davep@u.washington.edu (David Ptasnik) (02/15/91)
It would appear that anyone who knows your telephone number can get information about your Sprint account. Just call 1-800-877-4646, pick menu choices 1, 1, put in an area code and phone number, and up pops current account info. Despite Sprint's ability to integrate ANI from their 800 numbers with their customer data base, they have apparently chosen not to do so. I was able to access my current home balance from my work phone number. They do not have the number that I used associated with my account. Just for fun, I started dialing in the numbers of people I knew did NOT have Sprint accounts. To my surprise, they appear to only be looking at your seven digit number, perhaps using the area code to differentiate between different local numbers. When I put in one friend's number, the automated system asked if my Zip Code was nnnnn, giving an out of state Zip Code. On would think that they would at least have checked Zip Code vs. Area Code before giving me some stranger's account balance. I quickly called to complain. The service rep was very friendly, and was not happy that the service worked as I described. She promised a response in writing. I will keep you informed. What a tool for AT&T long distance sales reps. To find heavy Sprint users with current bills, just dial in the lead phone number, and check it out. Really saves time on the customer qualification process. :) davep@u.washington.edu [Moderator's Note: It appears there have already been some changes made. Choice '1' is no longer available from within the top level choice '1'. You press '1' to get automated information, but when you do the menu therein now starts with choice '2'. Apparently they are not giving account balances (was choice '1') automatically any longer. I tried 800-877-4646 both from a line which does not default to Sprint and from one that does. It worked the same way both times. No more choice '1' as an option. PAT]
telecom@eecs.nwu.edu (TELECOM Moderator) (02/16/91)
David Ptasnik <davep@u.washington.edu> writes: > It would appear that anyone who knows your telephone number can get > information about your Sprint account. Just call 1-800-877-4646, pick > menu choices 1, 1, put in an area code and phone number, and up pops > current account info. And I Noted: > [Moderator's Note: It appears there have already been some changes > made. Choice '1' is no longer available from within the top level > choice '1'. You press '1' to get automated information, but when you > do the menu therein now starts with choice '2'. Several of you replied, including Syd Weinstein <syd@dsi.com>; David Ptasnik <davep@u.washington.edu>; Nicholas J. Simicich <NJS@ibm.com>; and David E. Sheafer <nin15b0b@stan.merrimack.edu>. The response below from Syd Weinstein was typical: > Must have been a glitch, Pat, It works as David said from here, I > just tried it and called up several people's accounts. I tried it today and also got the (now infamous) 'choice one'. I assume what may happen is if the billing computer is down for updates, etc, then choice one is temporarily not offered. Thanks to all who pointed this out and confirmed Sprint is still giving everyone's account information to anyone who calls, whether they are entitled to the information or not. PAT