Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!clyde.concordia.ca!uunet!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!mailrus!accuvax.nwu.edu!nucsrl!telecom-request
From: glaser@starch.enet.dec.com (Steve Glaser)
Newsgroups: comp.dcom.telecom
Subject: Re: Credit Card ID
Message-ID: <6351@accuvax.nwu.edu>
Date: 12 Apr 90 19:24:52 GMT
Sender: news@accuvax.nwu.edu
Organization: TELECOM Digest
Lines: 22
Approved: Telecom@eecs.nwu.edu
X-Submissions-To: telecom@eecs.nwu.edu
X-Administrivia-To: telecom-request@eecs.nwu.edu
X-Telecom-Digest: Volume 10, Issue 251, Message 1 of 10


>In a related vein (to the problems about AT&T needing SS#), I recently
>read an article that quoted the head of CitiCorp's credit security.
>He said that thousands of retailers all over the country had started
>asking purchasers to supply a home phone number along with credit card
>purchases.  He stated that this had no purpose, because the merchant
>is always payed by the card company, and that there was no need for
>the merchant to call the customer.

Actually, if you listen carefully, much of the time they ask for "a
phone number".  If they aren't specific about asking for "your phone
number", you can can follow their instructions to the letter and give
them any random phone number you feel like (though I think some
salespersons might notice something strange about getting a 976 or 900
number).  They may also ask for "a home phone number" instead of "your
home phone number".

I heard this from my boss who's been doing it for years.


Steve Glaser 
glaser@starch.enet.dec.com