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From: smith@NCoast.ORG (Phil Smith)
Newsgroups: alt.privacy,misc.consumers,comp.org.eff.talk
Subject: Re: Improvements to AMEX service using SSN as ID
Message-ID: <1991Apr24.000453.5344@NCoast.ORG>
Date: 24 Apr 91 00:04:53 GMT
References: <1991Apr23.224015.2382@NCoast.ORG>
Reply-To: smith@ncoast.ORG (Phil Smith)
Followup-To: alt.privacy
Distribution: usa
Organization: North Coast Public Access Un*x (ncoast)
Lines: 18

Just spoke to a supervisor at AMEX.
I expressed my concern as to using SSN or zipcodes
for security validation. He stated that if one failed
the auto validation procedure they would be connected
to a customer service representative would ask appropriate
questions to verify your identity. He agreed that any info
normally found in one's wallet used for validation
could present a compromise to security.
He said at his level nothing could be done to
change the validation numbers to a random sequence
or a number I could provide that would not be normally
linked to me.

He said what he could do was submit a report to their New York
office to the head of the division stating my complaint.
Will they actually listen to little me?
Would they listen to all of you?
Call or write to them if you are concerned.