I am who I say I am; or, Save me from myself
A few weeks ago, I lost my wallet. Well, I assume I lost it. It may have been stolen, but I'm taking responsibility. Mostly because I can't really imagine someone took it between the time I got on a mostly empty bus and the time I got off it. Surely, I just dropped it.
Anyway, I was a bit traumatised on the night, as this sort of thing hadn't happened to me before, and I was meant to be going to Paris in a day or two, and I didn't have any good way to get access to money in France, and it was just a huge nuisance. But whatever things worked out and I got over it.
Until now, at which point I have just attempted to activate my replacement American Express cards. I rang up on the touchtone number, which gave me instructions to phone (of all departments) the Card Replacement Services group. Well, short version of the story: I did, and they wouldn't activate the card because they doubt my identity. I had a bit of a tussle with the second person I spoke to because the solution she proposed is so stupid, I can't imagine what the heck it's supposed to prove: tomorrow, I'm meant to phone back and give them my work number. While I'm still on the line, they will call my office (a/k/a the number I have just given them), and the person that answers the telephone will be tasked with confirming that I am who I say I am. Is that the stupidest thing you ever heard?! I pretty much told the woman I didn't think that proved a thing, considering I could give them the number of a stranger sitting next to me on the bus and pay that person off to say 'sure that's him all right known him all my life'. What would it take? 5 quid? A pound?! The Amex woman didn't really have a response, because, honestly, what response is there?
Mind you, I understand this is for my 'protection', but if they were really interested in protecting me, you'd think they could come up with a better methodology. Wouldn't you?
Anyway, I was a bit traumatised on the night, as this sort of thing hadn't happened to me before, and I was meant to be going to Paris in a day or two, and I didn't have any good way to get access to money in France, and it was just a huge nuisance. But whatever things worked out and I got over it.
Until now, at which point I have just attempted to activate my replacement American Express cards. I rang up on the touchtone number, which gave me instructions to phone (of all departments) the Card Replacement Services group. Well, short version of the story: I did, and they wouldn't activate the card because they doubt my identity. I had a bit of a tussle with the second person I spoke to because the solution she proposed is so stupid, I can't imagine what the heck it's supposed to prove: tomorrow, I'm meant to phone back and give them my work number. While I'm still on the line, they will call my office (a/k/a the number I have just given them), and the person that answers the telephone will be tasked with confirming that I am who I say I am. Is that the stupidest thing you ever heard?! I pretty much told the woman I didn't think that proved a thing, considering I could give them the number of a stranger sitting next to me on the bus and pay that person off to say 'sure that's him all right known him all my life'. What would it take? 5 quid? A pound?! The Amex woman didn't really have a response, because, honestly, what response is there?
Mind you, I understand this is for my 'protection', but if they were really interested in protecting me, you'd think they could come up with a better methodology. Wouldn't you?