Credit En Femme

| May 15, 2017
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Recently I had to struggle to try and keep my “Jan” Discover Card.

I got an email from Discover asking my brother to supply information about Jan including Social Security number. The rationale was to protect Discover from someone (without the specific information) from exploiting the card for money laundering or terrorist activity. When I got the Discover card about 5+ years ago, I vouched for Jan and got a card for her with the same number as the other Discover card my spouse and I have and use. I said I’d pay for Jan’s charges and had been faithful doing that.

After getting the request for more info on Jan I called Discover and spoke to a customer service representative saying I was not going to provide the information and her response was “Okay but there would probably be further Discover requests for the information.”

I went along for a month or so using Jan’s card while I was out and about without a problem.

Then I got another Discover request for Jan’s information and when I called, I spoke to another customer service representative saying I could not provide the information and she said “Okay, but without the information, they would eventually discontinue the card.”

Discover is my card of choice and use it for automatic replenishment things like EZPASS or Groupon, or all sorts of things. I eventually brought up the fact that I couldn’t provide the information requested because I am a transgender person and Jan is me (or I am Jan). The representative had never heard of this and consulted with someone, but I basically got the same message that without the information, Jan’s card would eventually be discontinued. I could keep Jan’s card for then.

Another month passed and this time I got a letter from a Discover card VP being polite but pushy. I had consulted a few sisters but no one had any solution other than to keep toughing it out. The most recent call from Discover was the same thing about needing the information. The customer service representative consulted several people, especially after I mentioned transgender, but it was the same answer so I reluctantly said “Cancel the card.” I cut up Jan’s Discover Card.  

Two things happened after that:

1. Jan purchased something on Groupon and used the old card which was on file. I realized it too late and needed to cancel that transaction and then re-did it using another credit card in Jan’s name which I rarely used.  

2. I called another credit card company and was able to get Jan a new credit card without problem. The only information I needed to provide is Jan’s birthday, which coincidentally happens to be the same as her brother’s.

Has anyone else has this or a similar problem. Let me know in the Comment area.

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Category: FYI

jan brown

About the Author ()

Jan is actively involved in the transgender community in NYS and Florida where she snowbirds. Jan co-founded her local TG support group, Mid-Hudson Valley Transgender Association (MHVTA) in 2000 and gets out in her various communities (including retail therapy, dining out, and visiting places of interest). She has presented at various TG events including Fantasia Fair, IFGE, Southern Comfort, Be-All, First Event, Liberty and Empire) and was part of the Fantasia Fair organizing committee for several years focusing on programming and advertising.

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