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LamarWashington's profile

Mentor

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3 Messages

Tuesday, May 22nd, 2012 12:57 AM

Closed

AT&T, privacy, and business ethics

I just got this email from AT&T about my CPNI usage. Apparently they want to use my private info for marketing purposes. Here's what's wrong with that.

I'm already a customer, leave me alone. Stop advertising new services and products to your own customers it's an annoying waste that clutters the website, my inbox, and wastes time when calling customer service.

Second, they were going to take my private info anyway if I did not respond the long, confusing e-mail with unfamiliar abbreviations like CPNI. They are profiting from every instance of non-response. Most people don't have the time or don't care enough to contact AT&T and request not to have their privacy invaded.

The language used is deceptive: "By checking this box I am requesting that AT&T restrict the use of my CPNI." that's the quote. See, it seems like they are restricting you, because of the purposefully confusing language. In reality, they are being restricted. I wonder what they have to gain that they would phrase it in a backwards way like this, surely AT&T has no concern for clarity when communicating with customers.

Bad show guys. Most people aren't going to notice, the rest probably won't care, but I hope there are a few people who demand more from a company they pay thousands of dollars to annually.

Accepted Solution

Official Solution

Teacher

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4 Messages

12 years ago

Here is the link to the page to STOP AT&t from using CPNI from your account: https://www.att.com/ecpnioptout/InitiateCPNIForm.action It's really wrong that this link is not being left up by the admin.

Mentor

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3 Messages

12 years ago

Oh yeah if you want to opt-out be sure to have your account number. I had to look mine up because I have never needed it for any interaction with AT&T ever.

Former Community Manager

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5.2K Messages

12 years ago

Thanks for your feedback about the email you received, I appreciate it. Though I'm sorry you were not happy with the email or process, I'm glad you took the time to let us know how you felt about the overall experience. 

 

You can always adjust your marketing preferences on att.com by logging into your account and editing those preferences on your profile page. Here's an article with a bit more information.

 

 

Teacher

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1 Message

12 years ago

As a customer, I am appalled that you would share my information if I did not opt out. You should make it an opt-in so that you have to make a conscious choice to do so. Why must AT&T take advantage of users? Bad on you AT&T, it may not mean much to you but when my contract is up I will take my business elsewhere.

 

 

Professor

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2.4K Messages

12 years ago

They only share your info within the company if its any consolation.

Teacher

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1 Message

12 years ago

I completely agree with Lamar.  Your email says if I want AT&T to use my CPNI, I don't need to do anything.  You are making me do something in order to protect my privacy?!?!   My General Marketing preferences already say not to send me anything.  Will I need to keep checking them after 33 days in order to find out if you have changed them?  This is not what I consider good customer service.  It doesn't sound as though you really believe that the "protection of our customers' privacy is of utmost importance."  

 

Also, I am a careful internet user.  I did not want to click on the link in your email, so I logged on to my account.  Was there a link to respond to this CPNI request?  No!  And when I searched for "cpni" all I got was a link to this forum.  Very poor.  

Teacher

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1 Message

12 years ago

Congrats AT&T, you set a new low for customer service. No, it doesn't matter that the info is only shared internally - the way you implemented this policy is transparently and comically sleezy. I'll be moving to another carrier soon.

 

 

Tutor

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4 Messages

12 years ago

Thanx for posting this LamarWashington, as another poster noted, when you search ALL of ATT, the ONLY link to CPNI is this post. Amazing bait and switch! Also, look at how many posters to this thread have posted only 1-3 times. ATT has found new ways to activate grass-roots complaints against them!

I do want to thank jamileh for posting a link on where to go to check your marketing options.

Tutor

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1 Message

12 years ago

I try to, whenever possible, not click links in emails, especially if they are asking me for information. In this case, the link I'm taken to only asks for my account number and zip code. I tried to find a link on the AT&T website to decline the sharing of our CPNI, but was only able to find these community messages. We already have our marketing preferences set to "no" (blank). Is this sufficient? And if so, why send out that email telling us we need to opt out?

Tutor

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1 Message

12 years ago

It looks like they got that fixed.  I searched on the website for CPNI, and got a link to the page where you can opt out.  However.....when I went to my profile, I had to opt out for all three phone numbers on my account.  This is wrong, wrong, wrong!  If I, as the owner of the account, do not want to be solicited, that should automatically apply to all the numbers on my account.  I shouldn't have to jump through a bunch of hoops to make sure that my husband and mother in law don't receive calls and text messages!

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