[jvincent]

Yeah for me!

Just got back from a business trip and I have cell phone bills waiting for me from Bell, Fido, and Rogers for accounts that have been opened with my name and home address.

Now I get to spend the day on the phone sorting through the mess, checking with Equifax, etc.

Rogers customer center was actually open at 6AM this morning (kudos Rogers) and the fraud department will be getting back to me.

Bell and Fido aren't open yet.

Interestingly enough whoever opened the accounts, a total of nine phone numbers on the three accounts, went to the trouble of PIN locking the accounts so I can't disable them/access the account info.

 

[ScaryBob]

Identity theft? You might want to check your credit card accounts as well.

 

[jvincent]

Doesn't look like identity theft right now based on checking my accounts online and the detailed Equifax report.

From what I can tell they just used my name/address from the phone book to open the accounts.

The Bell account did not have my DOB, driver's license, or home phone number correct and when I got to FIDO the account had already been closed, likely by their fraud department.

I've got a live credit report check going for the next month or so.

 

[TorontoColin]

That's very odd. Is the point then to use those phones to commit fraud? Otherwise I don't understand the point of opening multiple accounts at the same time.

I wonder how they were able to do this without your ID. Whenever I've opened a post-paid account they've always needed ID.

 

[TKG26]

I wonder if all they where after was free hardware. Very scary either way

 

[smootherator]

most likely just a quick way to get cheap phones then turn around and sell them. Were they iphones and blackberries?

 

[mr weather]

Whoever activated them were completely derelect in their duties.

Or it was an inside job.

 

[jvincent]

I had the same question as TorontoColin. I was worried that my credit card and other information was compromised.

Only the Bell CSR was able to give me any detailed information about the accounts and it looks like they were transferred to my name/address. Not sure what that accomplishes other than a free phone.

From the statements, no new H/W was purchased but there were definitely Blackberries involved.

 

[TorontoColin]

Can't be an inside job at multiple carriers. Could be an over the phone activation. I've never done one before but I would assume you don't need ID in that case.

 

[jvincent]

Yeah, give the multiple carriers and the fact that they all looked to have happened within a day or two it's likely something shady.

Thankfully none of my real information seems to have been compromised.