Design Challenges

Discover Card Hell

About two weeks ago I received an offer from Discover Card, it promised 0% apr, no yearly fee, yadda yadda yadda, you know how it goes. I receive this offers daily as I'm sure you do as well.

I don't exaclty know what prompted me to do this, but I decided to apply. It might have been the many designs they offer, or I could have been pissed off at my current credit card bank, I just don't recall, but I decided to go ahead and filed for an application online. This is were the fun began.

About a week ago I received a call from Discover saying they need to verify some information. After ignoring the first two messages, I thought, hmm, and decided to call them back and verify away. That was yesterday. A very nice lady answered, after a no wait period and no transfer (I know , I'm as surprised as you are), I chatted with her, laugh a little, confirmed my information, she told me I was all set.

Today, I received another call from them, this time in my cell phone, which by law they are not supposed to do, the bitch at the end of the line said, we need to verify some more. Turns out that because I have VoIP phone, my information cannot be verified and I had to either mail or fax an utility bill or bank statement. I, being a Web person and all, have gone paperless, so I don't have any paper bills to show. Turns out I'm not completely paperless as I was able to secure a bank statement to fax. At this point, however, I have become leary that this might be a scam.

After a big hazzle, I get transfer to a supervisor who tells me I can call 1800-Discover to verify who they are. After verification was done, I was told I could mask all account information. Well I did, some security. Me been a Web Designer could have easily done this electronically and since it was a faxed they would never be able to tell. I mean the copy I sent was simply a 8/12 x 6 with the bank logo (I could obtain this from the bank Web Site) , my address which could be the impersonated one, and the date.

Wow, how secure do I feel about my information now? To scam Discover card all you need to do is come up with someone's information and plug in your address, then call them up and fax them your made up bank statement. Happy Designing.