Credit Card 'security' checks

I've been discussing this with a work colleague, today, & wondered what everyone else thinks.

The basic 'problem' seems to be where you have other accounts with your credit card provider & they ask for details of transactions in those other accounts during 'security' checks on a credit card account.

The question both of asked was 'what happens if a customer only has a credit card account & why should anyone be required to provide 'extra' information, just because we have more accounts?'

In my case the credit card was mine only & they were asking for details from a joint bank account which I felt was an invasion of privacy - i.e why should I have to provide details of my partners financial transactions to ''prove' my security bona fides on an exclusive card that she had no connection with??

In my colleagues case it was to do with a card owned by her elderly mother, where they wanted details of transactions in her mothers other bank accounts to clear security on the, separate, credit card account.

In both cases the fundamental seems to be the 'unfair' requirements for extra information if you have multiple products from the financial provider - I have exclusive credit cards with Co-op & Post Office, they cannot ask me for information regarding 'other' accounts - I don't have any, but Santander, with whom I have multiple accounts have caused me to cease using at least one credit card, recently, because of this ...

[Hugh]

I have never been asked for details of other accounts, and I have two fraud attacks on separate credit cards last month - they only asked for details on the card(s) affected.

[Kymmy]

I've been asked the question "Do you have any other accounts with us" when using Abbey (now Santanders) customer services but the answer to that doesn;t give away any other fianancial info, in fact they probably already have all the info onthe screen.

Also as far as joint accounts one person is perfectly legal in giving info about the account it's only account actions that need both people if it's set up as only joint authority

[Scrubbs]

I thought it would be a case of you would be the only person who would know of the transactions in other accounts in the past, therefore it would be harder for the fraudster to get away with the transaction?

[Hom3r]

The only questions I've been asked:

1. Name on card
2. card number
3. 3 digit number on the back
4. expiry date.

[joglynne]

Originally Posted by Hom3r

The only questions I've been asked:

1. Name on card
2. card number
3. 3 digit number on the back
4. expiry date.

That's a bit worrying as anyone who had your card could provide those details.

Infrequently I admit but I have occasionally had to give the details of other accounts and either give a rough idea the balance, give the details of a recent transaction, on one occasion, I was asked to give the payee of one of my DDs. When either of my banks decides to do a check on a payment I am attempting to make by Credit Card I may begrudge the time it takes but I do feel reassured that they make some security checks to ensure I am the one spending the money.

[Hom3r]

Originally Posted by joglynne

That's a bit worrying as anyone who had your card could provide those details.

Infrequently I admit but I have occasionally had to give the details of other accounts and either give a rough idea the balance, give the details of a recent transaction, on one occasion, I was asked to give the payee of one of my DDs. When either of my banks decides to do a check on a payment I am attempting to make by Credit Card I may begrudge the time it takes but I do feel reassured that they make some security checks to ensure I am the one spending the money.

Don't most sites, only deliver to the card address?

Dab IIRC do this on the first order.

[joglynne]

Originally Posted by Hom3r

Don't most sites, only deliver to the card address?

Dab IIRC do this on the first order.

I have been asked to verify what address I wish to have goods sent to but have seen an option to have goods sent to an alternative address and my son who has his own address on his accounts regularly has goods sent to our address.

Originally Posted by Kymmy

I've been asked the question "Do you have any other accounts with us" when using Abbey (now Santanders) customer services but the answer to that doesn;t give away any other fianancial info, in fact they probably already have all the info onthe screen.

Also as far as joint accounts one person is perfectly legal in giving info about the account it's only account actions that need both people if it's set up as only joint authority

but why, when people who have only one account, can only be asked questions about that - it seems to me to be unnecessary penalisation of customers with multiple accounts - why should i be asked more questions just because I have other accounts?

I no longer use the card, in question, and have set up single accounts with other credit card providers due to this point.

Yes, they probably already have the info on their screens, but I refuse to be treated differently to a single account customer, and the fact is they want specific transaction details to pass validation - I may not know what my wife has spent on another card, recently - why should that be relevant to my EXCLUSIVE card account ...

The colleague I was discussing this with had a problem because she was trying to reconcile her elderly mothers affairs - the financial provider was wanting details of 'other' accounts that her mother couldn't provide before they would begin sorting out the specifics on the account being queried - this is wrong, 'security' should only relate to the account being queried, irrespective of other accounts held ...

[danielf]

Originally Posted by gazfan

but why, when people who have only one account, can only be asked questions about that

What other questions could they ask, logically?

Originally Posted by danielf

What other questions could they ask, logically?

only the ones relating to the relevant account, not any others

[Paul M]

I have never been asked questions about other (joint) accounts, and I would refuse to answer them if I was.

I would have thought it was very dodgy ground DPA wise to even ask them.

---------- Post added at 00:50 ---------- Previous post was at 00:48 ----------

A number of banks etc actually have a password set-up that they ask you.

[TheNorm]

Originally Posted by gazfan

... they ask for details of transactions in those other accounts during 'security' checks on a credit card account. ...

Security checks? I often get calls from xxx bank with one of the first questions being "for security reasons, please tell me your address/postcode/date of birth/etc."

My response is "How do I know who you are?", which seems to confuse them! Of course, they have no answer to that, so the conversation ends quickly.

[Flyboy]

Originally Posted by gazfan

but why, when people who have only one account, can only be asked questions about that - it seems to me to be unnecessary penalisation of customers with multiple accounts - why should i be asked more questions just because I have other accounts?

I no longer use the card, in question, and have set up single accounts with other credit card providers due to this point.

Yes, they probably already have the info on their screens, but I refuse to be treated differently to a single account customer, and the fact is they want specific transaction details to pass validation - I may not know what my wife has spent on another card, recently - why should that be relevant to my EXCLUSIVE card account ...

The colleague I was discussing this with had a problem because she was trying to reconcile her elderly mothers affairs - the financial provider was wanting details of 'other' accounts that her mother couldn't provide before they would begin sorting out the specifics on the account being queried - this is wrong, 'security' should only relate to the account being queried, irrespective of other accounts held ...

This sounds like a bit of an odd response. Surely, the more questions they are prepared to ask you relating to the security to your account, the better. You are not giving them any more information than they already possess and I would rather they asked the questions than just assuming the person calling them is genuine. A credit card company (or any other financial product provider) will only have information referring to you and the relationship you have with the company to which your calling. Any information they hold on you, must be accurate, current and relative to your business with them. I cannot see any circumstances where a credit card company would ask you for any irrelevant information such as information on other people's accounts. If you have joint accounts with them, they have every right to ask you questions regarding that to verify your entitlement to access the account you want to discuss with them.

Originally Posted by Flyboy

If you have joint accounts with them, they have every right to ask you questions regarding that to verify your entitlement to access the account you want to discuss with them.

I don't agree, if they can establish 'security' with someone with only one single user account, they can do it with my, single user credit card account. They had already been given name, date of birth, card number & last transaction on the card, nothing gave them the 'right' to ask me questions about any other account, in my opinion.

- as I said, I no longer use the card in question, I got a single user, credit card only account with another provider, with whom I have no other accounts, so the problem won't arise again.