I received a letter from my bank the other day telling me they had waved a NSF fee. The problem was that my local branch and my online account had no record of what the letter was talking about. Hesitance was in every action I made when dialing the number on the letter.

The conversation went something like this:

“This is Jane, may I get your account number.”

“No, Jane, you may not.”

Short period of silence and then “then how may I help you?”

I took a moment to explain the letter I was holding in my hand and her only response was another request for my information.

“But Jane, I don’t know who you are.”

“Doesn’t your letter say your bank?” (I’ve omitted the real name)

“But how do I know that you actually are that bank?”

We went around like this for about 30 minutes before we could come to some form of identification so that she wasn’t giving out my information to someone that shouldn’t have it and so I wasn’t doing the same.

It turned out that is was my bank I was talking to and that a seven month old check had been turned away. In the end it all worked out.

This story is important because the bad guys are always coming up with new ways to get your information. Never dial the number sent in an email or even in the snail mail. Instead dial your bank, credit card or lender directly. At least then you will know exactly who is on the other end of the line.