Ok, I just opened a letter from TD Ameritrade confirming my brokerage account. I was just about to sign it and send it back to them, when I realized how screwed up their letter is. They mailed me a letter confirming my account with all these things printed out on it:
My Account Number, Name, Full Address, Social Security Number, Date of Birth, and the zinger.. my Mother’s Maiden name.
This is an identity security travesty. There was no asteriks to mask my SSN, no partial Account Number. and worse, why do they need to print my Mother’s Maiden Name? Don’t they know with that information, anyone can get into ANY of my financial accounts?? Anyone who may have inadvertently, or intentionally intercepted this piece of mail would have EVERYTHING they need to know about me to steal my identity.
I am a gasp that a broker, someone who handles billions of dollars for clients, would be so careless with their information.
I know that just recently they reported loosing client data in a computer security case, but even that is somewhat acceptable. But this, this is outrages. Needless to say, I am not sending this form back to them. In fact, this will probably be the termination interaction with this company.
TDAmeritrade, I demand an apology and an explanation.