Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!zephyr.ens.tek.com!uw-beaver!Teknowledge.COM!unix!synoptics!mips!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!swrinde!cs.utexas.edu!mailrus!accuvax.nwu.edu!nucsrl!telecom-request From: john@bovine.ati.com (John Higdon) Newsgroups: comp.dcom.telecom Subject: Re: Unauthorized Disconnection Message-ID: <9661@accuvax.nwu.edu> Date: 11 Jul 90 10:17:38 GMT Sender: news@accuvax.nwu.edu Reply-To: John Higdon Organization: Green Hills and Cows Lines: 45 Approved: Telecom@eecs.nwu.edu X-Submissions-To: telecom@eecs.nwu.edu X-Administrivia-To: telecom-request@eecs.nwu.edu X-Telecom-Digest: Volume 10, Issue 478, Message 5 of 13 "Dennis G. Rears (FSAC)" writes: > Three points I would like to bring up. First, the representative > said that unless somebody specifically tells the phone company they > want any change request for service verified it is not done. This, > however convienent, can be danger. Anyone can call up and say, I am > Mr. Doe, phone number is XXX-XXXX and want my phone service > disconnected. No verification. This used to be the way it was, period. Several years ago, after certain parties impersonated me to the Pac*Bell business office and made some rather inconvenient changes to my service and got all the numbers to my unlisted lines, a number of us raised some hell. We discussed this issue at length on our old regional telecom news group and the topic was picked up by some in Pac*Bell where the group was distributed. Their solution was to "password" accounts at the customer's request. When a rep pulls up the account, a flag instructs the person to ask the customer for the password and will not discuss the matter further until the correct password is given. After some shakey starts, this has finally been implemented well. I have taken things one step further and have the accounts consolidated under an unlisted billing number. Without that billing number, no one can even bring the account up on a terminal. This may seem terribly troublesome, but you can have security or you can have convenience. Take your pick. > The second point is that the only way > to get something done is talk to a sueprvisor and be firm on what you > want. That is correct. > The last point is do I have any course of action? I am out > about $25 due to having to use pay phones and lack of a calling card. > Who can I complain to? Anyone you like, but you won't get anything out of the telco. John Higdon | P. O. Box 7648 | +1 408 723 1395 john@bovine.ati.com | San Jose, CA 95150 | M o o !