How Dare You Make Me Responsible For My Own Money!

I work in the fraud unit for a local bank. One of my early morning tasks is to review fraud alerts on the previous day’s deposits. In reviewing one deposited check, it looks outstandingly counterfeit. It was also deposited via mobile deposit, but the login details (IP address, location, phone type, OS, etc) are very different from the customer’s, leading me to suspect he’s given his username and password to someone (who then deposited the fraudulent check).

I contact the customer to get information about how he came to receive the check and I ask him point blank if he gave out his username and password. He says he did. I gently remind him that by giving out that information, anyone can access his accounts and take his money.

Customer: “But isn’t there something you can do about that?”

Me: “Yes, we have fraud monitoring software, but it’s not foolproof. The best thing that can be done is not giving out your login info.”

Customer: “But it seems like there ought to be more you can do to protect me.”

At this point, I’m really not sure what else he expects us to do.

Me: “Well, sir, you are the best first line of defense when it comes to the security of your account—”

Customer: *Cuts me off.* “—It just seems like there ought to be more you can do.”

I’m shaking my head, realizing he doesn’t see how any of this is his responsibility. I wrapped up the phone call, reminded of the phrase: “You just can’t save some people from themselves.”