Oh gosh, so Iā€™ve received this threatening Discover email asking Form 4506-T signed, they freeze accounts too. I thought the email was a scam email, then when I wanted to pay for a Starbucks tea, it was declined, I was puzzled and remembered the emails they sent was probably really from them:

ā€œDiscover Financial Services is sending you this IRS Consent Form 4506-T related to your existing account. At this time, a temporary hold is being placed on your Discover Card account as we need to verify the income information that you provided in your application. Equifax Verification Services is the trusted partner selected to assist with this portion of the verification process. Within the next 5 days, please click on the provided link below so that you can electronically sign the required IRS Consent form 4506-T.

You will be prompted to enter an Access Code. The Access Code is the 5 digit zip code on file with Discover and the last 4 of your social security number (SSN). To complete the form you must provide your e-signature, and if applicable, complete line item 4. Note: In the event, you do need to fill line item 4, please provide a copy of your current state-issued ID, one that matches the address on file. The documentation can be sent via Fax or Mail using the information below:

Fax Number: 224-813-5504

Mail: Discover Card Customer Protection ServicesPO Box 3003 New Albany, OH 43054

If you use the Employer Identification Number (EIN) for your account, the Access Code is the entityā€™s 5 digit zip code on file with Discover and the last 4 of the employer identification number (EIN).

If we do not receive the IRS Consent form 4506-T as requested, your account will be closed.ā€

When trying to log in to my account, it says this below, and the URL has Fraudulent word in it:

ā€œPlease Contact Customer Service

Due to special conditions related to your credit card account, we cannot provide you with access to your account information at this time.

Please contact Customer Service so we can help you resolve this issue: 1-800-347-4996ā€³ (clearly Iā€™m not the only one with spelling mistakes. šŸ˜ )

And after doing a bit of research these are my findings and also questions. Please write in the comments if you have any feedback!! šŸ™

  1. Someone posted on Youtube comments could be anyone, real or not saying that Discover is going bankrupt!! They canā€™t collect debts, etc.. Hereā€™s the Youtube video you can check.
Shady Fishy Discover Form 4506-T

Discover Form 4506-T, why?!

I mean itā€™s sadā€¦ Probably a lot of people canā€™t make payments and Discover is trying to secure themself, but Tax returns from past years are not a way to see what people make currently? Isnā€™t that right? No logic there.

2. I would say, if they sold the information about people they would make so much money and profit however, they are using Equifax as a third party. So not sure how much info they can seeā€¦ But this is what others say on Reddit about the privacy on the tax returns ā€“ which is TERRIFYING!!!!

I just received the request today. I have been in the financial services and lending industry for 20 years and I have not seen anything like this. I refuse to do it. After 2 years. I have perfect credit. Also, Equifax is handling this?!?!?!

ā€œIn September of 2017, Equifax announced a data breach that exposed the personal information of 147 million people. The company has agreed to a global settlement with the Federal Trade Commission, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, and 50 U.S. states and territories. The settlement includes up to $425 million to help people affected by the data breach.ā€

Itā€™s one thing to be a victim of Identity theft, but for these people doing this to also have your IRS transcript!!!!! I called and complained. I was told many people are doing the same. My advice is to have them either take back the request or if they refuse close the account yourself before they do. Better for your credit. But this is nonsense. They should be required to request this before they open the account. Now my credit will take a hit. I guarantee there is also some data farming hereā€¦ a very bad precedent for the credit card industryā€¦

And also this from comments on this blog:

ā€œYou just tell them you refuse to comply and close all of your accounts with them. If everyone does that, theyā€™ll either quickly stop this draconian and excessively invasive practice or go out of business from lack of accounts. Even the President of the United States hasnā€™t disclosed his tax returns, yet Discover expects me to?

Allowing a company full access to your confidential IRS data is insane. They already have access to your entire credit reports from the credit bureaus as well as your purchase and payment history accumulated during your time as their customer. If they have access to your IRS tax history, theyā€™ll know your charitable and political donation recipients, your investment practices including stock investment gains/losses, and financial firms where you trade and theyā€™ll know your deductions and expenses. They already have a privacy policy that allows them to share anything they know about you with their ā€œbusiness partners and affiliatesā€ for any purpose they want including marketing products and services to you. Do you really want a credit card company using your most confidential financial information to empower whichever 3rd party marketing firms as they target you?

Fortunately, the credit card business is competitive and there are lots of players, so I told Discover to f-off and closed everything I had with them ā€“ opened new accounts with companies that actually want to get and retain new customers.ā€


OK so what now??? Can we trust Discover bank? Can we trust Equifax? I personally have a thing for credit cards, especially if they are pretty, offer cashback, and have a user-friendly mobile app. I have so many other cards. Iā€™m okay to use only debit cards, too. Also, I thought, misunderstood that the more cards and the higher the credit limit you have are better the credit score. Argh, how bad that this credit score is controlling our lives. ew! So yep, I will not let them take that much private information!

Some people recommended closing your account before they close for credit purposes, but since they donā€™t give you any access to your account how can you close an account?!! You canā€™t log in to your accounts. Oh, good news, I called them with the number below and they paid the balance I had and closed the account on the phone. Quick!!! Phew!

How do I close my Discover Bank Account?
You can close your Discover Card account by calling 1-800-DISCOVER (1-800-347-2683).

At the same time, lots of people say, even if they let them access their tax returns, Discover closed their accounts. Bam! No credit score has been changed! So it should be good news!

Iā€™m happy being closed my account with them. I also just remembered that they didnā€™t get my money back from this shady Conference which was ā€œdelayedā€ due to Covid. Grr!

Well, if you have anything else to add, please write in the comments below. (If I do have a comments section šŸ™‚

 

Discover Bank and Credit Cards
  • Rewards
  • User Friendliness
  • Customer Service
  • Frauds
  • Company
4.3

Summary

Ahh, I used to love this bank because of their app, transparent payment options and reminders, cashback.. Even their custom-looking cute cards were nice. But everything was till they sent this gruesome email asking for very private tax documents that could be going wrong hands easily. That process was ew, and made a research and maybe there is more to it. We'll see. I won't be sharing that info with anyone and will take my business elsewhere. And if they will go bankrupt real, I'm sorry for their employees. šŸ™