[ajb]

Structurally all these companies have adopted the approach that the anti-fraud team is it's own world, that should be uninfluenced. So you can't talk to them on the phone, even customer support can only email them; the only feedback paths are ones under their own control. It also seems likely that each subsequent reply is processed by a different operative; for companies of sufficient size, that's probably enforced programmatically.

This all helps make them immune from manipulation by "social engineering" or other forms of influence. But of course it also means they have virtually zero incentive to give a shit about the customer.

There are obviously many ways that they could improve customer experience, but giving them an incentive to do so, without opening the door to influence, is a hard problem.

Personally I think it should be the law that you can put up a bond to get to accelerate the process. Unfortunately the amount potentially at risk is probably larger than some customers accounts, at least at places like AWS where their services can trivially be exchanged for cash. So in many cases a bond would be over the customers means. But if any customers can afford it, it would provide a feedback path.