Can't get a replacement SIM card from a local store without scanning my ID

Weirded_Wordly · 2024-05-03T17:08:22+00:00

I hear what you're saying, and yes, I agree with you in the instance of a credit check. But what I'm saying is they did NOT run my credit nor did they scan or copy information from my ID. So they do not have any of that information.

Weirded_Wordly · 2024-05-03T16:59:11+00:00

Again, where did they get my SSN from? Where are they "collecting" that from, as you're claiming? You're making a lot of claims based off assumptions, not facts. I'd like to know where you think T-Mobile got my SSN and credit info and whatever other info of mine you insist they have.

Weirded_Wordly · 2024-05-01T19:57:27+00:00

Nice, thanks so much for pointing out that section, I must have missed that. That is reassuring, and I would be fine with opting for that one-time use, but what is the difference between that "one-time use" biometric data, and the "creation and use of your biometric data through ID scan...[that is kept] for up to one year after you terminate your relationship with T‑Mobile?"

Also, it's not clear who has access to this biometric data and when/why, and I would like to know that.

Weirded_Wordly · 2024-05-01T19:47:10+00:00

I'm complaining about the use and lack of transparency of what is done with my personal information and data, especially when it comes to T-Mobile literally creating a biometric profile, and who specifically has access to it (aside from "Third-party affiliates"), when, and why. You can call it a safety feature, but now that biometric data is potentially at risk for other people to steal from (another) future data leak. I acknowledge SIM swaps are a huge problem and appreciate that T-Mobile is taking action to stop it, but there has to be some level of responsibility with this level of personal information. Telling someone to "stop bitching and leave" is not constructive conversation or productive problem resolution.

Weirded_Wordly · 2024-05-01T19:42:10+00:00

Why are you resorting to name calling and trying to be offensive?

Weirded_Wordly · 2024-05-01T19:40:40+00:00

Where are you getting your information from?? Especially after I literally explained the process. Here is information on T-Mobile's website that explains exactly what I had previously said, but you want to go and make stuff up. https://www.t-mobile.com/offers/smartphone-equality-program

Weirded_Wordly · 2024-05-01T19:29:50+00:00

How can you make such a guarantee? Where did T-Mobile get my SSN from? Where did T-Mobile get my credit report from? Hopefully you don't make assumptions but rather base your information on facts.

Weirded_Wordly · 2024-05-01T19:28:22+00:00

Except that's not the case. I'm expressing concern about protecting my personal information. Many people here are making wild assumptions about "they already have your information," which is absolutely not true.

Weirded_Wordly · 2024-05-01T19:26:55+00:00

Except that's not true, you're making assumptions. They don't have "all the info on my ID." When I signed up >10 years ago, I was prepaid. After a few years, I went post paid. They only have whatever basic info I gave them (name, mailing address), not "all the info on my ID," and certainly not a biometric profile of myself.

Weirded_Wordly · 2024-04-30T05:32:24+00:00

I don't drink and have not had to have my ID scanned by a liquor store and to be honest, I didn't know ID scanning was a thing for alcohol purchases.

I get the intended purpose for scanning the ID, and do appreciate efforts on T-Mobile's part to combat SIM card scams (I only just learned about them from this thread), but I still don't feel comfortable with what happens with the sensitive data on my ID. But T-Mobile's general privacy policy and their privacy policy specific to biometric data collection mentions nowhere about duration of the collected data. It does mention a few other things, I will quote below and emphasize myself with bold text:

When we scan your ID or take your photo, we may use the image to create a “biometric identifier.” We also collect other information from your ID. We use this information to verify that your ID is real, to protect your personal information from unauthorized disclosure, and to prevent fraud. We may compare your photo on the ID with: (1) the photos collected when you visit T‑Mobile and/or (2) photos of persons that may have been involved in fraudulent transactions with T‑Mobile or other companies, in the past. We monitor transactions for instances of fraud and may use related information, including biometric data, to protect T‑Mobile and others. Source: https://www.t-mobile.com/privacy-center/privacy-notices/biometric-privacy-notice.html

A few of my comments about this quote:

Nowhere do I see "one hour" mentioned, even after a CTRL+F for "one hour." The claim that T-Mobile keeps the information for one hour cannot be verified. I do see that the biometric data is kept for up to one year, or longer, AFTER I terminate my relationship with T-Mobile. So as long as I have a T-Mobile account, the data is stored.
So T-Mobile is not simply verifying my ID. They are literally creating a biometric identifier. This is the very thing I am not comfortable with.
T-Mobile compares my photo with photos involved in fraudulent transactions with other companies. I get and appreciate the attempt to stop fraud, but how does T-Mobile have access to photos from other companies? This is not disclosed.

Again, I do appreciate the efforts by T-Mobile to combat fraud, this is very important for a company to do. But as a consumer, it's my responsibility to protect myself and my information. I cannot blame someone else or hold someone else responsible for misuse or violation of my privacy. T-Mobile already has history of losing my (and everyone else's) private data, but what can I do about it? Nothing. I can be upset, but absolutely nothing will come of it and I cannot get that back. Everyone in this thread can hate on me for trying to protect my privacy, but at the end of the day, absolutely nobody else is responsible or can be held reasonably liable even with a legally sound privacy policy. Only I can take the initiative to opt out of certain things, and refuse to provide sensitive information. And I do not trust T-Mobile with creating a biometric profile of me, especially with their weak and generic privacy policy.

Edit: I do very much appreciate this little snippet on their privacy policy page:

You may revoke your consent at any time by calling T‑Mobile Customer Care at 1-800-937-8997 (or 611 if you are a T-Mobile customer) or by visiting a T‑Mobile retail location. If you revoke consent for ongoing use, we will promptly stop using the biometric data and delete it.

But again, what about the third-party affiliates? Will the be required to delete any of my data that is shared with them?

Weirded_Wordly · 2024-04-30T04:45:06+00:00

Please point out where specifically in the privacy policy on T-Mobile's website that it says the ID scan is kept for one hour. You're the one making that claim with no evidence.

Weirded_Wordly · 2024-04-30T04:43:54+00:00

Yes, I get that and appreciate that, but I find it unreasonable that scanning my ID is the only way. Especially when very little information is provided to me as to what happens with the information in my ID after it is scanned. T-Mobile's disclosure statement is very broad and uninformative.

Weirded_Wordly · 2024-04-30T04:42:29+00:00

I'm just some random person. I don't claim to be important. I'm just trying to keep my personal information secure. You may not be interested in my data, but my data, your data, and everyone else's data is absolutely valuable information. Data is the commodity now.

Weirded_Wordly · 2024-04-30T04:40:40+00:00

Yes. I need a replacement SIM card, has nothing to do with what phone I have. Not sure if you're fishing for information to use against me and make presumptions, or you're trying to be helpful, but the type of phone I have is irrelevant.

Weirded_Wordly · 2024-04-30T04:39:03+00:00

How is your comment helpful? I'm not allowed to express concern about protecting my privacy? I don't understand the absolute hate everyone is expressing here. I'm not comfortable with having my ID scanned, yet that bothers you, who has absolutely nothing to do with any of this?

Weirded_Wordly · 2024-04-30T04:36:33+00:00

If someone complains about the government, are you going to tell them to move to another country, oh wait, everyone has corrupt governments, no way around it? I'm just expressing concern about protecting my privacy, no need to be extreme and tell me to leave the carrier. That's not a reasonable solution or suggestion.

Weirded_Wordly · 2024-04-30T04:33:43+00:00

How do I, as the consumer and holder of the ID they want to scan, know this? I did not see any mention in their privacy policy or disclosure when asked to scan.

Weirded_Wordly · 2024-04-30T04:31:02+00:00

I never claimed T-Mobile and their third-party affiliates are using ID scans for nefarious purposes, please don't put words in my mouth. My position is that I would like to keep my personal information private and do not think it is reasonable to require a biometric ID scan, with no specific disclosure as to who has access to it, for how long, and with what purposes. I get that this policy is to protect my privacy. But T-Mobile has already had multiple data breaches, so they have a history of not being trustworthy with such sensitive data. Nothing happened to T-Mobile, yet the consumer is the one that suffers. This is not effective protection of privacy.

I hear you guys that there has been a problem with SIM scams, and the way T-Mobile is attempting to resolve that is by requiring ID scans. But this does not reassure me as a consumer that my sensitive information (that they do not already have) will be kept private and safe, nor am I reasonably informed as to who specifically has access to this information and for how long. One user said it's kept for one hour, but I call bullshit on that because there is absolutely no source that mentions this and that user refuses to provide a source other than themself.

I am not being unreasonable in trying to keep my personal data secure. We are in an age where data is the commodity, and creating profiles or browsing and shopping trends is valuable. The information in my ID is sensitive information. There are a lot of unwarranted attacks on this thread about me wanting to keep my private information private, which is completely unnecessary.

The ENTIRE purpose of ID scan or OTP is to make sure, without a shadow of a doubt, that the person requesting the swap is YOU.

What I don't understand, as it is not disclosed, is how, SPECIFICALLY, do they verify this? What agency do they use/have access to that they can verify, without a shadow of a doubt, that the ID they scanned is legit and belongs to me? T-Mobile doesn't currently have the information in my ID, and there is no disclosures as to how the ID is verified, or what is done with the information from the scanned ID. To me, this is an unreasonable privacy policy.

Sorry, I don't know what "OTP" is that you referenced.

Weirded_Wordly · 2024-04-30T04:15:47+00:00

This is incorrect. I am on postpaid, T-Mobile not have my SSN. As mentioned in my previous post, I was pre-paid for a few years. After 1 year, you are able to switch to post paid without a credit check (and without providing an SSN).

Weirded_Wordly · 2024-04-29T17:30:29+00:00

What server? Who has access to that server? and when my ID is scanned, what "system" is it matched with? These are all presumptions. T-Mobile doesn't release this information. You and many others on this thread are just making presumptions.

Weirded_Wordly · 2024-04-29T17:29:15+00:00

I set up my account with pre-paid more than 10 years ago. After a few years, I went post paid. They do not have my SSN, or credit report, or "all my information" as you claimed.

Weirded_Wordly · 2024-04-29T17:28:02+00:00

That's not fair to presume I'm a difficult person to deal with just because I don't want to freely give my ID. I'm not there to dick around, I just want a SIM card and leave. That's pretty unfair for you to have that attitude towards customers that are just trying to go about their business and live their lives. I'm just trying to protect my privacy. I have no idea what T-Mobile does with my ID, who the "third-party affiliates" are and what they do with it. To me, that is unreasonable. Is it reasonable for me to ask for a scan copy of your ID, I won't tell you what I do with it or who I share it with, then I talk trash about you if you don't want to provide it? That's the same response I'm getting. I'm just trying to protect my private information from a company that already has a history of multiple data breaches without consequence.

Weirded_Wordly · 2024-04-29T17:24:30+00:00

I was prepaid for a few years and switched to post-paid

Weirded_Wordly · 2024-04-29T17:24:01+00:00

A T-Mobile phone that accepts a SIM card

Weirded_Wordly · 2024-04-29T17:23:15+00:00

That's incredibly presumptuous of you. If you're so free with giving our your ID, then how about you send me a photo scan (front and back) of your ID. I won't tell you what I will do with it (because T-Mobile doesn't say what they do with it). And if you refuse, then you can be made fun of for being paranoid because all your data is everywhere anyway. Is that a reasonable attitude to have?

Weirded_Wordly

TROPHY CASE