Card Security

[Cmitchell]

Remember when the banks first introduced the printed number on the back of our credit and debit cards?......Remember how they said it was for OUR INCREASED SECURITY?.........And remember them saying that the 3 digit code at the end of this printed number should never be given to anyone (as it was to make shopping on the internet even safer)?

Well can anyone please explain to me why we are now asked for that very same three digit security number (on the back of our cards) when we are talking to someone in a call centre while trying to pay for a purchase or even pay a bill? They already ask you for ALL the other numbers on the card. This means (that if they were so inclined) they could take a note of someones "complete" card details and fraudulently pay for goods on the internet.

Where is the security in that?

Cheers for now C

[WendyS]

I can't answer you because I can't find any fault in your reasoning, and nobody can guarantee that there won't be corrupt staff in call centres or wherever who don't sell this information on to other criminals for a fee, even if they don't use it themselves. I guess the only option is to use a Paypal account, or something like a BarclaycardSecure facility. But as we've just had a credit card cloned ourselves and we try and take every precaution possible to protect ourselves from identity theft I'm beginning to become less and less enchanted with using plastic because the criminal salways seem to be one step ahead. Increasingly though, retail outlets seem reluctant to accept cheques backed by a plastic card which seems to be to be a more secure payment method. Good old fashioned cash is even better, but impossible for internet purchases, and who wants to carry wads of it around at the risk of getting mugged? Seems to me you can't win.

[dzug]

Whilst I understand what you are saying, I don't recall it ever being any different - ie the CVV2 number has always been intended for cardholder not present transactions, whether on line phone or fax.

Anyone in any shop can always record enough details to be fraudulent if they are so minded.

It's your PIN you must never reveal to anyone, even the bank.

[caz247]

I work in a call centre for a utility company and we
do not ask for the CV2 number at all when taking
debit or credit payments
just the card number, card type,from date and
expiry date are requested we also ask for the
issue num as well if it is a switch card for example

caz x

[neg213]

Whilst i am careful with who i give my card details to, and how i dispose of bank statments and such, card fraud isn't my problem it's the banks and credit card companies, they are the ones who loose out. If I am a victim of credit card fraud (which i have been) the bank will re-emburse you, yes there will be in an increase in fees (if you pay any, which i don't!) but banks need to do more to increase security and prevent on-line fraud, but the cost of such measures are more than what the pay out for victims of fraud, so they won't.

The only info you are told never to reveal is your PIN!

[Cmitchell]

I can't believe how cross I am about this!!!!!!
PLEASE read my post again before reading this!!!
My point is that I feel that the people in the call centres should never be told to ask for our 3 digit security code! It is for us, the card-holder, and us alone. I expect to only have to use it when I purchase something on the internet, i.e. me dealing DIRECTLY with that company, not someone in a call centre.

By giving it to a 3rd party (for example, someone who works in a call centre), they COULD take home (or to an internet cafe/library etc)MY details and use them to purchase anything on the internet. And don't get me wrong the vast majority of people that work in call centres are honest, it's the minority I'm worried about.

However read on as I have a solution............................
When call centre operatives get to the point where they ask for the card details they could ask you for the card number and start date etc etc and then, when they need to take the security code they could press a button and you are then put back into "the telephony abyss" i.e. you are NOTspeaking to a human. At this point a voice could ask you to INPUT YOUR 3 DIGIT SECURITY NUMBER USING YOUR TOUCHTONE PHONE!!!!!!! When you have done this you could be re-connected with the call centre person for the call to continue.

We already have all these telephony systems, (and don't we know it!) so why don't we have, or someone write the programme PDQ, for the "telephone computer " to get our number instead??????

I'm tired, and I'm sure you know what i'm trying to say. Your thoughts please???

Love to you all C xxx