News

Ryan
wanted to order new Comcast service but balked at their request for a
Social Security number. When he asked why they needed it, the Comcast
chat rep said "The Patriot Act" required it. That doesn't sound right
to us, or to Ryan. His story and full screenshot of the chat, inside...

Ryan writes:

After completing the order procedure on their website I was
directed to a live chat window. After waiting about twenty minuets a
Analyst joined the chat. She immediately requested I provide my Social
security number in order to open a new account. I refused to provide my
SSN and asked for details as to why it was required. Her answer is that
the Patriot Act requires them to get my Social Security number.

As you can see in the transcript I attached, she referred me to
their legal department. I actually asked for the phone number five to
ten seconds before she closed the chat. But when I viewed the chat
transcript it says the chat was closed before I asked. That is a neat
trick.

Can what she told me actually be true? ...I don't believe [the
Patriot Act] requires me to provide my SSN just to get Internet service.

I think the Comcast rep somehow thinks that Comcast falls under the
"Know Your Customer" clause of the Patriot Act. As far as I understand
it, that only applies to financial companies or financial... >>>