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Do you think amazon is calling the utility bill companys?
 

Does anyone think amazon calls the utility companies to verifiy the account numbers on them?Or do you think they use the account numbers on utility bills to link people?

Re: Do you think amazon is calling the utility bill companys?
 

Very possible that they can be doing that, but chances are they are not verifying anything just looking at it from the surface

Re: Do you think amazon is calling the utility bill companys?
 

Ive gotten some utility bill responses back in 10 minutes flat from sending documents .So im on the fence about them calling.I cant even call my utilitys myself and get through that fast,inless amazon has special juice with these utility companies.I feel like it would be illegal for them to call impersonating to be someone.But i definately do think they keep track of the account numbers on utilities,there are only so many major companies for utilities in the USA ,I dont think it would be hard for them.

Re: Do you think amazon is calling the utility bill companys?
 

Exactly, very possible they could be recording numbers

Re: Do you think amazon is calling the utility bill companys?
 

Welcome to the forum Icecream445 - all the best as you master ghost :thumb:

Re: Do you think amazon is calling the utility bill companys?
 

I think it's depend on the reps who review your Utility Bill, some are lazy , some are not. I had several cases that they took 5 days to approve my Utility Bill. But most will be done within 5 minutes when i submit the doc.

Re: Do you think amazon is calling the utility bill companys?
 

They don't call utility companies. Good quality scan of your utility bill is easy to pass their verification. If you send poor quality scan they will reject your bill.

Re: Do you think amazon is calling the utility bill companys?
 

Do you send in scans of the full document or just the main page that shows the primary billing information.Sometimes bills come with mutli pages.Im assuming the less the better.

Re: Do you think amazon is calling the utility bill companys?
 

Send multiple pages of your bill using PDF format, Amazon likes PDF files, cos they look more genuine than just JPG files

Re: Do you think amazon is calling the utility bill companys?
 

There's no way they're calling the utility companies. They may do it the first time they see a new company just to verify that the utility exists, but that would be it. Think about it - do you think the utility is going to answer questions from an unrelated company (Amazon) regarding an account not linked to them? Not happening. At best, Amazon is comparing the look of the bill to others it has received to ensure they look the same. If your electric bill from Utility "A" doesn't match the other 100 PDFs they already have, then it will get rejected and probably flagged as inauthentic. I'm sure they also try to spot check obvious changes and that the info on it has to match up with your account.

Re: Do you think amazon is calling the utility bill companys?
 

Well I figured that people modify the bills to show different account numbers,because I do think they may be keeping track of that. They could call and speak to a rep.The first thing a rep will ask for is Name which is on Bill and the account number,and when the rep says we cant find an account in that name or number thats all amazon needs to know to decline.Ok thankyou and hangup.Anyone can do that if you have the proper info.

Re: Do you think amazon is calling the utility bill companys?
 

Some of these utility companies have livechat right on their websites where you can get help right there.I know cox cable does.First thing they ask for is name and account number.If rep says this account number doesnt come up,amazon knows it is ⊗⊗⊗⊗.

Re: Do you think amazon is calling the utility bill companys?
 

Amazon wont be doing that.... they just wont

Re: Do you think amazon is calling the utility bill companys?
 

I feel you james,I dont think they are or will only because the amount of time per doc that would take.It was just a thought I had,because it is possible to verify it that way.But I always asked myself whats the point of a utility bill,What could that verify that a government ID and a bank statement couldnt already prove about the new sign up.

Re: Do you think amazon is calling the utility bill companys?
 

As far as I know they cannot phone companies and verify information with them due to data protection laws.

I stand to be corrected but that is my understanding

Re: Do you think amazon is calling the utility bill companys?
 

I once got a account verified without sending the utility request.I wrote to amazon I already sent in the ID and bank state.Why do you need a utility bill,should I mail you sample of my Dna too! Like 20 minutes later they approved the account lol

Re: Do you think amazon is calling the utility bill companys?
 

Seems like an unlikely event... but cool if it happened!

Re: Do you think amazon is calling the utility bill companys?
 

If I can find that account Ill screen shot the emails.But back to the phone thing.Thats my whole point ,like you said phone companies verify info due to protection laws so do the other utility bill companies.So your right on that part.But when you call any phone or utility company first thing they will ask you for is the account number, name,address associated which will obviously show on the bill statement which you sent amazon.The utility company has to ask this first other wise how do they know whom their speaking to on the phone to even give a verification test.This would be a easy way for amazon to know right off the bat if someone sent a doc in with a false account number.The utility rep will tell you at the very least if that account number you gave them isnt existent,they may even ask you to repeat the number.If I was a amazon rep that would be all I need to know a document was forged.I dont think that would take them more then 10 minutes with any utility bill company.

Re: Do you think amazon is calling the utility bill companys?
 

Let's be honest, calling ANY utility Company can be a pain the ass. I highly doubt that Amazon has some super secret direct number to any Utility Company where a customer support agent answers in seconds.

Re: Do you think amazon is calling the utility bill companys?
 

I actually agree with you.The idea maybe impractical for now,but not impossible.

Re: Do you think amazon is calling the utility bill companys?
 

Anything is possible

Amazon could track all our movements via drones and cats that they have paid to follow us.... :spy::spy: but its unlikely

Re: Do you think amazon is calling the utility bill companys?
 

they would have to be pretending to be the bill payer on livechat, as livechat is just for buyer comms in terms of account access - thats dishonest/possibly illegal. So doubt they do that.

Re: Do you think amazon is calling the utility bill companys?
 

Re: Do you think amazon is calling the utility bill companys?
 

They are not calling. I just did a test with my own. I called Comcast and told them I needed to "verify" a utility bill. The rep was not sure what I meant, but told me that unless I am the account holder they could not provide any information.

Re: Do you think amazon is calling the utility bill companys?
 

LOL

Of course Amazon cannot verify Utility Bills direct with NPower, United Utilities etc etc etc...

Although I had my Lunch an hour later than usual today. They might be aware from the extra energy usage from the Kettle and Microwave.

Paranoia.....

Re: Do you think amazon is calling the utility bill companys?
 

Amazon is actually the reason that you had your lunch an hour late.... they arranged it

Re: Do you think amazon is calling the utility bill companys?
 

I'm also a Russian Bot programmed to bring the whole House of Cards down from within.

:lol:

Got to laugh or you would go mad sometimes.

Re: Do you think amazon is calling the utility bill companys?
 

You know thats not what I meant.Obviously you wouldnt tell the utility company that your not the owner of the account.Amazon is known to sometimes call your distributors when you send in invoices,so I dont see what would be different.But as I mentioned I dont really think they are going that far ,i just wanted to cross it off my list of possibilities.

Re: Do you think amazon is calling the utility bill companys?
 

Amazon are not going to call utility bills presenting to be people they are not. It’s just not going to happen so you can cross it off

Re: Do you think amazon is calling the utility bill companys?
 

The question has been answered. It has been confirmed by Pro members that Amazon won't call utility companies.

Re: Do you think amazon is calling the utility bill companys?
 

What about using virtual office or mailbox rental address? Amazon can easily map the place out and see if it's actual resident address. Have any of you guys had successfully verified using these addresses?

Re: Do you think amazon is calling the utility bill companys?
 

The utility companies won't give a 3rd party any info unless they claim you're the one who calls them and amazon can't do such step , this is the situation in germany , i don't know how would it work for other countries .

Re: Do you think amazon is calling the utility bill companys?
 

Heres an example of how they could verify an utility bill without even calling.National grid for example control 90 percent of the electric/gas customers in New york,Rhode Island and Massachusetts.If they wanted to confirm wether someone was editing docs they would only need this link to confirm whether the utility bill had real info.
https://paynow7.speedpay.com/NationalGrid/index.asp
This is national grids online bill pay link which can be accessed without logging into the main utility account or without having to call.All it requires to pay yours or someones bill is the Account number which shows on the utility bill and the first 4 letters of the last name which shows on the utility bill as well,this doesnt require any other password at all.Meaning the only way it wouldnt allow you to access the bill paying feature is if your forged ⊗⊗⊗⊗ info on the utility.National grid will tell them right away that this account doesnt exist.Be my guest and test out this link.You can get to this link from nationgrids main site,and click pay by credit card.

Re: Do you think amazon is calling the utility bill companys?
 

That's interesting but the majority of utility companies don't have anything like that in the USA

I don't think they are doing that at all

They are probably looking at the account as a whole and determining if its a high risk one or not

Re: Do you think amazon is calling the utility bill companys?
 

Your partly right ,most utilitys dont have a Online version of this system like national grid.But verizon fios,cox cable and comcast have a automated system when you call the support number.You can call and get all the information you need from the robotic system without having to speak to a real person.I have service with all three,i so did a test with those too.It took three minutes for each call to verifiy if the account numbers on the billing statements were real or ⊗⊗⊗⊗.I guarentee if you were too send me 2 different utility bills one using real information and the other using bogus information ,it would only take me a few minutes to find out which is real and which is ⊗⊗⊗⊗.

Re: Do you think amazon is calling the utility bill companys?
 

^^^

I have comcast myself and i know that they are a bitch when giving out information, even from it's own account holder. I have no idea what u did to make it so easy to verify.

Re: Do you think amazon is calling the utility bill companys?
 

Comcast is now one of the top internet provider in the usa covering 18 total states.So you can assume amazon gets a lot of those bills.Heres the support number 1 (800) 934-6489.Call and speak with the automated system only until it ask you to enter the account number.Guarentee itll tell you whether the account is valid or invalid.It takes 2 minutes max ,you dont even have to speak to a rep.

Re: Do you think amazon is calling the utility bill companys?
 

Glacier call the comcastsupport number from a phone not registered to your comcast account.Number is 1 (800) 934-6489 .Or if you call and the automated system ask if you if this phone number is the account you are calling about tell it "no".Itll take you to a different set of automated options which is where you can verify if a account number is real .When it ask you to enter your account number do it twice ,enter a ⊗⊗⊗⊗ number and see what the automated system responds.Then enter your real account number and see the automated system responds.You will be surprise how quick it is and that it reveals whether your using a real comcast account or just a bunch of made up numbers.

Re: Do you think amazon is calling the utility bill companys?
 

Somebody else please confirm.Here is verizon fios online bill pay,same as the national grid .All you need is the account number and zipcode to access someones account which would be on the utility bill.
https://www.verizon.com/expresspay/?src=C#/auth

Re: Do you think amazon is calling the utility bill companys?
 

Not only does the comcast automated phone system reveal whether your account number is a real account or not,it also reveals the address of service once you enter in a correct one.