Scary, lonely call centre staff
I used to work at a call centre and will hopefully have a few entries for later this week. This tale however is based on what happened to me when calling the monkeys at Halifax the early hours of (this recent bank holiday) Sunday morning.

My darling wife had gone out drinking with a few mates and had been relieved of her purse in one of Barnsley’s scummier night spots. As we had no babysitter I was sat back at home playing online at Grand Theft Auto when she called me from her mates mobile.

Realising that she was pissed as a fart I told her that I would ring up the card companies on her behalf and cancel her cards for her. I took the number from the back of my own bank card (same bank different account) and dialled up the lost card services number immediately after she put the phone down. What I forgot was that I was still mid way through a 30 minute online game and I was hoping to get my own back on a couple of the more hardcore players in the match.

I finally got through to the press 1 for stolen cards press 2 if you have stolen the card from someone options and spoke to the helpful bloke on the other end of the phone, sadly my concentration was more on the game than the conversation.

Halifax bloke: Sorry sir can you repeat that last statement I could have swore that you said something about Happiness Island (The level I was on)
Mon: Eh? Oh sorry. I’m playing a game at the moment and I’m pretty crap at multitasking.
Halifax bloke: That’s ok, what are you playing?
Mon: Erm Grand Theft Auto
Halifax bloke: Cool, whats your user ID
Mon: What? I’m cancelling the card for my wife, I don’t know her online info for the account, do you need it?
Halifax bloke: No no your online gamer tag. I need new people to play against and I’m sick of playing against randoms that play shitty R n B over their headset while playing Halo etc etc
Mon: Sorry but I have a PS3
Halifax bloke: oh ok …sighs…you know anyone else that has a 360?
Mon: A couple of people yes…
Halifax bloke: You could pass my name on to them if you like it’s blokefromhalifaxthatsscaringmenow
(awkward Silence)
Halifax bloke: You on facebook?
Mon: Erm…..
Halifax bloke: How about your wife? Does she have one?
Mon: have you cancelled her cards?
Halifax bloke: Oh yeah that was done a bit ago
Mon: Cheers I have to go......
*Click*

I don’t know if he was a mad lonely bloke or if he was scaring into me paying attention. I have also avoided my Facebook page since as I realse this bloke had my wifes personal details in front of him when we were speaking.

Also on another note I find it amusing that the company can deliver a new credit card in 2 - 3 days while you have to wait nearly 2 sodding weeks for an account card.
(mon bison powered by magnets, Fri 4 Sep 2009, 11:05, 4 replies)

That's just a wee bit too fucking scary
But look on the brightside - you'll probably be getting an extra christmas card. click!
( SpankyHanky, Fri 4 Sep 2009, 11:10, closed)

I had the opposite happen
when I worked at Natwest I was talking to a client who had broken his wrist snowboarding, I told him that I had just learnt how to snowboard at my local dry slope. He asked where I was based as we should meet up for a snowboarding session. He sounded really disappointed that I was in Bristol (he was in central London).
( Colonel Dracula Two manky hookers and a racist dwarf, Fri 4 Sep 2009, 11:48, closed)

theres
a 90% chance I know who you spoke to. I wrote some of the software used by the ops who man that line and used to work in that building. It wasnt halifax for a start, although they say they are. Most of the banks outsource that service to my old company. In reality, all your details get logged into an access database, which faxes head office. It wont get looked at until the next working day, but as long as you made the call, they have the timestamp. Pretty much 90% of the countries lost card details are in an access mdb file, backed up by a txt file, running on a 7 year old HP PC under my old desk. Works tho....
( I have run out of coke is a little sweaty, Fri 4 Sep 2009, 12:35, closed)

Go to Natwest
I lost my account card, they had a fresh one on my doormat the next bloody day. Special Delivery etc. Still don't use it.
( Rookie You'll have to speak up, I'm wearing a towel, Fri 4 Sep 2009, 16:23, closed)