Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!sdd.hp.com!mips!pacbell.com!lll-winken!telecom-request From: josh@happym.wa.com (Joshua_Putnam) Newsgroups: comp.dcom.telecom Subject: Re: AT&T Card PIN Disclosed Message-ID: Date: 13 May 91 19:32:35 GMT Sender: Telecom@eecs.nwu.edu Organization: Happy Man Corp., Vashon Island, WA Lines: 43 Approved: Telecom@eecs.nwu.edu X-Submissions-To: telecom@eecs.nwu.edu X-Administrivia-To: telecom-request@eecs.nwu.edu X-Telecom-Digest: Volume 11, Issue 356, Message 6 of 12 In lia!jgro@fernwood.mpk.ca.us (Jeremy Grodberg) writes: > I had an interesting, and slightly frightening experience over the > weekend with my AT&T credit card. [details deleted] > Again I was taken through the most rigorous identification process > of anyone I've done business with over the phone, including banks and > stock brokers. This reminds me of a problem I had with my AT&T Visa Card soon after I got it. I was out buying a new laptop computer, which was by far the largest charge I had then put on the card. The clerk had to call for authorization. What identifying information did they ask for? Mother's maiden name? No, although they had that from the application. They asked for my ZIP code! As if anyone stealing my wallet would not be able to get the code from my driver's license, voter registration, etc. I was in too much of a hurry to complain about lax security, so I gave them my ZIP code, which has been the same for twenty years. "I'm sorry," the voice on the phone said, "that is incorrect." I presented half a dozen forms of picture ID, including my passport, all showing my correct ZIP code, but they still refused to accept the charge. Finally the operator let slip the code she was really looking for, that of the main post office serving my local one. So I "confessed" to my "mistake" and the charge was accepted. End of story. (Except, of course, the half-dozen letters it took to get them to correct their records for future use.) > It just goes to show how hard it is to get this stuff right, and how > the risks don't go away, they just transform themselves into new and > unexpected forms. You can say that again! Josh_Putnam@happym.wa.com Happy Man Corp. 206/463-9399 x102 4410 SW Pt. Robinson Rd., Vashon Island, WA 98070-7399 fax x108