7 Messages
Denied me opening a new line because the Fraud Department couldn’t verify me - even though I’ve been a customer for 6+ years!!!
Been an AT&T customer for 6+ years, 4 wireless lines, perfect pay history (NEVER been late with them and excellent credit, I have zero past dues on any accounts for all 3 major reporting agencies). I ported over all my lines in the past few days to another carrier (lower prices) and the last line i cancelled yesterday. I decided to reopen the last line since it was an Applewatch wearable that my current provided doesn’t support (i didn’t know that at the time until it was too late). At&T denied me reestablishing my same Apple Watch line and even setting up a brand new line with a new account. Why .. Fraud Department said they couldn’t verify me, despite me answering all thier invasive questions, providing my driver’s license number, etc… They asked me for my name, ss@#, driver’s license number, address and phone # (all which I obviously answered correctly) but also about 5 or 6 additional odd questions that included asking me about what city my relative has property in and the age range of another relative?!?!?!? What crazy thing to ask about relatives, as if I know they’re personal business - did it ever occur to them some people are estranged from their family or just simply don’t know their relatives? In this instance, I knew the answers, but that’s not the point. The Fraud Department then claimed they couldn’t verify me…an EXISTING customer of 5+ years who only just closed their account the day before. And they absolutely refused to tell me why, given me any hints or indication of what information provided was incorrect. They refused an alternative solutions, were extremely rude and curt, and couldn’t wait to get me off the phone. It was the oddest exchange. I went through this 3 separate times today. My address, ss#, dob, phone number they asked me to verify is literally the exact same information on the credit reports (i reviewed all 3 bureaus that same day while i was on the phone with them) and the address and DOB is the exact same info on my driver’s license I provided to the AT&T store i went to later today and spent 30 minutes trying to understand why the Fraud department can’t verify me. I was on the phone for 3 hours today talking to various Customer Service and Fraud supervisors. This is the most ridiculous and eggregious experience I’ve ever had as a consumer, particularly for an existing long-time and excellent paying customer, much less to add a (Edited per community guidelines) $10/month watch line. I will NEVER recommend AT&T to anyone and will share this experience with anyone i can to save them the trouble. With how adament the Fraud department was with not being able to verify me, even with me being at an AT&T in person with my ID, were they purposely denying me credit / a new line out of retribution for porting out my other lines?????
Accepted Solution
Official Solution
formerlyknownas
ACE - Sage
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118.4K Messages
24 days ago
I don’t know if this will make you feel any better but there’s no point in reopening your Apple Watch line with AT&T anyway. AT&T cannot do it at the $10.99 price. As a standalone device it would be put on at least a minimum plan, at the cost of $50 per month. You also wouldn’t be able to sync the watch with your phone as a companion device anymore because there’s no way to sync between AT&T and a different service provider
So as annoyed as you are, they’ve done you a favor and saved you 40 bucks
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JefferMC
ACE - Expert
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36K Messages
24 days ago
Also, keep in mind that the "fraud department" doesn't know you. Their job is to determine if the guy trying to open the account really is who he says he is. The fact that there's an account that's 6 years old under the name you've given doesn't mean that you're the person who has been paying the bills for those 6 years. Yes, they can make mistakes, which is a royal pain in the butt, but the objective is to prevent someone who is not you signing up for service as you.
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Nowearable
7 Messages
23 days ago
formerlyknownas you are incorrect and I'm only going to say this once and not reapond again even if you or others insist otherwise. They can in fact open a stand alone applewatch line, this is verifiable by various sources, its done under a family setup that does not require an active iphone line on the account, allows the watch to send and receive calls with its own #, and yes it's only $10 a month, compared to numbersync which requires has an iphone line and the two devices share the same #. Furthermore, that's not the point, it's the principle of this failed identity verification process that many people have posted about in this at&t forum, and I know you are fully aware of it because i've seen your name reaponding to other's complaints about it, defending at&t or minimizing people's experience. You capping for AT&T on various threads rather than allow people to share their experiences without rebutting is beyond me. Are you are their payroll?
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JefferMC
ACE - Expert
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36K Messages
23 days ago
No.
Not likely. For the family plan you describe to be useful, there would have to be another line.
We can only hope.
(edited)
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Lockdowncraziness
Former Employee
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2.8K Messages
23 days ago
@Nowearable You do realize that they are allowed to deny you an account/new line, right?
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MicCheck
ACE - Expert
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14.4K Messages
23 days ago
1. Cancelling your service and then immediately trying to open a new account is certainly a red flag that something's fishy.
2. Unless clearly identified, AT&T representatives do not post here.
3. How in the heck do you read FKA's comment as defending AT&T, minimizing people's experience, or "capping for AT&T"?
4. Add an Apple Watch to Family Setup - AT&T Wireless Customer Support (att.com)
I'm happy to be proven wrong if you find conflicting information from AT&T. They aren't always great at keeping their websites up-to-date and in agreement with one another.
(edited)
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Nowearable
7 Messages
23 days ago
Nice try, but these are INITIAL setup instructions for the watch. One needs an iphone INITIALLY to set up the family-member watch, an applewatch cannot be setup without an iphone. Unfortunate you're still debating the facts of someone else's experience, that has zero to do with their own life. Why are you people so pressed to retort, debate and argue about it. Do you get off from being contrary? You're either an agent for AT&T or somehow deeply invested, because a normal person does not behave like this.
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Lockdowncraziness
Former Employee
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2.8K Messages
23 days ago
I thought you weren’t going to respond.
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MicCheck
ACE - Expert
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14.4K Messages
23 days ago
Like I said, I'm happy to be proven wrong. Where does AT&T give information contrary to what I posted?
Anyway, how were you going to INITIALLY set up the family-member watch if you no longer had an iPhone using AT&T?
We volunteer to help other customers here so we want to make sure there isn't incorrect information.
This whole conversation is really moot, since AT&T won't let you open an account, for $10 or for $50. You'll have to find a different company to set up the watch with.
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