Challenges with HSBC Credit Card, identity management

Today, Saturday, 31-Jan-2009, I got a call from someone claiming to be calling from "HSBC" offering me an upgrade from my existing life time free gold credit card to life time free platinum credit card. I was asked to confirm certain identification details on the phone, which I refused since I didn't know who was really calling (anybody could be calling in the name of HSBC). I wanted an option to avail this upgrade by calling up the call center, but there didn't seem to be such an option. I was later told that they were a TPA authorized by HSBC to offer this upgrade, but couldn't pass on the verification completion to HSBC.

It makes me wonder why HSBC would end up doing such a thing, if it really is a genuine call. There's some amount of security, identity and data privacy issues at stake here, in the given model.

IMHO, there needs to be an option for HSBC's existing customer who could get such genuine calls to be able to call the call center and complete the rest of the verification. Otherwise, HSBC's customers wouldn't be able to distinguish between a genuine HSBC call and a fraudulent one. In fact it would appear to me that HSBC is ending up encouraging the wrong practices using this model, albeit it may not be intended.

In the name of security ...

Some of the things that the US and UK (and probably others) are doing in the name of security have implications going far beyond those that anyone can imagine today. If things keep going at this rate, I wish the lives of those guys asking for such schemes in the name of security are screwed beyond their wildest imaginations.

Reminds me of movie theater plots regarding identity theft and crisis. Woe befall these morons who think security will be achieved just by collecting every possible part of the human DNA. Imagine the kind of abuse it can be put to if it falls under wrong hands. Why don't these guys just get it ?!!!

Well, this certainly has been one of the worst rant I ever posted on this blog ! Sorry to subject you to this !

Most recent irritant source of this nasty rant - Don't like ID cards? Hand over your passport

Snippet:
...
People will be required to give fingerprints, biometric details such as a facial scan and a wealth of personal details - including second homes, driving licence and insurance numbers.

All will be stored on a giant ID cards Register, which can be accessed by accredited Whitehall departments, banks and businesses.
...