The credit card applications I’ve been getting in the mail lately offer enough bonus airline miles for signing up to pay for two full free tickets. Naturally, I’m tempted. For one card in particular, I got as far as the web-based application page, which has this at the bottom:
- Bank Use Only
Shouldn’t the “bank use only” portion of this form not appear on the version I’m filling out from my home computer?
I can imagine the meeting where someone said, “We need a web-based application that’s exactly like the paper one.”
OK, I’m going to offer some possible explanations. That’s right, I’m defending the banks. Hear that, Chase Delinquent Accounts Department?
The application form is regulated and approved by state officials and can’t be altered without additional work.
OR, the on-line form is generated automatically from another source, like fillable PDF. Altering that would take programming time (yuck).
OR, the on-line form can be printed to bring or mail to the bank — as with people who don’t have or trust internet security.
Finally, have you considered the possibility that that web site wasn’t meant for your hacking eyes. Maybe it really is “bank use only”.