I am currently a customer of a couple banks. One of which decided to implement “security” on their internet banking portal. Their version of enhanced security is a battery of questions that they would randomly pull one from and ask “where were you born” and “what was you mother’s maiden name”. Ugh. I blasted them with a phone call including such phrases as “are you kidding me?” and “oh for the love of”. If you could get the answer correct or you were on a system that had previously had a successful login you were past the “hard part.” Thankfully the woman who answered the phone understood and strangely we got into a conversation of how to improve the login process. I later called back and did something I have never done before. I recommended that she get a raise. Customer service…who’d a thunk it?
Winn Schwartau has an article chronicling his misadventure with his bank.
I was on the road recently. I forgot/lost/misplaced my password to log on to Internet banking so I could pay my staff. I called 1-800-Amsouth and asked for my password. They asked me for: 1) my name; 2) account name and number; 3) address; 4) federal ID number; and 5) date of birth. Then they gave me my password.
A very interesting article on how some banks just can’t get security right.
Tags: Internet Banking, Winn Schwartau, Bank Security
