How does HSBC verify your account when you call them?

HSBC tend to be more strict than most banks about everything. possibly due to the attention they attracted from governments a few years ago for aiding international money laundering. But I don't recall any unusual identity verification on the phone with them recently.

Worst in the last month have been:

CRA agent - asked about 15 identity verification questions when I called to get a status update on a minor issue with our business account (calling from our business phone number, with the issue ID number). Including giving me a hard time about whether our street address was 10th Ave West or West 10th Avenue. I think he was just being a jerk.

Costco.ca online - demanded I go into the store in person and present my ID to complete an order because it was an expensive TV (shipping to the home address on my account and my credit card)

So probably just random stupidity.

Okay, well, there's what they did. The person said they'd send a code to my phone, said I don't have a smartphone, then said they'd send it to my email address on record. She sent the code, then I read the code back to her and she then said they'd send me paper statements. Never had a verification like this and it seemed odd. She wanted to set me back up with my online account but I said NO since every time I'd go back to use the online account it would deny my access if I haven't' used it in a month. Thing is, every time I get a "code" from say, Amazon or Google, they say "do not share this code with anyone and no one from Google will ask you for this code" and I'm sharing a code with the CS person at HSBC. Did a chat with a CS person a couple days later and they said it was fine. Don't entirely trust HSBC, even more so than most other banks (except RBC). Their online system is by far the worst I've ever dealt with and have accounts with many banks.

Sounds legit. Maybe you are confusing passwords with verification codes?

Never seen any messages about not sharing a verification code with somebody... Usually that's a generic warning when setting up a new password for something

KanataKG wrote: ↑ Sounds legit. Maybe you are confusing passwords with verification codes?

Never seen any messages about not sharing a verification code with somebody... Usually that's a generic warning when setting up a new password for something

The quote I gave "do not share this code with anyone and no one from Google will ask you for this code" is an actual quote. But I can see how using a code like this would work to quickly verify someone, just had it drilled into me not to share codes (and especially passwords).

Nowadays US companies are doing phone code or email code when you call the call centre as a way of authentication. They send the code to the cell number or email address linked to your account. Once you receive the code, you tell the rep. and your account is verified instead of them asking all kinds of questions.
Chase, Hilton etc are doing this.

hagbard wrote: ↑ Okay, well, there's what they did. The person said they'd send a code to my phone, said I don't have a smartphone, then said they'd send it to my email address on record. She sent the code, then I read the code back to her and she then said they'd send me paper statements. Never had a verification like this and it seemed odd/\,

That's pretty routine these days, using a one-time verification code sent to your cell phone or email of record. Sometimes they have an automated system to read it back, but often on Chat they just say to tell them the code you received.

They got multiple methods of verification and will ask depending on how you reached out to them. My suggestion. Go to Hsbc app and click contact and phone from there. Bypasses most checks.

Also I don’t buy their system is worst - if anything Hsbc is the most secure bank I’ve seen in Canada. Others didn’t even have proper 2FA until simplii got hacked.

What the CS tried to do was verify you with one time code. That’s about it. Should be practice everywhere.

Actually I had a verification process from a bank credit card call center that went like the following:
agent: what is your date of birth?
me: it is mm-dd-yyyy
agent: what is your age now?
me: I am zz years old. Then I asked the agent: if someone knows the date of birth, wouldn't he know how to calculate the age too?
agent: it is just a standard question.

I don't think they are testing your math skill. I think they want to see how quickly you can answer the question. if you can not answer very quickly, then they probably think you are not the same person because people should know their own age without figuring out from your date of birth.

hagbard wrote: ↑ The quote I gave "do not share this code with anyone and no one from Google will ask you for this code" is an actual quote. But I can see how using a code like this would work to quickly verify someone, just had it drilled into me not to share codes (and especially passwords).

I get what you mean - but personally to me this doesn't strike me as odd, since the source that's triggering the 2FA "prompt" is also where I'm entering/providing it.

ml88888888 wrote: ↑Actually I had a verification process from a bank credit card call center that went like the following:
agent: what is your date of birth?
me: it is mm-dd-yyyy
agent: what is your age now?
me: I am zz years old. Then I asked the agent: if someone knows the date of birth, wouldn't he know how to calculate the age too?
agent: it is just a standard question.

I don't think they are testing your math skill. I think they want to see how quickly you can answer the question. if you can not answer very quickly, then they probably think you are not the same person because people should know their own age without figuring out from your date of birth.

Sadly, providing DoB is not a valid answer when you can't remember your age.... so I often have to tell them to wait as I go calculating my age lol

bend3r wrote: ↑ They got multiple methods of verification and will ask depending on how you reached out to them. My suggestion. Go to Hsbc app and click contact and phone from there. Bypasses most checks.

Don't have a smartphone, which is another issue. Apparently can't do anything with my stock account without one. Will be moving that account out as well.

Also I don’t buy their system is worst - if anything Hsbc is the most secure bank I’ve seen in Canada. Others didn’t even have proper 2FA until simplii got hacked.

It's so secure that account holders can't even get in. That's been my experience.

What the CS tried to do was verify you with one time code. That’s about it. Should be practice everywhere.

That's good. Just wanted confirmation on that.

ml88888888 wrote: ↑ Actually I had a verification process from a bank credit card call center that went like the following:
agent: what is your date of birth?
me: it is mm-dd-yyyy
agent: what is your age now?
me: I am zz years old. Then I asked the agent: if someone knows the date of birth, wouldn't he know how to calculate the age too?
agent: it is just a standard question.

I don't think they are testing your math skill. I think they want to see how quickly you can answer the question. if you can not answer very quickly, then they probably think you are not the same person because people should know their own age without figuring out from your date of birth.

Strangely enough, I sometimes forget my age. Happens when you have too many birthdays.