After enjoying a movie at the cinema, Ms. Rogers was dismayed to discover that her purse had gone missing. The purse contained her mobile phone and her credit card. She promptly contacted her bank’s customer service to report the issue and request the immediate closure of her card. Here’s a financial account mock call.
Table of Contents
Step 1: Blocking the card and freezing the account.
Banker: Hi, this is Candace from Kwestyon Bank. How may I help you?
Ms. Rogers: Hello? Hello, can you hear me?
Banker: Yes, I can hear you. How may I help you today?
Ms. Rogers: Oh, thank god! Listen, I need your help right now! My purse was stolen and my credit card was in it! I’m in so much panic right now! I called your automated system and found that there’s a lot of transactions that I did not make! I lost access to the app! I tried logging in to it but it wouldn’t let me. Somebody’s draining my account as we speak. I need you to stop it right now!
Banker: I’m sorry this happened to you. But don’t worry, you’re calling the right person. I can definitely help you with this. Now, in this situation, immediately freezing your account is the first thing we do to block further transactions. How many lost cards are you calling about?
Ms. Rogers: Just one. Thank god I have separate purses for different cards! There’s a huge problem though. My phone was in there too! And that phone is tied to that card! So I need you to help me right now!
Banker: Okay, I will do it quickly. We definitely need to block your card. For me to do this, I will now be verifying your identity by asking you a series of security questions and then I can take action. Okay?
Ms. Rogers: Okay.
Banker: May I know your full name?
Ms. Rogers: Ms. Rogers Rogers.
Banker: And your account number?
Ms. Rogers: I told you I also lost my phone, how would I know my account number if I can’t even access my account?
Banker: I understand. But do you happen to have your bank statement? The system only allows me to block the card if the account number can be verified.
Ms. Rogers: I still have my bank statement. Wait, let me just get it. Which number do you need here?
Banker: Do you see the 10-digit number at the top right side of the paper?
Ms. Rogers: Yes, yes, It’s 2397423479.
Banker: Thank you, we’re almost there. And your date of birth and physical address?
Ms. Rogers: June 30, 1989, and my address is 9832 1st St. Apt A, Las Vegas, Nevada, 88901.
Banker: Thank you. I’m pulling up your account right now. The sooner I can block your card the better.
Ms. Rogers: Okay.
(Banker reviewed the alerts and account activities.)
Banker: Okay, Ms. Rogers. Your card is already blocked. No more transactions will be approved and all online services will be deactivated from now on. Now–
Ms. Rogers: Okay?
Step 2: Updating the compromised credentials.
Banker: Now, regarding your account, I must regretfully inform you that your online banking credentials were compromised. Your username and password were changed, along with your contact information. So–-
Ms. Rogers: I knew it! That’s what I thought. I could no longer access the app!
Banker: Yes. But the good thing is we’ve blocked the card and have frozen your account so no further transactions will go through and no one else can access your online banking.
Ms. Rogers: Oh, thank God. Now, what do we do next?
Banker: Now because your credentials were changed, we also need to fix that. I will need to correct them right now with your help.
Ms. Rogers: Okay, you said they changed my password and phone number? Wow!
Banker: They did. But since I’ve frozen your account, they won’t be able to access it anymore. Now, our next step is to correct your account information. Can you please provide me with your most updated email address and phone number?
Ms. Rogers: Okay. My email is [email protected]. My other mobile number, the one I’m using right now, is 987-654-2310. Tell them to leave a voicemail if I don’t answer and I will call them back.
Banker: Thank you. I will put a note on that. Do you have any other phone number or a different email address?
Ms. Rogers: No. I do not.
Banker: Alright. Now, before I can successfully change it to your most updated information, I just need to verify additional information, again, with your help. Can you please verify the payment due date on your personal loan?
Ms. Rogers: Oh my gosh! I don’t know! Ask me something I remember, okay? I already told you I can not log in to the app. I don’t know! It’s on automatic payment!
Banker: I understand. Okay, let’s try another question. Can you please verify the last 4 digits of your social security number?
Ms. Rogers: It’s 2465.
Banker: Thank you! And the last deposit to your account, can you verify the date and the amount you received?
Ms. Rogers: Well, I just got paid yesterday for $1200.
Banker: Thank you, Ms Rogers. I’m now going to update your contact information. In a few minutes, we will be sending you an alert to confirm your email. All you have to do is click the Confirm button to verify the change. Now–
Step 3: Filing the claim/dispute.
Ms. Rogers: Fine. Now, how will I get my money back?
Banker: Good question. Now, for the unauthorized charges, I will now start filing the dispute for you. But for me to initiate it, I will again be asking you another series of questions for security purposes. And if you have any questions in the middle of this, I will answer them later, okay?
Ms. Rogers: Wow, that’s a lot of questions right there.
Banker: Yes, Ms. Rogers. I admit this is a lot of questions as we are now entering a higher level of verification. Every change we need to apply to your account comes with a set of security questions that the system is designed to ask. All for your account’s security.
Ms. Rogers: That’s okay. Go ahead. If it gets me my money back, sure!
Banker: Thank you. So what was the last transaction you made, and for how much?
Ms. Rogers: Uhm.. let’s see. I bought some clothes for my kids for $150 at the BBB store then I bought tickets for around $70 and snacks for about $20. After that, we went to the cinema, we watched the movie and the next thing I know, my purse was gone!
Banker: I’m sorry that you had to go through this. Have you allowed anyone to use your card in the past?
Ms. Rogers: No! I’m the only user of that card. I never allowed anyone to use my card, even my ex-husband!
Banker: Okay, here’s what I’m going to do Ms. Rogers, the transactions made after the purchase of the movie tickets and the snacks, all of them will be submitted for a claim.
Ms. Rogers: Yes, exactly!
Banker: But I will just read the transactions one by one, and please confirm if you’ve initiated each transaction. I would need your verbal confirmation on each transaction for the documentation purposes of the investigation.
Ms. Rogers: Okay.
Banker: I can see here a transaction for $798.56 from Macy’s.
Ms. Rogers: What? $798?! No! I didn’t go to Macy’s!
Banker: I believe these 2 transactions at Home Depot are also not yours, one for $399.95 and another one for $49.75.
Ms. Rogers: Nope! Not me! I already told you, my last transactions were the movie tickets and the snacks.
Banker: I understand. For the purpose of documentation, I would just need your verbal confirmation for each transaction as this will be used by our Fraud Specialists.
Ms. Rogers: Oh, right. Verbal confirmation. Sorry, I forgot. Go ahead.
Banker: No problem. Next here are Apple transactions for $99, $14.99, $29.99, and $25.
Ms. Rogers: Apple? I don’t even have an iPhone. So, no.
Banker: Okay. How about 3 transactions from PlayStation Network? $19.95, 29.95, and $89.95.
Ms. Rogers: No! What more did they charge? That’s like 30 fraud charges already!
Banker: Those are all the transactions right after the tickets and snacks.
Ms. Rogers: Those are all the transactions? No more charges after that?
Banker: No more.
Ms. Rogers: Oh, okay, because for a moment, I thought you’d never stop!
Banker: Yes, Ms. Rogers. I must admit this is a lot of transactions for only a few hours. This must be what triggered the system to flag your account for suspicious activities.
Ms. Rogers: Oh, it was flagged?
Banker: Yes I believe if it weren’t flagged, then the person who took your card could have used it for even more transactions.
Ms. Rogers: Oh my god! That’s crazy!
Banker: Yes. The good thing is we’ve got that under control now. I’ve locked your card and frozen your account which are the two most urgent tasks that needed to be dealt with in cases like this. Now, the next thing I’ll do for you is to now file the dispute. Can I put you on hold for 2 minutes?
Ms. Rogers: Yes, okay. File that dispute for me.
Banker: Thank you, I’ll be right back.
After 2 minutes: Thank you for waiting, Ms. Rogers.
Ms. Rogers Mm-hm?
Banker: I have just submitted the dispute. I have also taken note of the reference number for you. If you need to call and ask questions about the progress, just give this number to the representative and they’ll immediately know your case.
Ms. Rogers: Okay, what’s my reference number?
Banker: It’s A343408.
Ms. Rogers: Got it.
Banker: Great! Now, as mandated by law, let me just read everything you need to know about the dispute. If you have any questions, I will be happy to answer them after this.
Ms. Rogers: Okay?
Banker: The dispute process will be handled by our Dispute Specialists. The process will take 10 business days before a result could be finalized. Within this time frame, the fraud team might contact you for more details and supporting documents so please keep your lines open. If they need more time, they will also be contacting you before the 10th business day.
(Banker started reading the disclosures and provided the timeframe to resolve the claim.)
Ms. Rogers: Okay, but did you just say 10 Days? Business days? That’s like 2 weeks from now! That’s long!
Banker: Yes, Ms. Rogers. In this case, especially with the number of disputed transactions, a rigorous investigation is needed so we will need an average of 10 business days. Although it is still possible that a result could be finalized sooner, we just don’t want to overpromise as 10 business days is usually the average time frame. The dispute I filed just is already being handled by our Specialists as we speak.
Ms. Rogers: Okay, well fair enough. I’ll just use my other cards in the next few days.
Step 4: Processing a card replacement.
Banker: Perfect. I will also work on your card replacement now. Is your mailing address also at 9832 1st St. Apt A, Las Vegas, Nevada, 98765?
Ms. Rogers: Yes, that is still my address. How long will this take to get to me? 10 business days too?
Banker: For the card replacement, it will only take 3 business days. So you should receive it by Wednesday. And while you’re waiting, you also have the option to link the new card to digital wallets like Apple, Google, Fitbit, and Garmin Pay so you can already use your funds even before receiving the card.
Ms. Rogers: Uhm, no thanks. I prefer to just wait. I still have other cards should I need to transact online. Thank god I only lost one card. Otherwise, I’d be in a whole other level of mess.
Banker: Absolutely. And it was a wise decision to separate your cards. Usually, when account holders lose their cards, it usually involves more than one or all of their cards.
Ms. Rogers: Oh, really? Well, losing one card is hard enough. I can’t imagine losing more.
Banker: Yes, definitely. And by the way Ms. Rogers, have you received the email alert to confirm your email address?
Ms. Rogers: Yes, I just got it a couple of minutes ago and clicked the Confirm button. Then I got a message that my email has been verified.
Step 5: Generating a new bank account number.
Banker: Perfect! Now I will send a code to your email. Please read the code once you get it. This is for the creation of your new account.
(Banker needs to complete another level of verification.)
Ms. Rogers: Okay, I just got it. The code is 345342.
Banker: Perfect! I have just finished freezing your account and I’m now creating a new one. For now, Ms. Rogers, please wait for the email that will include your new account details for the bank account that we just changed.
Ms. Rogers: But is it necessary to make me a new account? You’ve just closed my card, right?
Banker: Yes, Ms. Rogers. Your password and contact information were changed which means they were able to log in to your account so whoever used your card not only knows your card number but also your account number. That definitely requires a complete change.
Ms. Rogers: Well, I appreciate that. Good thing, I only have that card in this account.
Banker: Definitely. We will be sending you alerts and one of the Case Specialists will call you if we need more information to help us in resolving the case.
Ms. Rogers: Just wondering, what if I just call all those companies who charged me and tell them that it was not me who made those transactions. Maybe, they can still cancel those transactions and refund me immediately.
Banker: That’s an idea but there’s no assurance going that way. They also take more time and effort. You did the right thing by immediately calling us as soon as your card was lost.
Ms. Rogers: Yeah, that’s what I thought. So is there anything else that you need me to do?
Banker: That should be all from me. But I just want to make sure I have covered everything and please let me know if I missed anything. First, we started by blocking the card and freezing your account. Then we updated your contact information with your email and phone number.
Next, I’ve filed a claim for all the unauthorized transactions. I have also generated a new account number for you and had the balance from your old account transferred to the new one.
The case has been submitted to the Fraud Department and you should hear back within 10 business days. Alerts are already set up on your account. Please check your email all the time and report any suspicious activity. Have I covered everything?
Ms. Rogers: Yup! You’ve covered everything. Thank you so much for helping me. I’ll wait for the result of the investigation.
Banker: You are most welcome, Ms. Rogers. I understand how nerve-wracking it is to see the funds disappearing from your account but we will do our best to speed up the investigation process so you’ll hear back from us as soon as possible. Now, for the last step, I will get an Online Fraud Specialist to assist you further and help you in regaining your online access.
Ms. Rogers: Oh, you need to transfer me?
Banker: Yes, you’ll be ending the call with an online fraud specialist and he will enable you to log in to your new account. This will only take 3-4 minutes at most.
Ms. Rogers: Oh okay. Well, I really need to go now though so is there a number I can call? I’ll call back later.
Banker: Sure. Here’s their number: 1-800-353-5739, and their banking hours are from 9AM to 5 PM (Eastern Standard Time). Just give them the reference number and they’ll know exactly what to do.
Ms. Rogers: My reference number? The one that starts with A?
Banker: Yes.
Ms. Rogers: Okay I’ll call them later today.
Banker: Okay. Is there anything else that I can help you with today?
Ms. Rogers: No, you’ve been very helpful.
Banker: Wonderful! We appreciate your business, Ms. Rogers. Thank you for Kwestyon Bank. Have a wonderful day!
Ms. Rogers: You too. Bye.
Banker: Bye.
