OK, AMEX, Let's Get This Right

OK, American Express, you're normally much better than this....

I'm flying to San Francisco next week, and it occurs to me that I should probably print out my e-Tickets at some point (at this point Kathy and my Dad are both quivering....). So I go to the American Express site, since that's who I used to buy my tickets.

Well, I can't remember my password. My bad, but it happens all the time. I go to the page to reset my password, but as soon as I get there, I remember what I think is my password. So, I go back, type in that password, and get directed to the "change your password" page again. Hmph.

Now, I'm not sure whether this is because of some hideous AMEX cookie they've set, or if it's because I didn't really remember my password, and I passed some number of tries limit. All I know is I was caught in Security Question HELL!

First they asked me for my mother's maiden name. OK, no problem. I type it in. They say, Nope, not it. Uh, yes it is. Trust me on this one. So I think, OK, maybe it's case sensitive (I'm bad about typing security questions in all lower case). So I type it in in lower case. Nope, not that either.

Grrrr.

So, I close my browser, and start all over, 'cause I'm still convinced I remember my password. I type it in, and I go to SECURITY QUESTION HELL again. But this time, it's even worse: they ask for my mother's birthday.

OK, for reasons beyond my control (at least sort of) I can NEVER remember whether my mother's birthday was January 16th or 17. Never, never, never NEVER! So, as a consequence, I NEVER pick it as a security question! And, I'm pretty darn convinced I didn't on this internet account, either!

Well, by this time, I've locked myself out of on-line access, so I have to call the toll-free number. I get a VRU, and the nice mechanicized female voice asks me to enter my card number, which I do, and she asks me to enter the 4 digit security code, which I do.

Then she asks me to enter my mother's birthdate.

GRRRRRRR!!!!!! Dammit, people, if I knew that I wouldn't BE here!!!!!

Finally I got a person, who was very nice. I think he said his name was O'Neill, but I find that difficult to believe (he had an Indian accent). He asked me the make and model of a car registered to my address (don't you love what people know about you based on public records?), and since I was able to tell him that, we got my password reset.

So it all worked out, but I swannee, AMEX is usually MUCH better than this! This should not have been this difficult!

Sigh. I'm too traumatized to print my tickets now...