cancel
Showing results for 
Search instead for 
Did you mean: 

Changes to how you verify that you’re the account owner

Alan_K
Deputy Mayor / Adjoint au Maire

Hey Community,

 

Respecting your privacy and taking great care to safeguard your personal information is of utmost importance to us. Along these lines, we are introducing an enhancement to how we verify that you’re the account owner. This new process provides even more security for your private information and reduces the time you’ll spend with our Moderator Team confirming you are the account owner.  

 

Starting December 21, 2018, here’s how the new process will work:

 

  1. After you privately message our Moderator Team about a question that requires you to verify that you are the account owner, our support team will reply with a unique link to a secure online form.
  2. You will need to provide either your Public Mobile:
    1. Self-Serve username and password, or
    2. Phone number and 5 digit verification code that you’ll receive to the number provided
  3. If you are unable to verify using the options above, our Moderator Team will share an alternative option we have available for you.
  4. After you’ve provided the information, please reply to the existing private message thread you have with our Moderator Team, and they will provide you with full support.

 

-Public Mobile Community Team

 

 

FAQs

Spoiler

Q: What are some examples of requests that require me to confirm I am the account owner before a Moderator can help me?

A: Here are a couple of examples:

  • You would like to change your Self-Serve email address, or make other Self-Serve account changes that you are unable to do yourself.
  • Your earned Rewards are not showing up.
  • You need further assistance with your number transfer from another phone carrier.

 

Q: I’ve found myself in the scenario where I don’t have access to my phone and I can’t recall my Self-Serve username and password. How can I confirm that I’m the account owner in this circumstance?

A: Great question. We hope that you don’t find yourself in this situation, but, if you’re in this pickle, we do have a solution for you. First, if you are unable to authenticate because you’ve forgotten your Self-Serve password, please try resetting it here. If this doesn’t resolve things, please let our Moderator Team know that you’ll need to validate using an alternative method.

Q: Where can I read more about Public Mobile’s privacy policies?

A: Your privacy is important to us, and we’re committed to protecting your personal information. In addition, we believe that an important part of protecting privacy is to be clear about how we handle customers' personal information, and to make information about our approach easily accessible. To learn more about how Public Mobile and its affiliated companies use personal information for client service, marketing and product development purposes, you can review our Privacy Policy.

 

52 REPLIES 52

imm1304
Retired Oracle / Oracle Retraité

@krazykiwi wrote:


I even tried private messaging this op, because they were not replying to my responses on here, and the reply was incoherent. After that no replies...


I thought it was interesting that a couple of brand new community accounts showing anger and trashing PM.  If something was important enough to trigger emotional outbursts like these, I wish they did their homework beforehand and learned how to get help or pick a more suitable carrier.  


@imm1304 wrote:

Slow down, @VERYANGRY!

 

Whats the problem?  

Do you have an account with Public Mobile? 

If yes, are you seeing this $65 charge on the credit card you have provided to Public Mobile?

Its rare but sometimes there is a glitch with the activation portal or payment processing.  

 

Easiest solution is to write a private message to @CS_Agent and get help.  The mods will make sure that you are happy and any error will be rectified.  

 


I even tried private messaging this op, because they were not replying to my responses on here, and the reply was incoherent. After that no replies...

imm1304
Retired Oracle / Oracle Retraité

Slow down, @VERYANGRY!

 

Whats the problem?  

Do you have an account with Public Mobile? 

If yes, are you seeing this $65 charge on the credit card you have provided to Public Mobile?

Its rare but sometimes there is a glitch with the activation portal or payment processing.  

 

Easiest solution is to write a private message to @CS_Agent and get help.  The mods will make sure that you are happy and any error will be rectified.  

 

VERYANGRY
Good Citizen / Bon Citoyen
  • I WANT FULL REFUND SENT TO ME IMMEDIATELY. YOU F....... G THIEVES.
  • NEVER USED THEIR SERVICE AND THEY GOT MY VISA NUMBER AND STOLE $65 FROM MY VISA ACCOUNT.PUBLIC MOBILE PEOPLE ARE BUNCH OF THIEVES AND HAVE FRAUDULENTLY CHARGED ME 65$ ON MY VISA. I AM GOING TO REPORT THEM TO THE AUTHORITIES. DO NOT SIGN THIS FRAUD COMPANY

Watoko
Deputy Mayor / Adjoint au Maire

Great change, I think this will be much more efficient!

sa7375
Town Hero / Héro de la Ville

@kav2001c wrote:

Question #1

@Alan_K

Is this system *automated*?

 

I am a bit concerned if this new method requires Mods to respond back to EVERY support request (doubling number of messages required, as well as possibly impacting response times)

 

Question #2

Why not just scrap the entire "send a private message to Mod"?

Seriously

 

It seems far easier to go the route your competitors have chosen

(EG, *REQUIRE* login to self serve account, THEN click a button to submit request)

 

 Seeing as this message board community is in no way tied to our actual Public accounts I think it is well past time that method of support is scrapped

 

 


Logging in to Self-serve account and writing directly to the Moderators (through a new button) will surely be far more secure and time saving. 

 


@kav2001c wrote:

@computergeek541

I was actually comparing to Fido

Freedom system is so incredibly insecure as to make old Public system look good

 

You can gain access to ANY Freedom account with a 4 digit pin only

VERY easy to brute force hack that

 


@kav2001cNot anymore. They changed the way it works about 3 months ago at freedom, once you figure out that 4 digit code you have 2nd authorization code (good for X minutes) e-mailed or sent as a text message unless you are using the same computer as previously registered with a successful login.

@computergeek541

I was actually comparing to Fido

Freedom system is so incredibly insecure as to make old Public system look good

 

You can gain access to ANY Freedom account with a 4 digit pin only

VERY easy to brute force hack that

 

AR-IM
Great Neighbour / Super Voisin

Awesome, very helpful  

srlawren
Retired Oracle / Oracle Retraité

@will13am wrote:

This authentication seems similar to the authentication used by the dog brand for live chat interactions where the agent asks for the phone number associated with the interaction. 


@will13am thanks for bringing that up, I was going to mention that too

 


@will13am wrote:

I see this process potentially increasing the complexity and adding to response time, unless...  this is the beginning of a transition to live chat as a replacement for the current private messaging system. 


@will13am this underscores the need for the help request process to be improved...whether that's through live chat, a ticketting system, or even a more guided web form that asks structured questions and then immediately asks for this verification info up front.  There is significant work left to be done, as the free-form approach currently in place isn't good enough.


>>> ALERT: I am not a moderator. For account or activation assistance, please click here.

shartomjam
Town Hero / Héro de la Ville

It will be interesting to see how this plays out.  Adding to response time from the Moderators would certainly not be an improvement.  

will13am
Oracle
Oracle

This authentication seems similar to the authentication used by the dog brand for live chat interactions where the agent asks for the phone number associated with the interaction.  The customer is then sent a secure link to enter the PIN code.  Upon successfully supplying the PIN code gives the rep access to the account.  With live chat this authentication step is real time.  I see this process potentially increasing the complexity and adding to response time, unless...  this is the beginning of a transition to live chat as a replacement for the current private messaging system. 


@srlawren wrote:

@kav2001c wrote:

 

 

Question #2

Why not just scrap the entire "send a private message to Mod"?

Seriously

 

It seems far easier to go the route your competitors have chosen

(EG, *REQUIRE* login to self serve account, THEN click a button to submit request)

 

 Seeing as this message board community is in no way tied to our actual Public accounts I think it is well past time that method of support is scrapped


@kav2001c I'm hoping this is an interim step toward the full ticketing system, which I would imagine would replace private messaging the mods.  This is purely conjecture of course.

 

Your question #1 (which I did not quote, for brevity) is also extremely poignant, and leads quite naturally into quesiton 2.


I'm also wondering if this procedure is temporary.  It sounds like almost as if it's a band-aid solution to something that they've been made aware of.


@kav2001c wrote:

Question #1

@Alan_K

Is this system *automated*?

 

 

 

Question #2

Why not just scrap the entire "send a private message to Mod"?

Seriously


That's what I was just thinking and mentioned too.  The only think that I can think of is that they don't have a system in place.  If we have to supply certain infromation, prompt us for it when we are sending a message using some form and just get rid of the private messaging technique.

 

As to your point about our community account not always being linked to our self-serve account,  that's why I believe that Public Mobile should be e-mailing this verification link. This is what Freedom Mobile does, and while it's a bit of a pain, it does actually improve account security.

 

As for your idea of scrapping this online support model, I was mentioning earlier in the week how Chatr and Lucky's current plans are all now zone-free, and how they both have over-the-phone customer service available. 

Honestly, the way we can verifty our identities via account number, or by giving postal code, name, date of birth, usage history, top up amount, and whatever is not secure.  I think we all understand that and I know that you're trying to improve on that.  If someone wants to mess with someone else account just out of spite or whatnot, I believe that even many coworkers would have enough of the answers to pass the current security screening.  And I would say that if anyone who we've ever considered at one time to be a friend would have enough of that info.

 

However,  with more privacy and security comes inconvenience to the customer.  Someone who gets locked out of the account or needs help but needs to prove his/her identity will have a harder time getting anything done.  It's a tradeoff either way, and I hope that Public Mobile can find the right balance.

 

Am I to understand that the identifty verification link will be e-mail to the customer at the e-mail address registered with self-serve (meaning an increased necessity for users to make sure that the self- serve and community addresses are the same)?  That's the only way any improvement on security will be made. If the verification link is just sent back to the customer via community private message, I don't see a point to this.  How does that make things more secure - it doesn't. 

 

If the purpose of this is to make sure that customer know ahead of time that account verification needs to be done before any account changes are made, why not just re-institute the old "contact us" type form and automatically requires user to enter that information? 
Why the back and forth?

 

If this verification link will be automated, I'll view it only as a minor annoyance.  If it's not automated, this process will just add delay.

 

I understand the need for more privacy, but I am also concerned that this will add more time for moderator response.  The more back and forth interaction between customer and moderator just adds extra time.  Public mobile should monitor the time for moderator response/solution to problem before and after this new change.  Hopefully, it is just the start for smoother and faster interaction with moderator.  

srlawren
Retired Oracle / Oracle Retraité

@kav2001c wrote:

 

 

Question #2

Why not just scrap the entire "send a private message to Mod"?

Seriously

 

It seems far easier to go the route your competitors have chosen

(EG, *REQUIRE* login to self serve account, THEN click a button to submit request)

 

 Seeing as this message board community is in no way tied to our actual Public accounts I think it is well past time that method of support is scrapped


@kav2001c I'm hoping this is an interim step toward the full ticketing system, which I would imagine would replace private messaging the mods.  This is purely conjecture of course.

 

Your question #1 (which I did not quote, for brevity) is also extremely poignant, and leads quite naturally into quesiton 2.


>>> ALERT: I am not a moderator. For account or activation assistance, please click here.

Question #1

@Alan_K

Is this system *automated*?

 

I am a bit concerned if this new method requires Mods to respond back to EVERY support request (doubling number of messages required, as well as possibly impacting response times)

 

Question #2

Why not just scrap the entire "send a private message to Mod"?

Seriously

 

It seems far easier to go the route your competitors have chosen

(EG, *REQUIRE* login to self serve account, THEN click a button to submit request)

 

 Seeing as this message board community is in no way tied to our actual Public accounts I think it is well past time that method of support is scrapped

 

 

krazykiwi
Mayor / Maire

@Alan_K

A wonderful addition to the servuce. Thanks

Carld123
Deputy Mayor / Adjoint au Maire

@Alan_K

👍

RobertQc
Mayor / Maire

@Alan_KHopefully this does not effectively double the amount of time it takes to get help from a moderator. Having to wait for a moderator to manually "send this link" ... as a first response to help then it should be automated (and hopefully built into some sort of ticket system)... If it always takes a 2nd message to hear from the moderators actually regarding the issue this may be an extremely terrible idea... especially during times when wait times are exceeding 72 hours for 1 response.

 

To add this this, it would be nice to have "port validation" code added to our account. Many providers offer this service. To safe guard us from porting scam / fraud.

imm1304
Retired Oracle / Oracle Retraité

Hi @Alan_K!

This is a good move.  I am happy to know that it just got harder for someone else to mess with my account.  Thank you!  😄 

Need Help? Let's chat.