June 2006 Archives
I just purchased a new IBM laptop which came with the integrated Verizion wireless card. So of course I would like to enable service to use this fancy dohicky. Verizon included their VZAccess software which automatically displays when the computer starts that I haven't signed up and I need to click the button to enroll. What happens when I click the button, I get an error that I cannot enroll online and that I need to call their 800 number.
So I call, wait through the hold music and start the process to establish service. Guess what, due to my credit I have to have a $200 dollar deposit.
Me: Why do I need a deposit?
Verizon: Because of your credit report, either insufficient history or bad items.
Me: I have almost perfect credit with years of history with no bad items.
Verizon: We have very strict credit reporting requirements.
Me: Okay, I'd like to talk to your credit department.
Verizon: Why?
Me: Because I want to understand what it is on my credit that is bad so I can be aware of it in the future.
Verizon: The credit department does not talk to anyone.So what's happened here? Basically Verizon has figured out a way to put $200 dollars of their customer's money into an account and either:
- Make interest off of it, or
- Use the money to report higher earnings for their stock price
