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eddyg's profile

Teacher

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40 Messages

Saturday, August 9th, 2014 4:21 AM

Target kiosk Market Source requires customer ATT online password

Greetings,

This is an unusual problem. I have been an ATT/Cingular/Bellsouth Mobility customer since 1988. I have upgraded using loca corporate stores, online thru ATT, and resellers including Walmart, Best Buy and Target.

I have not had many issues and never had the following happen. Tonight at Target, I wanted to upgrade a line. After providing photo ID, last 4 of SS, confirming billing address, I was asked for my ATT online password. The password I use to check usage, pay account, check upgrades etc.

Target uses Market Source as a 3rd Party Vendor. Prior to last year, they used Radio Shack. The rep expalined to us--and by the way, my wife works at this Target location and knows the rep--if an online password has every been created, they needed it to check if account is current, eligible for upgrade, and to change over service. I balked at this. I have upgraded at this same store and all other places listed above and never had to provide a password so the representative could access my account.

I cannot remember how many times I have received emails reminding me NOT to provide account information and passwords to a person claiming to work for ATT either in an email or a phone call.

Has anyone had a similar experience?
Why can't Market Source access information like every other reseller?
What is going on with this?

I would like to buy from Target because they have Samsung Galaxy S4 for $0.01 (a penny) with 24 month contract extension. The line is, and has been eligible for upgrade. ATT and Best Buy have the phones for $79.99 and I would prefer to not spend the money.

Yes, I could provide the password and then hope I can immediately change it to prevent future access, but it goes against everything I have been taught and believe in. Passwords are for the customer's protection, not for 3rd party vendors.

Any thoughts?

Eddy

Former Community Manager

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10.4K Messages

10 years ago

 

Hello @eddyg ,

 

This is very odd, I wonder if their system was asking for your account passcode, not the online password, and the rep misunderstood something. Do you have a passcode set-up with AT&T? I would check that first. If you're still having issues and need help, you can send us a private message by clicking here and our team will be happy to assist.

 

Thanks,

Dmitriy

Teacher

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40 Messages

10 years ago

Dimitriy,

 

First, I don't know where the remainder of my response is from above, so I hope this one works.

It is not a passCODE. I have never established on nor have need for one. It is a passWORD. It is the one I use to access my account information from any computer or mobile. We have seen the screen and and it does require Market Source to enter this (if a passWORD) has ever been created by the customer to access their account.

As I stated, my wife works at Target and knows the MS representative (Aaron) and we do not believe he is doing anything wrong. I think this is an extra safeguard established by MS to protect THEMSELVES and not the customer. Just yesterday, another ATT customer complained while my wife was watching and they finally entered their password themselves. The manager of the the Kiosk (a MS representative, not Target employee) is of no assistance. When I told Aaron I was calling ATT, he said (paraphrasing) "They (ATT) will have no idea what you are talking about". He explained our system is "different".

I stopped by WalMart and asked them what they needed to review/upgrade my cell phone. She replied (1) photo ID, (2) last 4 of account holder's SS, verification of Billing address.

I am a disabled Marine and every bit of savings goes a long way. Target's sale ended SAT. They offered the S4 for only a penny. Everyone else has it for $80. Needless to say, we did not upgrade.

This needs to be pursued. Passwords are for customer protection, not the vendors. Business processes should make it easy (easier) for customers to do business with a company--not impede them. I wonder how many other customers--not just ATT, but Sprint and Verizon--that have walked away from Target and purchased from another vendor? This does not impact ATT directly, but it does impact your customers.

Please help me (1) get to the bottom of this (2) find a way to upgrade my this cell number.

I got my first "car phone" in 1988 with Bellsouth Mobility. I have never used another wireless carrier. I have been with BSM thru Cingular and now ATT. When I had a landline (starting in 1982), it was with a Bell/ATT company. My ISP is ATT and has been since 1996 or thereabout.

Tell me what you need from me, and I will do what I can.

Thanks,

Eddy

Former Community Manager

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10.4K Messages

10 years ago

 

Thank you for clarifying. I agree, this is very weird, as our customers don't have to set up an online account, it's optional, so what do they ask for in that case? Anyway, for account specific assistance, please use this link to send us a private message:

 

https://forums.att.com/t5/custom/page/page-id/my-profile?tab=messages¬eToUserId=192773

 

Thank you,

Dmitriy

Teacher

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40 Messages

10 years ago

I replied to this post last FRI, 15 AUG. My comment was visible the next day because I checked. Now it is gone. Did you not like what I wrote? I am going to write it again. I even waited over 24 hours to post here in an effort to allow LESLIE an opportunity to reply to my response. Never heard from her/him.

 

Dimitriy asked me to send a personal message. I did. It is listed first. After that is the response I got from LESLIE. It is obvious s/he did not read my message nor bothered to view the post in the forum. The last email is my response to LESLIE. One of AT&T's resellers is asking for the customer's ONLINE password and she tells me how I can upgrade at other places or ONLINE. REALLY? Did s/he read my email? Is ENGLISH her/his first language?

I cannot believe this is what passes for Customer Service. I have waited a week thinking someone might reply to my post. Instead, I find someone deleted it. I am taking screenshots this time. Don't delete things that you do not like or reflects poorly on a representative.

 

[Edited to comply with Privacy Guidelines - removed contents of Private messages]

 

 

Sent via the Samsung GALAXY S®4, an AT&T 4G LTE smartphone



ACE - Expert

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14.1K Messages

10 years ago

Leslie addressed the concern as she understood it. You were upset with the requirements to update at the reseller you chose, so she offered other means to upgrade that might be more to your liking. 

 

If that doesn't solve your problem, you should have replied with more specifics about your concern, not with...well, whatever that reply was.

 

BTW, if you take a look around the forums, it's quite clear neither AT&T nor the moderators here delete posts because of they might reflect poorly on AT&T. 

Teacher

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40 Messages

10 years ago

MicCheck,

I do not see how she could not understand what I wanted. However, let's back up for a moment. Dimitriy replied twice to my posts. After I clarified his concerns he posted the following:

Thank you for clarifying. I agree, this is very weird, as our customers don't have to set up an online account, it's optional, so what do they ask for in that case? Anyway, for account specific assistance, please use this link to send us a private message:

I sent a private message with an overview of the forum posts and provided my ACCOUNT SPECIFIC information. In the past when a ATT rep has suggested a private message (three previous times), that same rep is the one that replied to my private message. There was adequate information within the private message indicating the probem. Any area that was not completly understood by the reader, should have been addressed and clarified PRIOR to suggesting I buy online or another reseller. At the very least, in an attempt to understand the issue, Leslie could have reviewed the forum post. Not all that hard to do. In the posts I state clearly my wants/needs. Simply put, I was unable to purchase the S4 for a penny. Other resellers including ATT, had it from $70 to $80. Also, I want someone at ATT to directly contact Market Source to correct their process after reading this information or provide me with the name of a senior manager at ATT that I can contact to discuss this matter and then have them correct the process. If and when the problem was corrected, then perhaps Market Source would have paid the difference between my purchase from Target for a penny and the current price.

Additionally, while I was in the store I called ATT Customer Service and during the 20 minute conversation, she spoke with her supervisor (or at least a person standing beside her pretending to be her supervisor) and advised me to NOT GIVE THEM my password. ATT resellers have direct access to customer records. She suggested I contact a local ATT store and/or post on the forums in an attempt to learn learn of others with similar problems and have the concern escalated within ATT to a person that could correct the reseller.

Furthermore, in the forum posts I exlpain my long history (since 1998 in Atlanta with Bellsouth Mobility) with ATT mobile devices. She also had my account information and should have seen that the current number has been active/changed since 1994 in Huntsville, AL area. Not a huge leap to infer this customer has had to upgrade a line or two in that length of time.

I replied to her message and waited over 24 hours and she did not reply. The fact my name was spelled incorrectly, just demonstrates lack of attention to detail. Perhaps since my disablilty, that is no longer important in business. Who knows?

[Edited to comply with Guidelines]

Regardless, ATT still has not done anything to put me in contact with anyone that can look into this. Market Source is still requesting customer passwords and without them, they cannot assist customers. The entire thread and private messages is about that.

My wife told me of another ATT customer that refused to provide her online password this week and she left Target and was rather upset. Would you give your online password to a stranger that every other reseller already has access to? What if you have direct or auto pay and they look at your banking information? Most people would choose to walk.

Tutor

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4 Messages

9 years ago

Eddy,

Sorry to hear about your trouble with Target Mobile and Marketsource. I hope you were able to get it sorted out.

Target Mobile (aka MarketSource) is a great place to conduct wireless upgrades and anything else you would do at a corporate carrier or authorized retailer location for the major carriers.

I cannot divulge specifics pertaining to AT&T or Marketsource policies and procedures here nor would it be appropriate, but suffice it to say there was no Foul play or malice involved here. I think what it all boils down to is a simple misunderstanding and perhaps insufficient training on both sides of this equation. you must understand that the wireless industry is filled with an ever changing Cadre of under-compensated, undereducated, overworked horde of SALES men and women. They are not usually technical nor financial and most certainly not legal experts (the last part is no fault of their own) nor should they be regarded as such.

If you have not figured out what caused your unfortunate experience, pm me for an objective explanation.

Take Care


Source: 5 yrs of cellular sales at multiple levels and 4 major carriers.

ACE - Sage

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116.6K Messages

9 years ago

@BobbyBoulders23

You are posting on 10 month old thread. Retailers are no longer permitted to process 2 year upgrades.

Tutor

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4 Messages

9 years ago

you are posting on am eight minute old reply. Retailers are permitted to process Next upgrades along with new service activations. And, if you are a regular at the retailer you shop with, your friendly rep can process your standard two year upgrade through the National Retail Referral Process and your new phone will arrive at your home within a few days.

So. What are you a professor of?


@eddyg

ACE - Sage

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116.6K Messages

9 years ago

Professor is a forum ranking, assigned by ATT.
I am well aware of ATT policies and procedures.
Including forum procedures of not digging up antique threads.
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