While still in Thailand, Jim recently learned that a charge had been made to a credit card after he had left Maine that looked suspicious. He emailed his brother, Keith, back in Maine, and - although figuring it was a longshot - he asked him to try making a phone call inquiry to the credit card company. Amazingly keith actually spoke with someone who was quite helpful and asked Keith almost no identifying information. Jim wrote back to his brother, "Usually, phone reps will not talk to anyone but the card holder. Even then, they make you answer a bunch of questions to verify your identity. Questions like:
'What day of the week were you born on?'
'What is the name of your grandmother's best friend?'
'When you tie you shoe laces, which foot do you do first?'
'What is the name of the classmate you liked the least in the first grade?'
'Where have you gone on vacation?'
"If you can answer all the questions correctly, then the rep asks for your account# and SS#. And then finally, the rep asks you what it is thayt you want. So, you explain your problem. Then the rep repeats everything you just said and apologizes for your problem. Finally, the rep says, 'I am sorry, I cannot help you with your problem. You must make a toll call to India tomorrow between 9AM and 5PM, India time. Ask for my brother, Rex.'"
