Well, I'll Be Scammed!

One might think that credit card companies would jump at the opportunity to ferret out potential scam artists and fraud perpetrators. After all, they are constantly reminding customers of the enormous financial drain created by credit card abuse and theft, fueling an entire industry devoted to card security and identity protection. Well, I recently encountered a frustrating situation in which the sheer complexity and magnitude of a Fortune 500’s administrative maze swallowed my attempts to thwart a potential credit card scam.

Let me explain…

In addition to Message-On-Hold production and various other audio marketing services, one of Holdcom's core offerings includes voice prompt production for telephony IVR and voice mail systems. With the advent of our successful e-commerce solution for audio fulfillment, access to our affordable voice talent and recording services is readily available, and thousands of clients are Googling their way to our online audio production store.

As a result of this expanded audience and enhanced exposure, Holdcom's Script Department exercises a heightened degree of diligence in reviewing the content of every submitted script. Such a script ordered via a “powered by Holdcom” branded partner store recently caught the attention of one of our astute employees...not due to unusual content, but because of the suspicious source of the order. After all, it seemed peculiar that an individual with a shipping address listed as an apartment in Brooklyn, NY, with an AOL email address, had requested a set of automated attendant menu prompts for Citibank! This order, combined with a surge in fraudulent email-generated phone schemes designed to capture vital account information, immediately raised eyebrows. Upon initial investigation we were able to determine that the purchaser was not a client of the VoIP provider associated with the branded online store. In addition, our attempts to contact and elicit a response from the “customer” were futile.

After discussing the results of our internal “investigation” it was decided that a call to Citibank would not only be appropriate, but, as good corporate Samaritans, expected. After navigating through the typical automated IVR interrogation encountered at many financial service call centers, I finally found my way to a live representative. “Account number, please…” was her greeting. She politely listened to my explanation that I wasn’t a Citibank customer and was calling to report a potential case of fraud. “One moment, I’ll transfer you to our Fraud Department”, was her response. After a few seconds of less than productive, blaring music on hold I was greeted by another voice…”What’s your account number?” Again, I explained the nature of my call, only this time in more detail. “Oh, you need to report this to our Early Fraud Detection Division…please hold while I transfer you.” OK, so just as I’m getting ready to apply the “3 strikes and you’re out” rule, a new voice greets me…”Do you have an account number?” Summoning up what little was left of my good corporate Samaritan; I delivered what by then had become my “elevator” speech. “Well thank you for calling about this, Mr. Fishman... only I’ll have to have a Fraud investigation specialist get back to you.” After leaving several contact numbers and our company email address, I hung up feeling less than convinced that I’d get a follow up call.

That was a week ago and I have yet to hear from Citibank.

So…the next time you receive an email with a purported Citibank 800# directing you to call and provide your account information, beware! And, if you do call, and you do get an automated announcement, “Thanks for calling Citibank”, it just might be a scam…but it won’t be a Holdcom production!