Today’s blog is based on my personal experience today and I am amazed and sickened.
I have been an Alltel customer for a few years. Due to identity fraud perpetrated by my previous attorney, I had to setup a very complicated passcode system so that no one would have access to change or modify my account.
Alltel sold all of my personal information and my account to Verizon wireless. I get a ton of junk mail so when I got stuff from Verizon wireless and do not have an account, I shred it. I probably should have read it.
About 2 weeks ago, I got a call on my home number, not my cell number, with callerid blocked from someone claiming to be verizon and my account needed to be paid. I asked for what account and they could not tell me without my SSN. Since I don’t typically give that out to anyone without info and I don’t have a verizon acct, I chalked it up to a very good and aggressive phisherman!
Today when my phone was shutoff, I call customer service and discovered that my account is now with Verizon – I really do need to get out more 
In order for me to check my account, I need to tell them my full SSN – that was not a pleasant conversation.
2 VERY frightening and sickening events then happened.
1. I was able to pay my bill, without any authentication, using the bank info on file. When asked to confirm the last 4 digits of the bank account on file, I made it up. Just for fun to see what would happen, figuring I would be driving into town to get this straighten out anyway. Well, it flew right by Mike in Financial Services at Verizon and he promptly gave me a confirmation code for my payment. I asked him which account and he gave me the info on the correct account – not the info for the made up account!
2. When I asked for a supervisor, I got the runaround and was told I can do everything online. I went to verizonwireless.com and decided to create an account. I put in the phone number and my email. The next step asked me to create a password. For kicks and because I was incredibly nervous at that point, I used a password I have NEVER used before – just to see what happened. It created my account and all of my information is there. All my payment history with Alltel, all of my calls and my wife’s calls. EVERYTHING. No challenging information needed. The only thing you need is an alltel phone number that is now with Verizon.
Here is why the Red Flags Rule is so important. I have spent over 3 hours today on the phone with Verizon to show them the problems with their system and to work on getting it fixed. They simply do not care. I spoke with managers, I spoke with supervisors. The only person who would give their first and last name was Barbara Flemister who insisted that it was not her job but I should probably call someone in eServices but since it was my data and I accessed it, it is not really fraud and until a criminal act is committed there is nothing they need to worrry about. How sick is this????
I am working diligently to get my account closed with them and my personal data deleted as they refuse to address this as an issue.
If you were an Alltel customer and had a passcode, please make sure you get with Verizon and try to get your data protected. If you have not created your online account, get with it immediately or hope they change the settings before someone orders phones and services and jams you with a 2 year contract.
Happy to hear what others have to say.
