Results 1 to 10 of 10
  1. #1
    ShadowGod
    Guest
    I placed an order online for a Sanyo 8400 at the Sprint website. I
    paid the full price, I just wanted the phone. Some lady calls and asks
    for my Social Security number? I just wanted the phone, no plan
    changes, no activation, etc. I can see if they needed my SS# if I
    wanted to activate the phone, buy just to buy it? Ridiculous. So I
    cancelled the order.

    -SG



    See More: SS# needed to simply buy a phone?




  2. #2
    Steven J. Sobol
    Guest

    Re: SS# needed to simply buy a phone?

    In article <[email protected]>, ShadowGod wrote:
    > I placed an order online for a Sanyo 8400 at the Sprint website. I
    > paid the full price, I just wanted the phone. Some lady calls and asks
    > for my Social Security number? I just wanted the phone, no plan
    > changes, no activation, etc. I can see if they needed my SS# if I
    > wanted to activate the phone, buy just to buy it? Ridiculous. So I
    > cancelled the order.


    They normally need some kind of ID to make changes to the account (yes,
    ordering a replacement phone is a change), but they ask you for the last
    four digits, or at least they always did, and I ended up setting up a
    password with them so I didn't even have to give out the last four digits.

    I had a Sprint PCS account for about five years and was never asked to give
    the whole ssn except initially for the credit check.

    The lady called? was this a third-party verification service? Many companies
    do that, especially companies selling long-distance services, where they get
    fined for slamming if they don't verify that you asked to sign up...

    --
    Steve Sobol, Professional Geek ** Java/VB/VC/PHP/Perl ** Linux/*BSD/Windows
    Victorville, California PGP:0xE3AE35ED

    It's all fun and games until someone starts a bonfire in the living room.



  3. #3
    Tinman
    Guest

    Re: SS# needed to simply buy a phone?

    Steven J. Sobol wrote:
    > In article <[email protected]>, ShadowGod
    > wrote:
    >> I placed an order online for a Sanyo 8400 at the Sprint website. I
    >> paid the full price, I just wanted the phone. Some lady calls and
    >> asks for my Social Security number? I just wanted the phone, no plan
    >> changes, no activation, etc. I can see if they needed my SS# if I
    >> wanted to activate the phone, buy just to buy it? Ridiculous. So I
    >> cancelled the order.

    >
    > They normally need some kind of ID to make changes to the account
    > (yes, ordering a replacement phone is a change), but they ask you for
    > the last four digits, or at least they always did, and I ended up
    > setting up a password with them so I didn't even have to give out the
    > last four digits.
    >
    > I had a Sprint PCS account for about five years and was never asked
    > to give the whole ssn except initially for the credit check.
    >
    > The lady called? was this a third-party verification service? Many
    > companies do that, especially companies selling long-distance
    > services, where they get fined for slamming if they don't verify that
    > you asked to sign up...


    My guess: Patriot Act.

    You can buy an inactivated phone online without having a Sprint account
    at all. They wouldn't know the last four of your social because they
    never got in the first place (the online order-taking process only asks
    for a CC, and that the ship-to address is the same as the bill-to
    address for the CC).

    Oh, and of course the address must be a street address (think that's
    another Patriot Act thing).

    Welcome to the Homeland!


    --
    Mike





  4. #4
    AZ Nomad
    Guest

    Re: SS# needed to simply buy a phone?

    On Fri, 3 Nov 2006 13:00:26 -0700, Tinman <[email protected]> wrote:


    >Steven J. Sobol wrote:
    >> In article <[email protected]>, ShadowGod
    >> wrote:
    >>> I placed an order online for a Sanyo 8400 at the Sprint website. I
    >>> paid the full price, I just wanted the phone. Some lady calls and
    >>> asks for my Social Security number? I just wanted the phone, no plan
    >>> changes, no activation, etc. I can see if they needed my SS# if I
    >>> wanted to activate the phone, buy just to buy it? Ridiculous. So I
    >>> cancelled the order.

    >>
    >> They normally need some kind of ID to make changes to the account
    >> (yes, ordering a replacement phone is a change), but they ask you for
    >> the last four digits, or at least they always did, and I ended up
    >> setting up a password with them so I didn't even have to give out the
    >> last four digits.
    >>
    >> I had a Sprint PCS account for about five years and was never asked
    >> to give the whole ssn except initially for the credit check.
    >>
    >> The lady called? was this a third-party verification service? Many
    >> companies do that, especially companies selling long-distance
    >> services, where they get fined for slamming if they don't verify that
    >> you asked to sign up...


    >My guess: Patriot Act.


    >You can buy an inactivated phone online without having a Sprint account
    >at all. They wouldn't know the last four of your social because they
    >never got in the first place (the online order-taking process only asks
    >for a CC, and that the ship-to address is the same as the bill-to
    >address for the CC).


    >Oh, and of course the address must be a street address (think that's
    >another Patriot Act thing).


    Nah. You needed a actual address long before the patrot act. Quit being
    so damn paranoid. Have you never heard of the concept of TAXES? The tax rate
    is determined by your home address.




  5. #5
    John Richards
    Guest

    Re: SS# needed to simply buy a phone?

    "AZ Nomad" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
    > On Fri, 3 Nov 2006 13:00:26 -0700, Tinman <[email protected]> wrote:
    >>Oh, and of course the address must be a street address (think that's
    >>another Patriot Act thing).

    >
    > Nah. You needed a actual address long before the patrot act. Quit being
    > so damn paranoid. Have you never heard of the concept of TAXES? The tax rate
    > is determined by your home address.


    I agree that the street address was needed long before the Patriot Act.
    Taxes can be determined from the zip code, so the actual street address
    is not needed for that. Only USPS can deliver to P.O. boxes, so the other
    delivery services need a physical street address.

    --
    John Richards



  6. #6
    Todd Allcock
    Guest

    Re: SS# needed to simply buy a phone?

    At 04 Nov 2006 02:20:20 +0000 John Richards wrote:
    > "AZ Nomad" <[email protected]> wrote in message

    news:[email protected]...
    > > On Fri, 3 Nov 2006 13:00:26 -0700, Tinman <[email protected]> wrote:


    > I agree that the street address was needed long before the Patriot Act.
    > Taxes can be determined from the zip code, so the actual street address
    > is not needed for that.


    Not necessarily, particularlyin less populated areas. I live on
    unincorporated land (in the county, but outside city limits) yet have the
    same zip code as those that live inside the city limits. I am
    responsible for state and county sales taxes, but not the 2+% city taxes
    other folks in my zipcode pay.

    Only an entire street address can accurately determine my sales tax
    liability.



    --
    Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com




  7. #7
    John Richards
    Guest

    Re: SS# needed to simply buy a phone?

    "Todd Allcock" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
    > At 04 Nov 2006 02:20:20 +0000 John Richards wrote:
    >> "AZ Nomad" <[email protected]> wrote in message

    > news:[email protected]...
    >> > On Fri, 3 Nov 2006 13:00:26 -0700, Tinman <[email protected]> wrote:

    >
    >> I agree that the street address was needed long before the Patriot Act.
    >> Taxes can be determined from the zip code, so the actual street address
    >> is not needed for that.

    >
    > Not necessarily, particularlyin less populated areas. I live on
    > unincorporated land (in the county, but outside city limits) yet have the
    > same zip code as those that live inside the city limits. I am
    > responsible for state and county sales taxes, but not the 2+% city taxes
    > other folks in my zipcode pay.
    >
    > Only an entire street address can accurately determine my sales tax
    > liability.


    Or the zip+4 code, but I'll grant you that a lot of people don't know
    what their full 9-digit zip code is.

    --
    John Richards



  8. #8
    Tinman
    Guest

    Re: SS# needed to simply buy a phone?

    AZ Nomad wrote:
    > On Fri, 3 Nov 2006 13:00:26 -0700, Tinman <[email protected]> wrote:
    >
    >
    >> Steven J. Sobol wrote:
    >>> In article <[email protected]>, ShadowGod
    >>> wrote:
    >>>> I placed an order online for a Sanyo 8400 at the Sprint website. I
    >>>> paid the full price, I just wanted the phone. Some lady calls and
    >>>> asks for my Social Security number? I just wanted the phone, no
    >>>> plan changes, no activation, etc. I can see if they needed my SS#
    >>>> if I wanted to activate the phone, buy just to buy it? Ridiculous.
    >>>> So I cancelled the order.
    >>>
    >>> They normally need some kind of ID to make changes to the account
    >>> (yes, ordering a replacement phone is a change), but they ask you
    >>> for the last four digits, or at least they always did, and I ended
    >>> up setting up a password with them so I didn't even have to give
    >>> out the last four digits.
    >>>
    >>> I had a Sprint PCS account for about five years and was never asked
    >>> to give the whole ssn except initially for the credit check.
    >>>
    >>> The lady called? was this a third-party verification service? Many
    >>> companies do that, especially companies selling long-distance
    >>> services, where they get fined for slamming if they don't verify
    >>> that you asked to sign up...

    >
    >> My guess: Patriot Act.

    >
    >> You can buy an inactivated phone online without having a Sprint
    >> account at all. They wouldn't know the last four of your social
    >> because they never got in the first place (the online order-taking
    >> process only asks for a CC, and that the ship-to address is the same
    >> as the bill-to address for the CC).

    >
    >> Oh, and of course the address must be a street address (think that's
    >> another Patriot Act thing).

    >
    > Nah. You needed a actual address long before the patrot act. Quit
    > being
    > so damn paranoid.


    The "paranoid" card. I see.

    Guess I imagined that my billing address on my account in 2000/2001 was
    my PO box.

    Guess I Imagined that they demanded I change my billing address to my
    street address (which I prefer to not use as it contains a directional
    that, if left off or missed by the postal carrier, means my mail goes to
    another house). Must have been the paranoia...


    > Have you never heard of the concept of TAXES? The
    > tax rate is determined by your home address.


    That has little to do with matching a billing address of a CC to the
    shipping address of a phone that isn't even activated. Wouldn't wanna
    pay the wrong taxes on that no-plan phone that might just be a gift
    being sent to another state. Oh the horror...

    Regardless, this doesn't address the OP's question about SSN.


    --
    Mike





  9. #9
    Der.Merovingian
    Guest

    Re: SS# needed to simply buy a phone?

    On 2006-11-03 13:35:25 -0500, "Steven J. Sobol" <[email protected]> said:

    > In article <[email protected]>, ShadowGod wrote:
    >> I placed an order online for a Sanyo 8400 at the Sprint website. I
    >> paid the full price, I just wanted the phone. Some lady calls and asks
    >> for my Social Security number? I just wanted the phone, no plan
    >> changes, no activation, etc. I can see if they needed my SS# if I
    >> wanted to activate the phone, buy just to buy it? Ridiculous. So I
    >> cancelled the order.

    >
    > They normally need some kind of ID to make changes to the account (yes,
    > ordering a replacement phone is a change), but they ask you for the last
    > four digits, or at least they always did, and I ended up setting up a
    > password with them so I didn't even have to give out the last four
    > digits.
    >
    > I had a Sprint PCS account for about five years and was never asked to give
    > the whole ssn except initially for the credit check.
    > The lady called? was this a third-party verification service? Many companies
    > do that, especially companies selling long-distance services, where they get
    > fined for slamming if they don't verify that you asked to sign up...


    Doesn't make sense. He is paying full price, so there is absolutely no
    reason to ask for someone's SS# in this case. It's not as if he was
    somehow charging the phone to his Sprint account or anything of that
    sort, he is simply making a purchase of a cell phone at full price. And
    he wasn't making any changes to his account. Ordering a new phone (and
    at full price nonetheless) is NOT making changes to one's account.

    It's like walking into s Sprint store and saying i want to buy xxx
    phone at $350 (full price + tax) and the salesperson asking for your
    social. Why do you need it?

    B.S




  10. #10
    Steven J. Sobol
    Guest

    Re: SS# needed to simply buy a phone?

    In article <2006111121294275249-DerMero@NoSpamcom>, Der.Merovingian wrote:

    > It's like walking into s Sprint store and saying i want to buy xxx
    > phone at $350 (full price + tax) and the salesperson asking for your
    > social. Why do you need it?


    In your scenario, they DON'T need it.


    --
    Steve Sobol, Professional Geek ** Java/VB/VC/PHP/Perl ** Linux/*BSD/Windows
    Victorville, California PGP:0xE3AE35ED

    It's all fun and games until someone starts a bonfire in the living room.



  • Similar Threads