I’m about to vent about something that probably not a single one of you cares a single things about. But I’m going to do it because it might make me feel better. I’m so angry I could spit. (It’s not political, so if there are any Donald fans left reading my blog, you shouldn’t have your sensibilities disturbed. You might be bored though).
Ever since I decided to start paying my credit card bill online, I’ve had trouble. I don’t know how long that has been, but well over a year. Every month when I go to sign into my account, my password and/or my username (they never will say which it is; could be one, could be the other, could be both, who the hell knows?) is rejected.
So then I go through the steps to change my password/username online. Give ‘em all my particulars, including my social security number, which I do not like to do online. They then send me a great long number by email which I put into a little box that let’s me change my password and/or username. (For some unknown reason, they won’t just tell me what the password is; maybe they don’t know.) I make sure I write down the new password in my Notes app on my computer, so that I’ll have it next month when I want to pay my bill again.
But next month, that new password won’t work, and I have to go through all that process again, coming up with another new password, as you can never use a password that you have used in the past.
Well that’s what happened throughout the first, oh, nine months or so of paying my bill online. But the past few months, the situation has gone from bad to worse. Now i can’t even get to the point where I change my password and write it down so it can be rejected next month. Now, after trying the password that worked last month, I’m immediately locked out of my account and have to telephone the company.
Today, I’d had enough. I called the number, got a young woman whose accent was almost impossible to decipher--not because she spoke with a foreign one, but because she spoke like a 15-year-old leader of a junior high popular girl’s clique. After having to have her repeat long strings of words several times, I’d had all this sick-and-tired woman could take. I punched the off button and threw my phone on the floor. She didn’t call back. I don’t blame her.
If and when I recover from the worst attack of anger I’ve had in quite a long time, I’m going to write the company a long letter. Then I’m going to transfer the balance on this credit card to another credit card. Only then, will I pay the balance. Chase is not getting another dime of my money. And I’m going to suggest that they move up to high school to hire their next customer service rep.
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On 12/28/2017, Mary Lines said ...
Too funny! I know the feeling and can totally relate. Good idea to transfer to another card. Do you belong to a credit union? I never have trouble with that credt card.
On 12/28/2017, Mary Z said ...
It's amazing that there is no such thing as customer service anymore. Not to mention, businesses encourage you to do business online; but, they make it as difficult as possible.
I'm with Mary Lines - switch to a credit union, if you can.
On 12/28/2017, Sandra Clarke said ...
You go girl!! I have similar feelings at times. I hope that 2018 brings much joy & the making of lots of beautiful Quilts. I enjoy your blog!
On 12/28/2017, Barbara Anne said ...
Sorry for the frustration and repeated annoyance making you start from scratch each month. There is NO excuse for that.
As for the cheerleader fast-talking person ... I once told a fast-talker to stop. I asked if she knew what part of the country she was talking to (no ...) and then I told her she was talking to someone from the South. We talk most slowly and listen more slowly, so if she wanted to talk to me, she'd have to slow down. She did and we had a good laugh.
We pay our bills by mail.
Hugs!
On 12/29/2017, Denise Copeland said ...
I am so sorry that your energy was hijacked in a negative way. I just want to add some ideas that might be helpful. I can't explain why you have a problem logging on each month, and why you get locked out but I can give you some guidelines especially about your comment: "For some unknown reason, they won’t just tell me what the password is; maybe they don’t know.)"
You absolutely do not want to do business with a company that sends your plain text password to you via email. Brian Krebs is a top drawer cyber security analyst (responsible for "breaking" the Target security breach). He has a blog and the following link will take you to his discussion of why you should never do business with a company that sends you your password via an email in plain text https://krebsonsecurity.com/2012/06/naming-and-shaming-the-plaintext-offenders/
There is a website that shames companies that store passwords in plain text and/or sends them to you via email.
They state, "Whether it’s someone hacking into their servers, using a simple flaw in their site or even stealing their backups, over 30% of sites store plain text passwords.
We’re tired of websites abusing our trust and storing our passwords in plain text, exposing us to danger. Here we put websites we believe to be practicing this to shame.
Found a text offender? Found a site that you use on the list? Got any questions? Read our FAQ on what to do next.....But the site says they store my password securely... Your password is yours. It is the means by which you identify yourself to a site. If a site can tell what your password is after you gave it to them, anyone can know what your password is (hackers, disgruntled employees, people stumbling onto it by accident, etc.)." http://plaintextoffenders.com
I absolutely agree that you should not have the aggravations that you have encountered, but be careful of a company who provides your plain text password to you. When you create a password, it should be "hashed" (an algorithm that makes it impossible for anyone to read your password) and stored in this hashed format. No one should be able to read or see your password, and it certainly should not be sent to you via an email. Hope this helps. Best wishes for the New Year!
On 12/29/2017, Patty McDonald said ...
I know the feeling!! Thought I'd go back to paying bills by mail the old fashion way. Needed to reorder checks from Chase this month and was told it was $45 for two boxes. What?! By maintaining a certain balance, we have a free checking account. I was told we still have free checking but they now charge for checks. Decided to pull all money out and go with B of A. They gave us a better offer, for the moment.
On 12/31/2017, Susan Ramey Cleveland said ...
But on the same site that hashes my password, I’m asked for my SS# each month in order to get a new hashed password that they can reject the next month. Do you suppose they hash my SS# too?
On 01/06/2018, Jan Oliver said ...
I am at the point with these "ROBO" calls that I answer with a Spanish accent & say "No Comprende" "No call back" (with due respect to my Spanish speaking friends).
I have had several calls wanting to lower my interest rate on my student loans. Rolling in the floor laughing. When I can speak, I politely tell them that I am 72 years old. Do they honestly think I have student loans. Their reply is that somebody gave me as a reference. NOT!! I finally got someone that I could understand who took my name & number out of the system. The skeptic in me says "We shall see".
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