Security questions over the phone.

[Dris]

Call from Northern Rock (my lender).
Hello is that Mrs .......................
Me; yes
This the Northern Rock is it convenient to talk with you
Me; yes
Before i go any further I need you to confirm some details -what is your full name and date of birth?
Me;How do i know youre the Northern Rock?
Well erm you'll have to take my word for it.
Me: so you expect me to give out personal details to who basically amounts to a stranger?Can you tell me when I was last in touch with you?
No I cant due to the Data Protection Act.'ll just write out to you then.
Me: fine.

Anyone agree this a bad business practice which really needs to be overhaued so each party can ask security questions before embarking on the matter in hand?

I find it astonishing that she was astonished because I queried her !!

[Old_Geezer]

Yes madness isn't it.
Open season for scammers.

[looobylooo]

yes i agree dris, i get that too.

if anything i want THEM to be telling ME who I am and what my details are, not the other way around..!

[redman41]

Never ever give details out over the Phone. If Northern Rock wanted to contact you they would have done it via a letter or possibly E-Mail.
All my own personal Correspondence is done via Royal Mail......

[annie0000]

It's Data Protection regulation - what they should do is give you a contact number so that you can call them back to check their identity. They should also be able to give you some non specific details - e.g. it's in relation to a policy that you took out with is for XXXX e.g. life cover or it's in relation to your account with X branch.

[Dris]

Exactly to all of you.

OG -wide open to scammers -I have been dealing with them lately to change my product so it likely was them but then again it may have just been a coincedence but how many people would have just thought that was what it was about.

angel -I think i'll raise it with NR -freally bad policy

Looby -I agree it should be 2way thats why I asked a relatively insignificent question which I would have known the answer to.

[Dris]

Thanks Redman and annie -crossed posts.
Wonder how many people just blithely rattle off their details as she was quite sharp with me when she knew I wasnt going to give any info .

[Nosha123]

haha,.. glad its not just my Hubbie that reacts like that!! Although he gets a bit shirty with them sometimes...

CALLER: Sir - can I have your DOB
HUBBIE: No - you should know that already if you have my number and know I have an mobile tel account with you!

[Dris]

lol Nosha -he's quite right !!

Off for a bit but will catch thread later :)

[redman41]

You found her out Dris which was a good thing and the person on the other end of Phone would not have liked that ! Not everyone is aware of the cons and unfortunately they pay a heavy price...

[R1Geezer]

Yes you've done the rioght thing they can't have it both ways. Never tell them owt, they always say they will never ask for surity info do take them at their word. End of.

[R1Geezer]

They keep phoning me up to get me to come in for a finanacial health check, ie financial interrogation followed by a sales attempt. I always outline my fee structure which usually gets rid of them!

[Dris]

Youre both right redman and RIG -they want it always dont they?

Think they are used to people being suckered in.

Im gonna have a word with NR about it -might even get a percent knocked off my mortgage as a gesture of goodwill:)

[Buenchico]

While I can understand your caution about being asked security questions by a caller, I'll just point out that it can sometimes be worth continuing with the call.

Earlier this year I received a call from Santander. I was extremely wary when the caller started asking me various questions about myself and my account, but I decided to continue with the call until such time as I was asked for something like my PIN (which I never was). It transpired that the call was perfectly genuine and had come about because Santander had picked up suspicious activity on my account. Someone had cloned my bank card and then made three withdrawals (£200 + £300+ £300) from cash machines in East London (where I've not been for years).

Because I 'stuck with' the call I got my £800 back fairly quickly. If I'd simply put the phone down I might not have had the money in my account when I needed it.

Chris

[Twenty20]

I agree Chris, but that doesn't mean that they can't be questioned or asked to identify themselves. As these 'security' questions are always asked at the beginning of the conversation you have no idea who you are really talking to until later on. The idea of 'security' should be for both parties not one way.

[kinell]

they just read off a script

i regularly have a similar thing when i call the credit card company in order to make a payment with my debit card...

account number....fair enough
name....ok
address...ok
postcode....ok
date of birth..............getting annoyed now
telephone number........getting really annoyed now

mate i want to make a payment with my money into your account

i am not trying to get money from you...quite the opposite

they then agree to stop asking unnecessary questions and deal with the payment

[Dris]

Thanks for replies.I received letter next day from NR confirming what the the call was about.
I wouldnt have continued with that call Chris I have to say but thanks for taking the time to post.
I still feel this should be overhailed and im writing to the NR once they cant be awkward with me (like once my new product is up and running lol).
Theres just nothing secure now -I have requested a DD form for something else and im reluctant to send through the post as it has all my bank details on.
O for the days when trust didnt seem to be an issue.

[sanden]

Dris - I had the same with Barclays. They phoned and asked is that Mrs ...., I said yes, they then said they would have to ask security questions. I said I wouldnt respond over the phone. I reminded them that they had my phone number, I confirmed it was me when they phoned, why would I now give out personal details?
I told them to write to me if it was important. I never had anything come in the post, and feel sure it was just a selling call. How annoying are they.