Richard says:

Speaking of security, Chase Visa can identify a computer that is attempting to log in. So if you audit and pay your account at home with your desktop computer, then go on vacation with your laptop, you have to call the Chase customer-service office in Bangladesh (or some such place) in order to get a code number to get access to your account.

My understanding is that a credit-card customer is only responsible for the first $50 in fraudulent charges — meaning that the credit-card company itself is assuming the risk of issuing a credit card. So the procedure above — while touted by Chase as a “security measure” to protect you — is really just designed to reduce Chase’s risk.

Chase actuaries, by the way, probably have a good fix on how this gratuitous system generates late payments, penalties, interest and unprotested fraudulent charges — to the benefit of Chase, of course.

Jeff St Real says:

Oh, and by the way, do you think they really meant “pastime”? Nice proofreading, folks! Makes me proud to have my mortgage with you.

Dave says:

And what is the purpose of these little ‘clip-art’ pictures that we need to ‘title’?

Andrew says:

The idea with those is that, while a phishing site may look like your bank, there’s no way a scammer can know what picture you’ve chosen. So if you don’t see the right image, you know you’re on a fake site. [shrug]

Steve says:

My bet is that 90% of the people use “Sex” and “Filling forms” gets the other 10%.