Do you think amazon is calling the utility bill companys?

[Icecream445]

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?

[Beautiful]

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

[Icecream445]

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.

[Beautiful]

Exactly, very possible they could be recording numbers

[rsot]

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

[cobaogio7]

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.

[fredy]

Originally Posted by Icecream445

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?

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.

[Icecream445]

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.

[fredy]

Originally Posted by Icecream445

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.

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

[saiko1]

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.

[Icecream445]

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.

[Icecream445]

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 ⊗⊗⊗⊗.

[JamesNorth101]

Originally Posted by Icecream445

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 ⊗⊗⊗⊗.

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

[Icecream445]

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.

[JamesNorth101]

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

[Icecream445]

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

[JamesNorth101]

Originally Posted by Icecream445

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

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

[Icecream445]

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.

[MM78]

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.

[Icecream445]

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

[JamesNorth101]

Originally Posted by Icecream445

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

Anything is possible

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

[oompaloompa]

Originally Posted by Icecream445

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 ⊗⊗⊗⊗.

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.