on its way.

At no stage throughout this process was I asked for any ID. Anyone could have done this. All they needed to know was:
- My name
- My postcode
- The fact I banked with the Halifax.

All of which is available to anyone with access to my bin (even with the sensitive stuff shredded).
When I went back to complain, they said this was standard. They are not required to ask for ID if the person (or, the person, they THINK is the person they say they are) is already a customer.
The person called in someone more senior, who agreed with this and stood up for their colleague.

Is this correct?
Why is credit in my name, so easy to obtain! I am quite disgusted.
I should have tried to get my address changed at the same time so the card went elsewhere and seen how far they would go without requesting ID. Its all pretty scary. Lives can be ruined after serious identity theft, and they said there wasn't much I could do to protect myself since they don't have to request ID.

The guy was really nice (and young), so I don't want to take it further officially. Still worth a rant though.

SC

jarrod1

you should maybe complain to them, maybe they recognised you or something

mcmanlyn

yeah i guess it's pretty bad, but the card would go to your address so only you would have access to that. If they had let you arrange for the card to be sent to another address i'd be REALLY worried!

Sillychuckie

I regret not trying to change my address, should have seen how far they would go.
The branch I went to was in central London, and I go there a few times each year. There is no chance I was recognised.

Whilst I agree with you on the 'it would have gone to your address' argument, I figure the fraudsters have this covered (mail interception, or whatever), otherwise theft wouldn't be so rife.

dmg24

They would not change your address without proof of your new details.

dmg24

Whilst I agree with you on the 'it would have gone to your address' argument, I figure the fraudsters have this covered (mail interception, or whatever), otherwise theft wouldn't be so rife.

You are very paranoid.

jhxmt

It is slightly worrying, seeing as that would mean (for example) that anybody who knew my name and postcode could get a credit card issued to my address.

The fact that it would (should) only go to my registered address (if we assume dmg24's statement that they wouldn't allow you to change your address without proof is correct, which is not necessarily a reliable assumption!) is more or less irrelevant.

This would, presumably, increase the amount of available credit I have and, were I to apply for further credit elsewhere (e.g. a mortgage) it could have an impact on the lending decision.

And that's even if we DO assume that you couldn't change the address without ID.

I think the staff member and their supervisor are incorrect. Issuing further credit in your name should require you to provide proof of ID. A verbal address/postcode check should not be sufficient for this.

IMHO, anyway.

Sillychuckie

dmg24 wrote: »

You are very paranoid.

And you are very naive.

They often intercept mail at the post office, and a family member has first hand experience with this.
Someone attempted to open an account in her name and was able to provide a drivers license and utility bill proving they lived here.

The only thing that alerted them to call and check was, unbelievably, the fact that the family member (a female) has a female name, yet the person trying the fraud on was male.

Knowing they would only issue the card to my address isn't much of a comfort.
If it was intercepted, I would know NOTHING about it (until I got the creditors chasing me for money I didn't owe, by which time my credit report would be shot to pieces).

SC

Mikeyorks

Sillychuckie wrote: »

They then proceeded to ask me various questions on my spending habits, earnings, other cards etc... and finally completed the application.

Which, presumably they were checking against data they hold and could see .... otherwise why ask?

Used my Debit Card for an £18k transaction recently ..... and the security questions I was asked (retailers Merchant acquirer - prompted by a 3 way with Halifax) equally fitted round last input ('spending') / output ('earnings') data they could see on my current account

Mikeyorks

Sillychuckie wrote: »

A) They often intercept mail at the post office,
.................................................
Knowing they would only issue the card to my address isn't much of a comfort.
If it was intercepted, ....

Exactly right ..... it's the main source of genuine ID for fraudsters. But it's random selection at main sorting office level across the incoming mail streams from DVLA etc. A) and could never go together .... unless it's your postman doing it. And that's still a very unusual situation.

Sillychuckie

Mikeyorks wrote: »

Which, presumably they were checking against data they hold and could see .... otherwise why ask?

Standard questions for a credit card app. They wan't to know your earnings and where you spend to judge your limits.

The fact is, whilst I am a current account holder with them, its balance is at 0, I used it rarely, and I never had my salary paid into it.
There is no way they could have been 'checkig the data' as you suggest, and I could see simply from the speed and the questions he was answering (the screen was made visible to me) that it was in no way used for ID verification.