myFICO.com asks for your Social Security # as their first question

[Anonymous]

A few months ago I called myfico.com's customer service phone # and the first question I was asked before I got to utter a word was "What is your social security number"? I was so taken aback as with all of the Identity theft problems out there I just hung up. myFICO.com should know that it's very rude and unprofessional to answer the phone by first asking the caller a specific question about personal information. That should come a little later in the conversation if needed. Especially that one as the first question. Is there any common business sense out there or am I missing something? How about answering the phone, "How may I help you? and then let the consumer explain what they need. Or does that take too long and decrease your phone call productivity time? Heaven forbid you sacrifice your 'bottom line' by providing quality customer service to your customers.

[Barry]

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herrington62 wrote:

A few months ago I called myfico.com's customer service phone # and the first question I was asked before I got to utter a word was "What is your social security number"? I was so taken aback as with all of the Identity theft problems out there I just hung up. myFICO.com should know that it's very rude and unprofessional to answer the phone by first asking the caller a specific question about personal information. That should come a little later in the conversation if needed. Especially that one as the first question. Is there any common business sense out there or am I missing something? How about answering the phone, "How may I help you? and then let the consumer explain what they need. Or does that take too long and decrease your phone call productivity time? Heaven forbid you sacrifice your 'bottom line' by providing quality customer service to your customers.

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Hi herrington62....I understand your concern for the security of your personal credit information and can assure you that the security of this information is our highest priority.

I checked with the myFICO customer service folks and they explained that, while there are other identifiers they can use to locate your account, the SSN is the most unique piece information appearing on your credit report. By using the SSN, we can best be assured of quickly locating the information that belongs to you and not someone else with the the same or a similar name.

You are absolutely right that the customer service rep should have answered the phone with a friendlier greeting before asking for the SSN. The customer service reps have also been instructed to use other personal ID information to locate an account if the customer objects or has any concerns about providing the SSN. So, next time, feel free to provide other information, such as full name and address, email address, logon name, etc.

Thanks for raising this very valid concern.

[Anonymous]

sometimes it bgs me as well when a person ask for my SSN over the phone...SSN is suppose tobe a private number but now days its like a home address

[oscarlee22]

I've had myFico.com for approximately two years and like the service.  I get notification of changes in my credit score and like ordering credit reports.   Recently in my employment I was assigned to work some Identity Theft cases.  Identity Theft is prevalent!!!!!!  It used to be Identity Theft people got your information from the victim losing it or people going through your garbage but social security numbers are being stolen in bulk by people that have access to this personal information.  While working my fraud cases I received a phone call and it was a call from Verizon to call them and take a customer service survey for my recent call in.  My heart sunk because I did not call in!  I had a feeling someone was messing with my account!  I called in and sure enough someone had called Verizon 20-30 times over a 4 hour period and managed to change my first and last name and mailing address!  I questioned the Verizon rep as to what happened on each call.  I'm assuming all the reps had the same training, they worked for the same company.....why was I told that some reps refused to change my information while other reps went ahead and proceeded to change my account information.  In addition, didn't any of the reps or the fraud unit get suspicious that all these calls were being made in a short period of time on one account!!!! Obviously, Verizon failed big time and should be ashamed!!!!!  Therefore, I put a fraud alert on all 3 of my credit reports.

Yesterday, I decided to pull my equifax through myfico.  I choose them because like I said earlier I have the credit score watch through them.  I was never asked any questions but directed to call the customer servie to answer identifying questions.  It appears because I have the fraud alert on my credit report I am being directed to call in.  Well, I called the number provided and the first question I was asked was....for my SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER!!!!!  Are you serious?????I'm going to give some employee on the other end of the phone my social security number and then this person has access to all the information in my credit report.   And, please do not tell me well we only hire empolyees with the highest integrity!!!!   This is a lousy policy and no employee of the company should have access to my social security number!!!!!

The first gentleman I called said my information could also be pulled up by email address.  I asked if I gave him that information, once my account is pulled up would he still be able to see my social security number and he stated yes!  So, what's the difference!!!!???????   

I refuse to provide my social security number to these reps!  Then if by providing my email, name etc in order to pull up my account and if the rep then can still see my social security number then this service will be cancelled!!!!  

Unbelievable that a credit score service that discusses Identity Theft would have such lax policies!  Suze Orman promotes this service, I think I will contact her and see what she thinks about this!!!!!

[Arizona]

Personally I would not want the common TELEMARKETERS that ask for these ss numbers having mine. Who knows how many have been sold.

[Anonymous]

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@Barry wrote:

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Hi herrington62....I understand your concern for the security of your personal credit information and can assure you that the security of this information is our highest priority.

I checked with the myFICO customer service folks and they explained that, while there are other identifiers they can use to locate your account, the SSN is the most unique piece information appearing on your credit report. By using the SSN, we can best be assured of quickly locating the information that belongs to you and not someone else with the the same or a similar name.

You are absolutely right that the customer service rep should have answered the phone with a friendlier greeting before asking for the SSN. The customer service reps have also been instructed to use other personal ID information to locate an account if the customer objects or has any concerns about providing the SSN. So, next time, feel free to provide other information, such as full name and address, email address, logon name, etc.

Thanks for raising this very valid concern.

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His concern is valid, your patronizing answer, isn't.  Wy can't those of us who have a FICO account for monitoring, foe exaple, find on the contact page, just by the 800 number a reminder like "have your FICO account number for this service ready, or you will be asked for your SSN to identify you."  Is that so difficult to do?