A New Spin On One-Time-Passwords

Caller: “I’ve forgotten my password.”

Me: “No worries. We can reset that for you.”

We go through the security and reset process.

Me: “Okay, we have a selection of security questions you can choose, like, ‘What is your favorite sports team?’ or, ‘What town were you born in?’”

Caller: “Hmm, I don’t like those. Can I make my own?”

Me: “Of course.”

Caller: “I want my question to be, ‘What is today’s date?’”

Me: “I… I can certainly set that up for you, sir, but I would recommend something else.”

Caller: “No, I will remember it. Please make that my security question.”

After one more suggestion to try something else, we go ahead and make the change. I am not allowed to suggest or know the answer to the security question, so I can’t make any more comments. I leave some notes in his account for the next person he calls with an issue.

I am told he actually did call back the next day. His complaint?

Caller: “My answer to the security question isn’t working! It was working fine yesterday!”