Mothers Maiden Name

[milly143]

Now I'm making some assumptions here so someone feel free to tell me I'm wrong but I just got wondering about something.

When you call a bank or such, one of the security questions they often ask is what is your mothers maiden name. Now my first assumption is that they ask this because they also assume your mother will be married and using her husbands surname, so it would less likely a person trying to fraudulantly access your account would know what her maiden name is. However, (here is the second assumption) it seems that there is an increasing amount of single mothers/mothers out of wedlock so will this security question eventually become redundant?

[andy-hughes]

Interesting point.

I have been offered this option as a security password - no problem, my mum has a maiden name.

I would guess for those who do not, then any of the other standard password options can be offered - place of birth, birth date, relative's Christian name etc.

[hc4361]

You don't have to give the real maiden name of your mother. I made one up years ago and have used it ever since. My close family know my mother's maiden name, they certainly don't know the made up one.
Not that I don't trust them.

[R1Geezer]

quite often you can pick from a list now, so if you are illigitimate then you could choose something else. Eg first car, first pet, memorable place, memorable year, memeorable event etc etc.

[joko]

as said, its a word you choose...it can be any name you like...no one checks with your mum

i have a madeup one too

[milly143]

Good point, it hadn't occurred to me that it doesn't have to be your Mothers actual Maiden name.

[LoftyLottie]

I read somewhere that it is so easy for fradsters to get hold of mothers' maiden names that it really isn't a very wise security question to have.

[karenmac60]

All the children I know who were 'born out of wedlock' still have their father's surname though...

[bushbaby_de]

I often use my husband's mother's maiden name, much harder to guess!

[Barmaid]

My FH's history is complicated and he does not actually really know what his mother's real maiden name was (her birth and marriage certificates are inconclusive!). So he uses his grandmother's maiden name (at least he can remember that)!!!

[PipinHull]

Weird that, I was thinking just the same thing the other day! Both of my children have my surname, I wasn't married to their father and just felt the idea of my children having a different surname to me was weird. So their answer to the question would be their own surname. Never occurred to me that you could use a made-up one, I'm too honest and would be scared that they would know somehow!

[milly143]

It hadn't occurred to me when I asked this but I actually knew it didn't strictly have to be your mothers maiden name. I should really think things through more before posting. :o)

Pipin, I understand (as above) that it doesn't matter if it isn't actually your mothers maiden name (or their surname) they use. The answer just has to match the answer that was given when the questions were set up. The answer could be Frogzilla if that's what they wanted it to be.

[4getmenot]

not always Karen

[4getmenot]

a bit like that game of your porn star name, when someone says what would yours be if you use your first pets name and your mothers maiden name, another way of finding out

[R1Geezer]

The problem with not using a true fact that you know is that you have to remember it. So if you use the actual fact then you know it automatically.

[gingejbee]

As R1 says -never use a "favourite" anything eg colour