This happened to me a few weeks ago - I think it was the fact that I'd had the temerity to move house and change my address (online, while signed into my AmEx account) that did it.
First I knew of it was when I called customer service one evening and as soon as I keyed in my card number, was diverted to the scary bleepy-line 'you are being recorded' department where everyone refers to themselves as Ms./Mrs./Mr.
They asked if I was calling in response to a letter from them (at which point I thought 'oooerrrr, FR here I come...!') - uh, no, I just wanted to check something to do with my account. Took the lady a little while to figure out why I'd been put through to that department (as I didn't have a letter in my hand, I guess - but I have to say when she muttered 'hmm, let's see, this account hasn't been reviewed yet...' I thought 'eeek!!!' as FRs do NOT sound fun!!) but she worked out that there was some kind of security alert that had appeared on the account, and agreed with me that it had probably been triggered by my change of address. She also mentioned that the card had been used for 'a purchase in California', which is a loooong way from where I live. Yup, that'll be the magic of the internet (and was in fact my monthly Scorewatch payment, which has been charged to my AmEx for months) rather than a big red flag that my cards have fallen into the hands of wrong'uns!
I was calling from my cellphone (just moved house, no landline, had switched old landline number to Vonage but didn't have internet access set up in the new house yet), they wanted to call my home number and seemed a little suspicious when I explained why they couldn't. They then agreed to call my work number and said that if they could identify me by my voicemail message, that would be good enough. Apparently they COULDN'T identify me by my voicemail message (in which I identify myself by name, and am clearly the same person) - apparently 'you have a British accent but the lady on the voicemail doesn't have a British accent'. Uhhh... yes she does, 'the lady on the voicemail' is me, and I have a 'British' accent, being English and all!!!
Long story short, they decided they were going to call back during working hours, via the company's switchboard, to verify that I really am me. They did, and explained that they'd been 'trying to contact me', etc - and eventually they were convinced that I really am me, and yes, I have moved house, etc etc etc, at which point they told me the identity/security/whatever check was completed, my account was un-frozen, and I could go on my way!
About a week later I got two letters in the mail (one for each AmEx card) saying that my accounts were frozen because of a security issue and that I needed to call them straight away, that I shouldn't try to charge any purchases to the accounts, etc etc. The letters were dated the same day I'd called - lucky I'd found out about the security freeze by accident, as I'd almost certainly have tried to use an AmEx card and had it declined in the week it took those letters to get to me! Glad I was spared that embarrassment, at least.
At least with me there was (sort of) a reason for it - I'd changed address, and they wanted to check that there was nothing dodgy going on. But if other people are having their identity verified months after getting their cards, for no readily apparent reason at all... that does seem a touch over the top.
Yikes - crazily long post! Sorry!
Current Score: EX 772 EQ 777 TU 783 15 Jan 17
