Very very odd security questions from Amex today
Nov 12, 2008, 10:20 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2008
Posts: 424
Very very odd security questions from Amex today
OK, so why I am always the one with the wacky Amex stories?
Today I got a fraud alert on my Amex Platinum (which I now have full spending power again). It's a routine fraud check because I ordered a bunch of stuff today. So I call the 1-800 number, tell them my card #, full name, and last four of my SSN. They say "Have you made these charges?" and I said "Yes".
I thought I was good to go... wrong.
Then she says "Will you be using the card again today?" and of course I said "Yes" because I want the ability to use my card, even if I'm not actually going to. Then she says "Let me get that authorized" and puts me on hold for a minute. Then she says "Someone at American Express has some additional verification questions for you" and introduces me to this new lady.
She says "These questions are not related to any American Express card that you have" and then asks me the following:
- Name a relative of yours in California.
- What is the approximate square feet of your house?
What the hell? So of course I answered them, not knowing where they pulled that info from, but after that she said "OK you're all set, you can use your card now."
So, the square foot one I can understand, maybe there are public records on that, but my relative in CA? I only have one, who is my aunt who I never see, who has been married twice and changed her last name twice. Last time I saw her was about 5 years ago.
What kind of information are these people keeping on you?
Ethan
Today I got a fraud alert on my Amex Platinum (which I now have full spending power again). It's a routine fraud check because I ordered a bunch of stuff today. So I call the 1-800 number, tell them my card #, full name, and last four of my SSN. They say "Have you made these charges?" and I said "Yes".
I thought I was good to go... wrong.
Then she says "Will you be using the card again today?" and of course I said "Yes" because I want the ability to use my card, even if I'm not actually going to. Then she says "Let me get that authorized" and puts me on hold for a minute. Then she says "Someone at American Express has some additional verification questions for you" and introduces me to this new lady.
She says "These questions are not related to any American Express card that you have" and then asks me the following:
- Name a relative of yours in California.
- What is the approximate square feet of your house?
What the hell? So of course I answered them, not knowing where they pulled that info from, but after that she said "OK you're all set, you can use your card now."
So, the square foot one I can understand, maybe there are public records on that, but my relative in CA? I only have one, who is my aunt who I never see, who has been married twice and changed her last name twice. Last time I saw her was about 5 years ago.
What kind of information are these people keeping on you?
Ethan
Last edited by ethanwa; Nov 13, 2008 at 12:31 pm
Nov 12, 2008, 10:23 pm
#2
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: K+K
Programs: *G
Posts: 4,871
I had a bunch of private questions similar to that when I activated my gold - i asked them where they got the info from and they just replied "public information". well, i barely knew the answers myself... not quite sure how public all of that really is...
Nov 12, 2008, 10:33 pm
#3
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: NJ/NYC
Programs: AA EXP/LT Plat, SPG Plat/LT Plat, HHonors Gold, Hyatt Plat, IHG Plat, MR Silver
Posts: 2,786
I made a large charge on my Merrill+ card and they asked me some similar questions. I was absolutely floored that they had that sort of data available.
Nov 13, 2008, 5:05 am
#4
Join Date: May 2005
Programs: AA EXP, DL Plat, US Chairman, SPG Plat, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Gold, IC RA
Posts: 1,436
If you go to any of those "background search" websites, they will sell you a report for about $10 that will tell you all of those things. Also, you might want to ** out the GD in your post before a mod does it for you.
Nov 13, 2008, 5:20 am
#5
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2001
Programs: DL GM, AA Gold, Hilton Diamond, Bonvoy Plat
Posts: 12,171
They are using Lexis-Nexis. http://www.lexisnexis.com/
I've been asked my sister's name. Parent's names. Where they live, age.
The amount of information out there about you is a bit scary.
I've been asked my sister's name. Parent's names. Where they live, age.
The amount of information out there about you is a bit scary.
Nov 13, 2008, 8:06 am
#7
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Ohio and Colorado
Programs: AA Gold MM, DL Gold, US MM, HH Gold, Starwood
Posts: 953
If it that easy to get that kind of info, why are the answers to those questions supposed to help deter fraud?
If they asked me about my square footage, I suppose bad things would happen since the public record is wrong. Tried a couple of times to correct it but I gave up.
Cheers
If they asked me about my square footage, I suppose bad things would happen since the public record is wrong. Tried a couple of times to correct it but I gave up.
Cheers
Nov 13, 2008, 8:48 am
#11
Join Date: Jun 2005
Programs: UA GS, *G, Bonvoy Titanium, HH Diamond, Platinum on Blockbuster, GameStop, several library cards
Posts: 703
Also often happens when applying for credit online. Then they do it to make sure they match up the right credit report to your name. This time around it sounded like they just wanted to make sure somebody hadn't just stolen your card and enough info to be dangerous. (SQF shows up on your mortgage which is on your credit report, but it is an unlikely piece of info for credit card thieves to collect.)
Nov 13, 2008, 12:14 pm
#12
FlyerTalk Evangelist
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Nov 13, 2008, 12:42 pm
#13
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: PSM
Posts: 69,232
My wife had a similar issue one time. They asked which of three names was her relative. The catch is that none of them were. I guess that it prevents someone from guessing correctly.
And Lexis-Nexis is a little complicated to get in to, and they pay for the access, but it isn't impossible by any stretch. I've used it to track down a contractor who was avoiding me before by finding his home number and address.
And Lexis-Nexis is a little complicated to get in to, and they pay for the access, but it isn't impossible by any stretch. I've used it to track down a contractor who was avoiding me before by finding his home number and address.
Nov 13, 2008, 5:25 pm
#14
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: SEA
Programs: All Around Nobody
Posts: 861
I've never been asked questions like that for a fraud check. I've frequently had my card(s) frozen on driving trips and have to call in.
They always ask me what other cards I have among the usual security questions.
Once when applying for a card they called me and asked me a series of questions asking which answers were correct, none of the given answers were correct, though some were close. They asked about street names I've lived on and names of relatives.
They always ask me what other cards I have among the usual security questions.
Once when applying for a card they called me and asked me a series of questions asking which answers were correct, none of the given answers were correct, though some were close. They asked about street names I've lived on and names of relatives.
Nov 13, 2008, 6:32 pm
#15
In memoriam
Join Date: Jan 2006
Posts: 4,020
These questions are very similar to, if not identical to, the security questions asked when one tries to access his or her free yearly credit report at annualcreditreport.com--that's one more reason to mail in your request.
The rather obvious inference is that the credit reporting agencies have all this info on you in their files.
Yuck!
The rather obvious inference is that the credit reporting agencies have all this info on you in their files.
Yuck!