Re: Argos data security
@ Dr Paul Taylor
"They also have a policy that has been noted here for banks: phoning customers and asking for their address and other details, and insisting on this before proceeding with the business of the call."
Everyone does this, not just banks. That said, when the optician rang me a few weeks ago to say my new glasses were ready for collection they only checked it was me by name and didn't demand a plethora of personal information first. My flabber was well and truly gasted!
@ Sir Runcible Spoon
"If they ever try this - you can always compromise on the data exchange."
Already tried and failed on many occasions.
Me: "If you give me the first three characters of my postcode [the bit that relates to the town which is easiest to guess], I'll give you the last three [that relates to the street so harder to guess]."
Call centre droid: "I'm sorry, Zur, I can't give out any information until you confirm your identity. It's data protection doncha know."
The simple yet sad fact is that any company calling a customer asks all the same questions (what is your address, DoB, account number etc) that the fraudsters ask, and positively refuses to compromise while offering no means for the customer receiving the call to verify the identity of the caller. Then the industry stands around wringing its hands, wondering why people give out such personal information willingly to random callers who claim to be "From the bank".
Biting the hand that feeds IT
