US Cable Support > Comcast HSI > Why do they want my social security number?

Why do they want my social security number?

Credit check...

Don't like them ? Don't get service.

reply to damonlab

reply to damonlab
So they accidentally lose it or some lazy service person sells it on the black market. Trust me, the process you have through go to to fix anything with the government is hell. Everyone, as you can see on this forum, is more than happy to shell out their number so we have all these companies who "require" that you provide it to them.

reply to damonlab
This is so they can do a credit check. I didn't even know you could just pay a deposit in lieu of providing a SSN or I probably would have chosen this option. I have had service with them since they were AT&T ( Thank god that changed, I loath AT&T) so maybe that deposit option is new.

New for many years, sure.

reply to damonlab
They don't do credit checks in all markets. When I signed up years ago (2006), I had to pay for the first month of service in advance to the installer.

Some areas may prohibit them from running credit checks in their franchising agreement. Where I live (Springfield, MA which is an urban area) they would not have any customers if they ran credit checks.

Yes they do. You either pay a larger install (deposit fee), or you get a credit check + install fee, unless there is a promo.

reply to damonlab
If you choose to pay a deposit, make sure you are present for the install. You should then be required to show a photo ID at time of install to prove your identity, if not the tech is required to cancel your appointment.

reply to IowaCowboy
Which in most cases is a good share of people now days. Companies that base things off credit is declining. look at the prepaid cell market compared to the contract side. contract is losing customers and prepaid is picking up customers. when more and more companies see that, they'll move away from credit terms. The same as other countries, just the US is slow at that- hence why we still don't use metric for every day living.

Verizon Wireless approved my credit for contract service despite having past credit problems. Of course I pay them and Comcast on-time every month. When a recession hits, sometimes you have to prioritize your bills like paying the rent/mortgage and utilities (phone, electric, etc) before the credit cards.

I am not going to go into too much detail on my financial situation as this is not the forum for it nor do I wish to go into detail.

I am probably not the only one in this situation. Many companies are lowering their credit standards in order to open an account (such as cell providers and cable/satellite companies).

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I've experienced ImOn (when they were McLeod USA), Mediacom, Comcast, and Time Warner. They are much better than broadcast TV.

I have not and will not cut the cord.

reply to TBusiness
And thats basically what a security deposit accomplishes. Basically makes it pre paid. All of comcasts customers and all cable companies are technically pre paid as we all are paying for the month in advance.

not totally. prepaid means no deposit. meaning you pay in advanced for services. that deposit only ensures that if you do not pay your services, they keep what ever you owe them and then return what you do not. pre-paid services you don't get a refund.

reply to IowaCowboy
VZW is approving everyone anymore due to prepaid is more popular now.

reply to TBusiness
No you only get the first month even with a credit check. After the first month everyone is paying for the next month of service. Comcast use to let people get as much as 2 months out without paying. Its like 15 days now. because they bill in advance and let you get to 45 days means They are shutting you off at 15 days now even tho its 45 days late. When you get your cable bill its for the next month of service not the last. The security deposit essentially means its pre paid. cable has always been based on your paying for the next month of service and not the last. If you do or dont pay the security deposit your first bill is going to be for the time between then and the first bill plus the second month. Payable on that bill. Not really pre paid but not much different .

You can try and spin that a deposit means prepaid all you want. But that is not a deposit. You do not understand the word deposit and prepayment or paid upfront.

If it was paid UP FRONT then it would NOT be a deposit. In fact they would tell you that it was paid up front. A deposit means you're putting money into THEIR ACCOUNT which becomes their's if you default on your bill and or not returning equipment. If you are paid in full and leave you would get that back. That is a deposit.

And yes cable has always been one month in advance expect for PPV/on-demand services.

And yes it is different. You are again, claiming that deposit is a prepayment when in fact it is not.

reply to damonlab

reply to damonlab
They'll still try to pull a credit report, but you can order AT&T on their website without an SSN (maybe with a bogus name?). They'll send you a letter or just put the order on hold and ask you for a $50 or $100 payment which is immediately applied to your bill/balance.

reply to damonlab
If you can go to the service center and not have to do a deposit, it may be worth it. If you're going to pay a deposit regardless, do it over the phone. In my area, since I didn't want to hand them my SSN, I had to go to a service center and give them a $50 deposit for the one piece of equipment. They couldn't do that over the phone. They eventually credited the deposit back to me a little after a year.

Know exactly what you want and be prepared to pay any deposits that you may need to pay so you can get out of there fast. Keep in mind that the people at the service center can be mean. The one that's 15 miles away that "services" my home address and the one that' 3 miles away from work both had grumpy, mean women. I would contribute money towards some giggalos for those ladies. The last time I went to a service center, it was when they were opening and the rep just tore up the first customer; all of the customers were polite and patient so there was no grounds for her to rip the guy a new one just for doing what the phone CSR told him to do.

reply to damonlab