Mothers maiden name on applications if adopted.

[Skye12329]

So it seems that every application (at least the ones i encountered) ask for mothers maiden name. But what would someone put down if they were adopted? Would they put their birth mothers name down? What if they don't know the mothers name? What if the child was born outside of the U.S?

I am just curious what someone with this kind of a case would do. 

[Anonymous]

I think this acts more like a password on the account. I asked a field rep from GE Captial a couple years ago and it was just a secret word that only you would know. They aren't matching it to anything else.

[Gunnar419]

---

@Anonymous wrote:

I think this acts more like a password on the account. I asked a field rep from GE Captial a couple years ago and it was just a secret word that only you would know. They aren't matching it to anything else.

---

+ 1. I'm not adopted but I have other reasons for having confusion about my mother's maiden name. As MrPTato says, the important thing here is just to remember what you've told the cc company and be consistent about it. It's a security code, not something they'll check against a census database or your birth certificate or anything.

[Anonymous]

Your adopted mother is your mother (look at the ameneded birth certificate!)   Use your (adopted) mom's maiden name. 

[Anonymous]

I am adopted and the only name that appears on my birth certificate is my adoptive mother's name I have used it without any problems.  As others have said it is a security matter not an identity issue.

[Anonymous]

---

@Anonymous wrote:

I think this acts more like a password on the account. I asked a field rep from GE Captial a couple years ago and it was just a secret word that only you would know. They aren't matching it to anything else.

---

This^^^^^ exactly.  Just use your adopted mothers name.  It is not like they go and verify.  It is just a security mechanism as you are the only one who can know the answer to that should someone try logging into your account.

[CreditDunce]

I always use a misspelling of my mothers maiden name.  I also a bad boy when it comes to the normal security questions.  It is just too easy in today's world to track down the street you lived on when you were a kid, etc.  False security answers make it a little bit more difficult for a criminal to gain access to your accounts.

[Anonymous]

---

@CreditDunce wrote:

I always use a misspelling of my mothers maiden name.  I also a bad boy when it comes to the normal security questions.  It is just too easy in today's world to track down the street you lived on when you were a kid, etc.  False security answers make it a little bit more difficult for a criminal to gain access to your accounts.

---

Yup. Me too!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Anonymous]

And the name of the first he/she I kissed, I type its name wrong. Great advice.

[UncleB]

---

@Anonymous wrote:
And the name of the first he/she I kissed, I type its name wrong. Great advice.

---

I thought I was the only one who did that!  I use pretty much all 'trick' questions, and only I would know the answers I reported. 

I started this when years ago I was POA for my brother who was in the military.  I quickly figured out that it was easier to just say I was him when I called about one of his accounts, than to explain that I had POA, etc.  Each time, I was only asked his (our) mother's maiden name and his DOB... it was shockingly easy to gain access.

It really got me to thinking... LOL