My husband’s iPhone was stolen last week while he was working out at the gym. After notifying the manger and contacting THE SERVICE PROVIDER (whose name is not fit to mention!) to report it missing, he waited a few days to see if it would turn up. Nothing.
When he went into THE SERVICE PROVIDER'S store to research his options, he witnessed another customer bring in an iPhone that was “found” at a job site. When the guy asked if he could re-activate the phone for himself, THE SERVICE PROVIDER obliged. No questions asked. Meanwhile, my husband had no option but to buy a replacement phone.
So, let’s get this straight: THE SERVICE PROVIDER tells my husband there is nothing they can do to help him track and/or disable his stolen phone from being reactivated—but they willingly reactivate “found”/stolen phones in their stores. I don’t get it. I mean, it seems like THE SERVICE PROVIDER is profiting from theft.
Afterwards, we tried to figure out if there was a way to blacklist my husband’s stolen iPhone from being reactivated. What we found was fairly discouraging.
Even if we called Apple and had them blacklist the IMEI number, couldn’t a savvy thief simply get a new SIM card and then reactivate the phone? I guess we could have installed a tracking app before it got stolen, but isn’t that sorta pointless, too? The police don’t have time to chase down every stolen phone and it’s not like we were going to show up on the thief’s doorstep and kindly ask him to return the stolen goods.
I mean, I understand that THE SERVICE PROVIDER can’t exactly operate as a police station—confiscating stolen phones every time they are brought in for reactivation. With the high volume of stolen and lost phones, I don’t expect Apple or THE SERVICE PROVIDER to provide extensive warranty and insurance services.
But at the very least, shouldn’t there be some sort of protection for consumers who have honestly purchased phones and contracts? Would it be so difficult to refuse reactivation on a stolen phone? By allowing stolen phones to be re-registered on their network, doesn’t THE SERVICE PROVIDER create an economy that condones—if not encourages—phone theft?
Honest consumers should be protected because losing a phone also poses a personal security risk. If users haven’t activated the passcode lock on their iPhone, a thief could have access to sensitive information like passwords, texts and family pictures.
In my husband’s situation, he didn’t have his passcode on when the phone was stolen but he had been diligent about syncing his phone to our home computer so we didn’t lose anything significant. In the aftermath of the theft, I also discovered a security app called iRedHanded that allow users to remote-delete sensitive information from their phones.
I guess the lesson here is that consumers should take steps to protect themselves and the information stored on their phones without expecting THE SERVICE PROVIDER to back them up in case of theft.
It's pretty clear that THE SERVICE PROVIDER cares about its bottom line, but could really care less about their honest customers.
And all this in addition to their crappy coverage and repeatedly dropped calls.
O, Verizon. Why did I ever forsake thee?
Does your cell phone service provide coverage and/or insurance for lost or stolen phones?
What can be done to protect honest consumers?
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The 7 Stages of Blog Grief {a handy guide to pathetically freaking out all over the Internet}}
So, my blog went down sometime Friday afternoon (thank God it wasn't a Monday, am I right?). But THAT didn't prevent me from having a HUGE freak-out.
In order to redeem my stupidity, I'm dissecting the 7 stages of blog grief for you. Just so you'll know what to expect when (NOT IF) your blog goes down.
1. Shock/Denial: when @adam_thedad tweeted me that he couldn't see my site. I was all taken aback. Hence, my brilliant response:
2. Calm, cool acceptance: it's time to notify everyone involved that yes, a tragic accident has occurred. Be professional. Use correct grammar.
3. Mood swings: even though you know it's not your fault and that the problem will probably get fixed, you start getting all irrational and worrying incessantly that nothing will ever be the same again.
4. Anger/Questioning Everything: if you find out that the problem is a result of a massive "malicious attack" on your host's company site, just launch over the cliff into full-blown meltdown. Triple-tweet your distress (expect people to offer you cheese with your whine because OBVIOUSLY, lame "first-world" problems.).
5. Start crying literal tears about your virtual problem: your non-blog-reading husband is sure to COMPLETELY understand.
6. Realize that you've just shot your "Christian witness" to, um, Hades. Clearly, you think too highly of yourself and your blog's importance. Also? You said damn in one of your tweets. Time to go to Confession. How do I explain a "blog" to a priest?
7. When your blog comes back online, act like a war just ended and you SURVIVED! Go around kissing everyone (virtually). Commit acts of random capitalization. Pretend you're Sally Field winning an Oscar.
***Addendum, Disclaimers, ETC.***
The weirdest thing about all of this? It wasn't a fundie conspiracy to shut down my blog!
Also, I found out that some of you really DO love me. THANK YOU!
Lastly, my husband thinks I'm cute when I'm stressed out.
But I'm really not interested in looking cute again. ANYTIME SOON.
And now that you have proof of my clinical insanity, why not join the fun by subscribing to my blog? :)