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Do you divulge your PIN to VM customer care?

MacFett

Android Expert
Mar 28, 2011
3,236
740
Sietch Tabr
I sent a help request to Customer Care regarding the frequent 104 error on the Optimus Elite. Their response was:

Customer Care said:
Hello Erin,

Thanks for contacting Virgin Mobile Customer Care.

Due to an unusual high volume of e-mails recently, it has taking us
longer than expected to respond to your e-mail. We apologize for the
delayed response and for any inconvenience this has caused.

It is always our pleasure to help you with any concern that you may
have. In order to give you the most accurate information and also to be
able to access your account, we need you to please provide your six
digit account PIN as it was not included in your email.


Once we have that, we can get right to business and get you on your way.


If you need additional help, feel free to let us know how we can assist
further or contact us at 1-888-322-1122 (or *VM from your handset). You
can reach us Monday through Sunday from 4:00 AM - 9:00 PM PST. As a
reminder, please include your Virgin Mobile phone number and PIN on all
replies.

Thanks,

Meylin G.
Virgin Mobile At Your Service
Prepaid Unlimited Cell Phone Plans | Android | Smartphone | Broadband | Virgin Mobile

I'm rather bothered they would even ask for my PIN much less to tell me they can't help me without it and I let them know as much. I would understand asking for it if you had a PIN and an account password, but it is your password.

Have you in the past give them your PIN? Why or why not.
 
While I am not with Virgin Mobile, I cannot answer really.

I would like to offer some advice about PIN numbers and passwords....

Even if the e-mail you reference is from Virgin Mobile, personally, I would not send your PIN number or Password in an e-mail. If they really need your account info, I would call a valid Virgin Mobile Customer Service number and only give your account information over the phone.
 
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They require it for troubleshooting, without it they have no way off accessing your account info to see if there is a billing or provisioning problem on your account. As far as your particular error, have you tried running a hotspot on your phone? I know on the FB page people that have tried it with the Elite have run into numerous hard data lockups, many requiring a phone replacement to correct.
 
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The error for hotspot is 67 and no I have not.

I have had Blizzard troubleshoot my account without having to know my password. Same with Sony and many other companies. If their system is setup that way that is piss poor. Every other company tells you, "Our employees will never ask for your password."

And if viewing the account does require PIN access then there should be a password used to log in to the account for the customer.
 
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In their case, I bet they don't have a master control access system, they just log in with your info, as they are a call center for 50 different places in one, or not even a call center, just a person with a cell phone ;) [that no reservations show in india, had a guy driving their 3wheel motobike cab, while he took sprint customer service calls on his cell]

Though Id post your question on the VM USA facebook page, they seem to be johnny on the spot and they should have a good corp script sheet answer just waiting for you hehehehe
 
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FB > "Virgin Mobile USA Hi, we cannot access your account to assist you without you verifying your account. Whenever you call in or email us we will ask for your cell number and account pin. ^Aleeah B."


No one is debating that. What we are saying, however, is that they shouldn't need to ask for it (pin). It's shitty security. They can very well implement other means to verify the legitimacy of an account owner.
 
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FB > "Virgin Mobile USA Hi, we cannot access your account to assist you without you verifying your account. Whenever you call in or email us we will ask for your cell number and account pin. ^Aleeah B."
This is my point there are many other ways for them to verify the account such as a password as well as the pin one to login with and one to give to customer service. We had an IT company fired from a company I worked because they continually asked employees for their passwords because it was easier for them then to do it correctly.


Sorry to derail.. MacFett do you still Wow?
No, not really. I log in every now and again but my server is dead (Onxyia).
 
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They no longer text to what it was changed, I just changed mine because a payment was added to my account and then my month was restarted 2 days after it automatically started.

The text I received merely stated that my PIN was changed.

Don't know...I received an email indicating it was changed and then quite some time later a text indicating what it was changed to...
 
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Don't know...I received an email indicating it was changed and then quite some time later a text indicating what it was changed to...

They no longer text to what it was changed

This. ^

I changed mine recently (when I updated my new address), and the text I received merely stated it was changed. The text did not include what I changed it to.
 
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There are other means to verify an account other than asking for the account password. A few are: the last 4 digits on your credit card (if you have one), the first and last name on the account, the alternate phone number, parts of the home address, birthday etc. etc. etc. Generally no major company will ever ever ever ask you for your password.
 
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There are other means to verify an account other than asking for the account password. A few are: the last 4 digits on your credit card (if you have one), the first and last name on the account, the alternate phone number, parts of the home address, birthday etc. etc. etc. Generally no major company will ever ever ever ask you for your password.

:dito:

Also, as I mentioned previously, if Virgin Mobile is required to have either your PIN or your password to trouble-shoot, I would only do so over the phone on a valid Virgin Mobile customer service number.

The reason is the e-mail is not secure unless it is encrypted, like corporate e-mail.
 
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Also, as I mentioned previously, if Virgin Mobile is required to have either your PIN or your password to trouble-shoot, I would only do so over the phone on a valid Virgin Mobile customer service number.

Exactly.
:D

Until they tell you to reset the phone, which would then cause you to lose the call since you are using said phone...
Happened to me once, and they said I had to call back using another phone. Luckily I could use my wife's phone, but if you don't have that option, it's annoying.
 
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No one is debating that. What we are saying, however, is that they shouldn't need to ask for it (pin). It's shitty security. They can very well implement other means to verify the legitimacy of an account owner.
no its not. they have that info on their screen. you are not telling them something they dont already have access to. They just want to make sure they are speaking with the account holder
 
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