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Mele20
Premium Member
join:2001-06-05
Hilo, HI

Mele20 to Name Game

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to Name Game

Re: Secret Security Questions Are a Joke

said by Name Game:

I like them too. Some others that are used at sites one can choose from include.
What is you childhood nickname ?
What is your father's middle name?
What was your mother's maiden name?

If you want to get fancy just use those questions..but put in info as if it was your spouse for your own account.

Many other sites are now including a small avatar type graphic that you must confirm..that you chose when setting up the account. And then even asking if you are now at the login on your home computer or a public one.

My local bank has been requiring a graphic I chose and must confirm each time I login since about forever....well, not that long, but a for a long time now. This is nothing new ....but then my local bank was the FIRST bank in the nation to have online banking. I got an invitation to join the beta many years ago. I was doing online banking when the percentage of those doing it was very tiny. This bank has won many awards (especially back in the beginning of online banking) as being the best banking site (along with being the best bank in America now for three straight years according to Forbes and others).

This same bank uses those questions you mentioned and also questions like "Where was your mother born"? "What is your father's astrological sun sign"? They have really good questions. Usually, I am asked two questions. They also request to register your personal computer and have been quite responsive the couple of times, over the years, that I have noticed something not as secure as should be. This bank also practices proper privacy/security by asking for User ID on the first secure page and then collecting your password on the next secure page.

What throws me is when a different local bank, or the landline phone company here, asks me for the answer to my security question and I have no idea what that is. I don't know what triggers the teller/CSR asking for that as it has happened rarely. They won't tell me what the security question is and, when this happened the first time many years ago, and then years later again, at both places I
didn't even remember ever setting a security phrase on the phone or bank account. It took me several days to remember because I had no clues at all to help me remember. When I finally recalled it, I was proud of myself because I had used a question (made up by me) and answer that no one but me would know the answer to.

Then about a year ago, out of nowhere, my cable company suddenly asked me for a pin number when I called them about an internet connection problem. I did not remember ever setting a pin number with them as they had never wanted me to set one as far as I could recall and I didn't think that was necessary anyway with the cable company as I pay my bill in person each month and never login to my billing account at their website which I suppose you can do if you have set it up but I never set anything like that up. Yet, they suddenly demanded a pin number before they would help me with my internet problem. I had to hang up with no help because I had no idea what it was. I thought about it for awhile and called back and gave several possible pin numbers (of course, not the same pin numbers I use for automatic teller machines) until the CSR said one of them was the correct one. I still don't understand why they need that and I have not been asked recently when I have called them so something triggers needing it sometimes I guess.

DocDrew
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DocDrew

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said by Mele20:

What throws me is when a different local bank, or the landline phone company here, asks me for the answer to my security question and I have no idea what that is.
...

Then about a year ago, out of nowhere, my cable company suddenly asked me for a pin number when I called them about an internet connection problem. I did not remember ever setting a pin number with them as they had never wanted me to set one as far as I could recall and I didn't think that was necessary anyway with the cable company as I pay my bill in person each month and never login to my billing account at their website which I suppose you can do if you have set it up but I never set anything like that up. Yet, they suddenly demanded a pin number before they would help me with my internet problem. I had to hang up with no help because I had no idea what it was. I thought about it for awhile and called back and gave several possible pin numbers (of course, not the same pin numbers I use for automatic teller machines) until the CSR said one of them was the correct one. I still don't understand why they need that and I have not been asked recently when I have called them so something triggers needing it sometimes I guess.

The "extra" security is required by companies providing phone service (including cable companies) due to a 2007 FCC regulation of CPNI. You can usually find your initial PIN code on your billing statement although it may not specifically be called a PIN code. They don't need the codes when conducting transactions in person because they should be checking ID instead when making account changes or asking for certain account info.

On your Oceanic bill the code is listed as your "Customer Code":
»www.timewarnercable.com/ ··· e-and-ho
»www.oceanic.com/help/abo ··· ead_bill

Examples of from other cable companies requiring PIN codes:
Charter: »www.myaccount.charter.co ··· eid=1955
Cox: »ww2.cox.com/residential/ ··· 00000000
Comcast: »forums.comcast.com/t5/Vo ··· p/863267
Mele20
Premium Member
join:2001-06-05
Hilo, HI

1 recommendation

Mele20

Premium Member

That customer code on the bill is NOT my pin number. Plus, Oceanic has a sign now (where the line starts) when you go into pay your bill that you need to know your pin number because the CSR will ask for it (although they don't ask me for it...but then they all know me). That is the same as with my bank and the security question. The bank asks for it when you are there IN PERSON. Photo ID is not acceptable by itself. PIN must be supplied at the bank and (according to their new sign) at Oceanic customer service desk. Your PIN for Oceanic is 4 numbers but not what is on your bill. Your PIN wouldn't be on your bill for anyone who had access to your bill to see. Besides, your pin would be chosen by you not assigned by Oceanic which is how that customer code is arrived at...it is assigned by Oceanic.

That Customer code is for those who have TWC phone service which I do not have. The FCC regulation of CPNI applies to phone service not to internet service. So, I still don't know why SOMETIMES Oceanic has asked for my pin when I have called about a Road Runner problem. I don't get the point of the FCC's requirement if it also applies to something like internet service. You can change your internet service via email and no pin number is asked for. Seems to me the FCC regulation is to protect from outside parties getting access to the phone calls you have made. Another reason to keep a landline (with unpublished and unlisted number even though the monthly fee for that has more than doubled starting next month). Bundling things is never a good idea privacy wise.