Customer Service Security Process

[GPC]

On contacting Customer Services by phone today I was asked as part of the security process (a) when I last topped up (b) by how much (c) how long I had had my number and (d) when I last contacted Customer Services.

As I could not remember the details of any of these events I asked whether I could just give my password instead and was told I could. My question was then resolved.

At the end of the call I asked if I would have to start noting down all this information in order to answer security questions in future I was told iit wasn't necessary, and the questions were a mistake !

I sometimes feel Customer Services are just trying to discourage people from calling them.

[BandOfBrothers]

Hi

I think security protocols are good in order to stop unauthorised access but I agree that if they admitted the questions were a mistake it does not help when your trying to pass these to gain assistance. 

On some calls with other companies if an answer to two consecutive security question are wrong then the call can go no further. 

[kids]

I think these automated security systems generate multiple questions if you have not been in contact for a while.

A couple of weeks ago I had cause to contact one of my credit card suppliers and was asked:

DOB, Letters 3,5,6 of my password, my first school and when I last used the card and where and my mother's maiden name. 

Previously from what I can recall I was only asked for my DOB and mother's maiden name.

I would rather be asked multiple questions rather than a couple of questions that would be easy for someone to know or to find out than find my account breached.

[Annie_N]

The one that always puzzles me as a piece of security information is mother's maiden name. My maternal grandfather was pretty eccentric, and his family was thought to be the only one in the country with that particular surname. So my mother's maiden name was very well known throughout the London suburb in which I grew up. How is that supposed to be secure, or secret knowledge?

[kids]

@Annie_N

I was in a similar situation so instead of spelling my mothers name as it is pronounced I just added another two letters to the end of it.