Cell phone cloning

[Jack Springer]

My father's cell phone (verizon) has been cloned twice in the last 5 days. The second time was with a new phone number.

He is canceling the contract and getting a new phone and another new phone number.

Is this common? - Verizon didn't sound too upset. From what I've read it should happen to digital phones -- the phone is only about 6 months old.

Anything else we should be concerned about?

 

[Jack Springer]

Has anyone else had this happen to them -- very little info on the Internet.

 

[SwitchHit50]

I didn't know it was still going on.
I got cloned back in early Y2K but it hasn't happened again since. I was under the impression there were enough security measures where it wasn't (?) supposed to happen again.
Sorry to hear of your fathers' troubles!

 

[justright25]

The phone needs to be fully reprogrammed with a new number via their fraud department since they need to issue a new network identifier as well as a new number. It is sometimes possible to keep the existing number and just change the network identifier code. The phones using CDMA technology (Verizon & Sprint along w/ some smaller companies) cannot typically be cloned. They are typically cloned when using roaming services on an analog network or when traveling in a foreign country.

 

[Jack Springer]

My father finally got a new phone and new phone number yesterday. Verizon would not allow the local authorized retailer to make the changes -- he had to drive 60 miles to a Verizon store to get the new phone.

The more I look into it, it appears that Verizon has some internal security issues.

He lives in a rural area and the only choice for service is Verizon. Verizon practically accused him of using the phone in foreign areas -- he hasn't been out of the country for 20 years . . . . before he had a cell phone.

 

[justright25]

There must be another choice other than VZW. I refuse to speak badly of the competition so will reserve comment on how they handled the situation. At Sprint, we are able to program the phone over the air or guide the customer through the programming so that they do not drive that long of a distance. There should always be a way to accommodate a customer and never should there be a reason for the customer to accommodate the company. Anytime there are issues that are not the customer's fault, a process to ensure the customer's satisfaction should always be the priority.

 

[T-Rexx]

@Jack: I've never heard of anyone having his cell phone cloned. I think it's pretty rare. According to Wikipedia, it's more likely to happen with CDMA phones than with GSM.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phone_cloning

There should always be a way to accommodate a customer and never should there be a reason for the customer to accommodate the company. Anytime there are issues that are not the customer's fault, a process to ensure the customer's satisfaction should always be the priority.

Very noble words. Your obvious dedication is appreciated.

But I doubt that accommodating the customer has ever happened in the American cell phone industry.

[Just an example. I once had a Nextel phone (before the Sprint merger) stolen from my car. I reported the theft to Nextel immediately and was billed ~$500 to replace the phone and pay re-activation fees, etc.

The thief then activated the stolen phone for his own use on the Nextel network. Nextel billed me for the thief's activation fees. I continued to have the thief's monthly service charge added to my own bill for another three months - nothing I did or said could stop it. And nothing I did or said could get the thief's activation fees removed from my account.

I understand that companies like Nextel have so many customers that it must be impossible to keep track of all this stuff. But it is very frustrating when you are the worthless end user of the (rather expensive) product.]


Sorry to hijack this thread - I just had to rant.

 

[Jack Springer]

@Jack: I've never heard of anyone having his cell phone cloned. I think it's pretty rare. According to Wikipedia, it's more likely to happen with CDMA phones than with GSM.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phone_cloning




Very noble words. Your obvious dedication is appreciated.

But I doubt that accommodating the customer has ever happened in the American cell phone industry.

[Just an example. I once had a Nextel phone (before the Sprint merger) stolen from my car. I reported the theft to Nextel immediately and was billed ~$500 to replace the phone and pay re-activation fees, etc.

The thief then activated the stolen phone for his own use on the Nextel network. Nextel billed me for the thief's activation fees. I continued to have the thief's monthly service charge added to my own bill for another three months - nothing I did or said could stop it.

I understand that companies like Nextel have so many customers that it must be impossible to keep track of all this stuff. But it is very frustrating when you are the worthless end user of the product.]


Sorry to hijack this thread - I just had to rant.

No problem T. He got the new phone in January because the old carrier Alltel had been taken over by Verizon and they were telling people to get new phones.

We spent over 3.5 hours in the store getting the phone. With AT&T it's always been an easy thing for me to get service or a new phone.

I can't wait to see his bill to see what is on it.

 

[T-Rexx]

^ Yes, I have AT&T myself now. It's so easy to switch phones - just swap out the SIM card and go. I don't even have to contact AT&T to change phones!