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mspampi's profile

Scholar

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78 Messages

Friday, March 16th, 2018 2:00 PM

Online Order Cancelled

I was looking to switch back to AT&T (had many years ago). I placed an order online via BYOD. I had a phone number to port, device, and SIM - the process was easy. Filled out all required info, had a quick credit check, and all was approved. I received an email stating the confirmation and that the number port/activation would complete 24-48 hours from that email. Excellent, almost stress free!

 

I then receive another email, 24 hours later, stating my order was cancelled for "security reasons" and that I should visit my nearest store. Huh? Ok, maybe AT&T is being extra careful for online orders. If that's the case, then why offer online orders to begin with? Or, why not call me to further verify who I am (banks normally do this).

 

Anyway, I decided to call customer service about it. First, I spoke with someone who stated they see the order, and its cancellation, but they're not sure why it was cancelled and that they'd transfer me to the Porting Department for status. Then, the porting department told me they see a very old account with my number (had AT&T many years ago), and that I do not have a current account. Of course not, that's the purpose of my call! She then stays on the line and looks to transfer me to ECOM. I enter my order number on the prompts and it states my order was cancelled because they did not have enough information to process the order. Um, really, you provide an online ordering system, which all fields and information asked is filled out, it gets "approved" yet you don't have enough information to process the order?! Again, CALL ME to attain further information, if that's the issue. Why cancel without my permission?

 

Now I'm on hold for a representative in ECOM. Once they get on the line they begin their usual prompt responses asking for order number and the purpose of my call. I provided the order number and purpose of my call, for the third time, and she rudely talks over me and asks for my account number (wow!). Since the call was going absolutely nowhere, I decided to hang up.

 

What a waste of an hour... Who can assist with this? I can PM my order number.

New Member

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6 Messages

3 years ago

Ridiculous! And MicChek why are you so keen on defending them? It is misleading. This customer tried to use their platform to order phones with their advertised promotion. If they can’t verify identities through online orders or phone orders then WHY offer this service? It’s a joke. Worst customer service I have ever interacted with. 

ACE - Expert

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13.7K Messages

3 years ago

@hartp Is it an online only promotion? If so, then you don't qualify. If it is advertised as available to everyone, then you should file a BBB complaint to make sure you met the requirements and the promotion will apply (promos are automatically applied if the qualifications are met). 

 

@waterlily9 As I stated earlier in the thread (2 years ago?), most customers have their identities verified online without issue. There are a few, like hartp, who must be identified in person. It stinks for those people, but it is what it is. Better to take extra measures to protect consumers than risk selling service and equipment to an identity thief. 

New Member

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9 Messages

3 years ago

I have had this exact same problem and I even brought my id into the store and the representative even called telling them I verified and not to cancel my order but they still did. At&t customer service is the worst.

New Member

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1 Message

3 years ago

August 2020. same issue. On my 4th order. They are making it really hard to become a customer. I have spent nearly 10 hours trying to become an AT&T customer. I think I have a sign coming from up above that I am not supposed to do business with this company. It's probably time to listen to this sign! 

New Member

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1 Message

3 years ago

Yeah. This is a real problem with AT&T. Same thing happened to me....twice. So after the first order was cancelled, I went into a store ready to get everything done. The store did not have the phone in stock..okay no problem. I asked if I could just get the same exact  order and plan from them, but they stated that this was an online only deal and that I should speak to the online sales team over the phone.... Okay kinda getting frustrating, but, I get it..no biggie, I'll just call the online sales team.

 

So I call the online sales team and was told the system could not verify something in the initial order, likely because of an address change or because I entered something incorrectly. They encouraged me to try the online process one more time. Well, I figured it was maybe an issue with my address since I was attempting to ship a phone to a temporary address, different from my billing address. 

 

So I go though the online process again, but this time I opt to pick up the phone at a store, figuring, that since I would just show them my two forms of Id when I get there, thereby eliminating the risk that this was a fraudulent purchase by someone other than me.  Everything went through ....was good, first payment came out of my bank account. The next morning I get yet another email that my order my cancelled...

 

I mean, Wow AT&T.  For a company this big, your processes are amazingly inconv enient and inefficient. Why not go though all that verification beforehand. And if the issue is truely that you could not verify that I was not the one who placed the order, and that I have to go to a store to rectify this, or prove my identity, why isn't there a system in place to allow people with that issue to get the same deal at the store?? Very broken system, and I would NEVER recommend you to anyone!! WORST buying experience of my life, and I rarely complain!!! It was simpler for me to buy a car than this!!!

New Member

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1 Message

3 years ago

This happened to me last night. I was an AT&T customer many many years ago, just got tired of Verizon so was going back to AT&T. Ordered the phone, took advantage of the online promotion, hit trade in older phone, all good. Everything processed and all happy and then I get the WELCOME to AT&T email, and the account activation e-mail, all of that jazz, and then VIOLA! I get a cancellation e-mail saying I must go into a store because they can't verify my info. Even though they did a credit check and that was fine. So I'm not wasting my time on the phone with a non responsive CS rep, no way. Going into a store where I'm sure I won't get the online promo and will have to pay a fortune more. Good times. Good times. I hate all of these companies, they just bait and switch you. 

New Member

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25 Messages

3 years ago

This is a common concern, usually you encounter problems like this if you create an account online. Since it is a new account, they need to ask for your social security and personal information to run a credit check which is not in the online process.

 

Much better to cancel your order online. Call customer service and order it over the phone. They will run a credit check for you. And viola! No need to do the store.

New Member

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2 Messages

3 years ago

Just had the same exact thing happen - Placed an online order that was cancelled due to 'security reasons' even though they sent me two different text verification codes and I had to sign in to my account using my User and Passcode! So, logged back on after my cancelation email to re-purchase my phone and the cancelled phone from my previous order is making me INELIGIBLE for an upgrade! They are literally asking me to pay for a phone that they never sent me in order to upgrade. 3 hours and counting on the phone with customer support, by far one of the worst customer service experiences I've ever had. A billion dollar Telecom company that takes 3 hours to cancel an order.

New Member

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1 Message

2 years ago

Similar situation just happened to me! I purchased a Samsung Fold 3 from Best Buy online on 8/26/21 as a At&T pre-order (new customer) and have waited weeks for the phone as it was on backorder. I finally recieve a phone call and email today to contact Best Buy stating the following:

Thomas, we need your help before fulfilling your mobile order!

Due to some issues activating the device(s) with your carrier, we’ll need to get in touch with you to verify some details so that we can identify the best next steps for your order.

Please call us within 48 hours to keep this order from being canceled.  

I call and the Best Buy cellular support agent says they just need to call AT&T. I wait 15 minutes and Best Buy agent comes back on and says AT&T says they don't have any details with this order and they needed to close the account. Meanwhile, I had to supply SS# for credit check when I purchased the phone so they had my information to begin the process as a new customer! They tell the agent to tell the customer to place another order to start a new process! Problem: I waited since August 26th! I used a promotional code for Trade-In that would give me $1000 off phone credited back over 3 years (AT&T sent me box to send trade-in to them upon activation of the new phone). Best Buy took $400 off phone as a pre-order! So a $1800 phone I was getting $1400 off and now they want me to cancel and lose every incentive! Does it surprise anybody? I told the agent from Best Buy to keep order open and would contact someone at a higher level. It does sound like a shady practice from other stories I have read here!

(edited)

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