Picture this: I get a phone call from someone claiming to be from Barclays Bank.
B Hello this is Barclays Bank is that Mr. Gullible?
Me: Yes.
B: Before I can speak with you I need to ask you some questions. Could you give me your date of birth?
Me: No.
B: Sorry? You need to answer these questions before I can speak to you.
Me: How do I know you are Barclays and not Joe Fraudster trying to trick me into giving him my security codes?
B: But I'm from Barclays. I can't discuss anything without you proving to me that you are Mr. Gullible.
Me: And I am Mr. Gullible and I won't give you my security codes unless you can prove you are Barclays and not Joe Fraudster - goodbye!
Barclays must do this to non-security savvy people hundreds of times a day. So I then phone Barclays Fraud Department.
Me: Hi this is Mr. Gullible I need to discuss a possible fraud issue with you.
B: Certainly sir, could you give me your date of birth.
Me: 1st January 1900.
B: Could you give me your mother's maiden name?
Me: Boutros Boutros-Ghali.
B: Thank you Mr. Gullible how can I be of assistance.
Me: Well, a couple of minutes ago someone phoned me and asked me to give them exactly the security codes you just asked of me.
B: Oh dear. I hope you didn't give them these answers.
Me: No I didn't, but they said they were from Barclays.
B: Please bear with me I'll just do a check.
B: Mr. Gullible, that's fine, our current accounts department did just phone you. So it was OK to give them the security codes.
Me: Hold on a moment, a minute ago you told me if someone phones me up and asks me for my security codes I shouldn't tell them. Now you say I should tell them. That doesn't make sense.
B: But as I said, it was our current account department and they can't discuss matters with you unless you can prove who you are.
Me: And I told them that I could not give them my security codes unless they could prove they were from Barclays Bank and not Joe Fraudster. So I hope you sort out this conundrum and make sure your telephone banking team understand at least the basics of security, because it is obvious that neither they, nor you, who should be the expert, have the foggiest idea about how to ensure secure transactions over the phone!