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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To send an email about this member of staff?

50 replies

TelephoneTroubles · 07/05/2020 13:50

I’ve just rung my vets to pay an invoice over the phone. The member of staff who answered the phone and took the payment repeated all of my card details out loud as I read them out to her, including the expiry date and the security number on the back. I occasionally have to take card payments over the phone at work, and we are advised not to say the numbers out loud or repeat them back for security reasons. I realise that there is probably nobody in their waiting room at the moment (and you’d have to be pretty speedy with a pen and paper anyway!) but I think it’s definitely something to not get in the habit of, especially when they’re properly open again.

Would it be really twatty to send an email to them pointing out that this isn’t very sensible? I should have said something as she was doing it but I fully admit that I chickened out as I felt awkward and didn’t want to embarrass her or myself. It wouldn’t be a complaint as I’m sure she didn’t even realise she was doing it (one of my colleagues does it and has been asked not to), it would just be saying that it made me a bit uncomfortable.

OP posts:
minettechatouette · 07/05/2020 13:52

Yeah, I think that’s fine. She won’t thank you for it, but she’s not going to get in mana or trouble, and it is pretty risky that she is doing this.

minettechatouette · 07/05/2020 13:52

In major trouble that should say!

Fenlandmountainrescue · 07/05/2020 13:54

They might all do it. Send a general email saying your security concerns but don’t try to get the specific lady in trouble. I was trained to read things back, then my manager told me the trainer was wrong. I expect the lady just wanted to make sure she got the numbers right.

Lonecatwithkitten · 07/05/2020 13:57

Vets are not allowing anyone in the building apart from staff, so highly unlikely anyone heard.
If it is like my practice we have minimal staff so you have people like actual vets doing jobs they don't normally do - like taking car payments.
By all means make a complaint.

Original poster
TelephoneTroubles · 07/05/2020 13:58

I wouldn’t try and get her in trouble at all, but I imagine it would be obvious it was her that took the payment. I know that officially you also need the correct postcode to pay for something over the telephone or online (which she didn’t ask for or read out loud!) but that’s not a fool proof system.

I should have just been brave enough to say something while she was on the phone! They’re not letting people in to the waiting room at the moment though, so my details should be safe...

OP posts:
Lonecatwithkitten · 07/05/2020 14:16

Your postcode and house number will be on your clinical record that they need up to pay of your bill on the practice management system.

Original poster
TelephoneTroubles · 07/05/2020 14:21

Oh I know it will be, which is why she didn’t ask me for it.

I meant that as she hadn’t said that out loud then officially my details should have been safe, even if there had been other people in the room.

OP posts:
Carolduckingbaskin · 07/05/2020 14:22

Honestly - I know where you’re coming from but no I wouldn’t send an email personally. The surgery will be empty so the person may behave differently (I take payments from clients at hone and probably read back the number as there’s no one around but me - I wouldn’t do the same of I was on a busy reception.

Original poster
TelephoneTroubles · 07/05/2020 14:25

@Carolduckingbaskin that is a very fair point, she might not do it under normal circumstances. Maybe I’ll leave it!

OP posts:
TerrapinStation · 07/05/2020 14:27

Vets are not allowing anyone in the building apart from staff, so highly unlikely anyone heard

Is that some kind of national vet law? I walked past my local vets the other day and saw someone taking their dog inside, I remember as it was someone I hadn't seen for a while and we exchanged some socially distant words. That Vets hasn't had the memo.

It doesn't matter if anyone heard today, unless it's a special Covid way of working they could be putting details at risk in the future. I don't think a nicely worded email would be inappropriate.

Snaketime · 07/05/2020 14:47

I would just send a polite email saying, I don't want to get anyone in trouble, but when I called to make a payment over the phone the other day, I was rather concerned that the person who took my card details read them all out loud back to me. I know there isn't anyone in the waiting room right now, so I am not worried about my details as such, but I do worry that it isn't a good habit to get into and wouldn't want the staff member to get into trouble in the future. Regards TelephoneTroubles.

That way it is a concern not a complaint.

Potionqueen · 07/05/2020 15:07

Tbh I think you should have said something at the time.

Original poster
TelephoneTroubles · 07/05/2020 15:26

Tbh I think you should have said something at the time.

Yes, I know I should have done. I have said that twice!

OP posts:
HaudYerWheeshtYaWeeBellend · 07/05/2020 15:27

Some Vets are definitely allowing people inside the buildings.

Yanbu.

Nancydrawn · 07/05/2020 15:55

If no one was about, there's no harm done. If you call and she does it again, you can ask her not to. I wouldn't say anything in the meantime.

amber763 · 07/05/2020 16:00

Just leave it

Waveysnail · 07/05/2020 16:06

I have a problem with numbers as in reversing or substituting so I have to read numbers back when cards is given to make sure it is right. Yabu

TerrapinStation · 07/05/2020 16:16

I have a problem with numbers as in reversing or substituting so I have to read numbers back when cards is given to make sure it is right. Yabu

You're totally missing the point, if you read out the full card number then the short number from the back everyone listening can write them down and possibly use them for fraud. I hope you don't work in a job where you could give away sensitive information.

Lonecatwithkitten · 07/05/2020 16:20

@TerrapinStation the advice from our professional body is no clients inside the building vets/nurses collect animals from the car park.

purplecorkheart · 07/05/2020 16:22

To be fair to her you have no idea if she was a office that the public cannot access, working from home with the work phone diverted etc. I would leave it tbh. It would be different if you knew there was someone in earshot.

Nonestopcaberet · 07/05/2020 16:23

I take card payments over the phone and the system we use doesn’t NEED the post code numbers or house numbers to be entered, we can just leave those two entries blank and ‘enter’ over them.
I also pay over the phone and regularly I’m not asked for those two details. so technically someone could use your card details provided the know that the company they are paying never checks post code or house numbers.

(For the record we DO ask for that information, it’s just that we know it’s possible to take a card payment without it.)

lyralalala · 07/05/2020 16:23

I would email about that

the advice from our professional body is no clients inside the building vets/nurses collect animals from the car park.

That's the advice, but not everyone is following it. There was a thread on here about a vet nurse who got slated because she wasn't happy that her workplace was allowing people in.
The vet posting felt it was inappropriate to have difficult conversations with people in the car park or over the phone.

Footywife · 07/05/2020 16:25

Good grief. Seriously! Has lockdown gone to your head?

Just leave it be and stop trying to get someone into trouble

Toilenstripes · 07/05/2020 16:28

Nope. It’s completely passive aggressive. Just leave it.

Original poster
TelephoneTroubles · 07/05/2020 16:28

@Waveysnail I do appreciate that this is an issue for some people (it would be for my sister, for example) but the solution shouldn’t be to read confidential information out loud. If you’re routinely reading people’s full card details out loud to them (and anybody else in the vicinity) then I’m quite surprised that nobody has mentioned it to you before. Obviously it’s just the long number then that’s a bit different.

OP posts: