Man banned from phone banking because he sounds like a woman

[Dennis]

http://www.ananova.com/news/story/sm_2512293.html?menu=news.quirkies

A man with a squeaky voice has been barred from phone banking - because staff keep thinking he's a woman.

[Jaynatopia]

Hah; Perhaps they should just make a note in his file so they see it when he calls up? It is good they are vigilant against fraud but there should be some flexibility there, voice cue isn't always dependable

[SarahFaceDoom]

They ask all of those questions anyways, I say if you have all the answers then there is bugger they should or can do.

[Jaynatopia]

Absolutely, that is the point of security questions! to verify! 

They ask all of those questions anyways, I say if you have all the answers then there is bugger they should or can do.

[Hazumu]

I see a little trainwreck approaching. 

My Japanese landlady can't speak English well enough to be understood by the voice-activated phone system for her cellphone (no touchtone 'llowed...)  And they won't put a live person on the phone, no way no how.

I got 'outed' by the automatic transcription software at the Real ID Town Hall -- it identified me as 'male speaker' (granted, my voice wasn't quite there, then...)

So if some numbskull programs the computer to match the (perceived) gender of the voice with the 'sex' noted in the records and does away with live bodies, we could have all kinds of fun with discrimination lawsuits <sigh>

Karen