my morning spent chatting live with rahul at comcast online:

• Rahul > Hello Beth_, Thank you for contacting Comcast Live Chat Support. My name is Rahul. Please give me one moment to review your information.

• Beth_ > My Issue: i cannot sign in to pay my bill using my usual user id and password. please advise.

• Rahul > Hi Beth , how are you doing today?

• Rahul > As I understand you need help with log in information to the Comcast account to pay the bill, am I correct?

• Beth_ > yes

• Rahul > Alright.

• Rahul > I can definitely help you with log in information request.

• Rahul > I understand online account management is most convenient and safe mode to pay bills.

• Beth_ > thank you

• Rahul > You are welcome.

• Rahul > For account security, can I ask you few questions?

• Beth_ > yes

• Rahul > Thank You!

• Rahul > Can I know username with which you are trying to log in ?

• Beth_ > my usual email

• Rahul > Thank you for this detail.

• Rahul > Can I have last 4 digits of your social security number?

• Beth_ > ****

• Rahul > Thank you for that information.

• Rahul > While I search your account details, Let me tell you about our Xfinity GO app, You can watch thousands of XFINITY On Demand TV shows and movies anytime, anywhere, with XFINITY TV Go.

• Rahul > Thank you for being on hold.

• Rahul > Beth, as I have checked username associated with the Comcast account is : ====

• Rahul > I see you have Digital Voice service. In order to protect your account information online, We need to call you at (**********) and this would be way for verification. Once this is completed I will be able to reset your password. May I know are you available on your Comcast number?

• Beth_ > i’m just trying to pay my bill and i’ve always used my email with ‘*****’ as a password up until today

• Rahul > Thank you for specifying that.

• Rahul > I understand that you were able to log in with the third party email address, but now, the policy has been changed in order to secure all customers account.

• Rahul > In order to access your Comcast account, you need to log in with the Comcast user name.

• Rahul > May I know are you available on your Comcast number?

• Beth_ > okay. so do i use ‘****’ then and use ‘*****’ as my password?

• Beth_ > i’m available on my cell **********

• Rahul > Thank you for specifying that.

• Rahul > Beth, I apologize but we are only authorized to call on Comcast assigned home phone number.

• Rahul > Is there anyone else available at Comcast home phone number to take the verification call on your behalf?

• Beth_ > i do not have a home phone though i have been assigned a number by comcast. all i want to do is pay my bill. i really don’t want all this hassle. i may have to change providers so that it can be an easier process for me to give them my money.

• Rahul > I understand your concern.

• Rahul > Beth, I can assist you with the process of payment on the chat.

• Beth_ > and i won’t be able to pay online unless i add a home phone to go with that number you assigned me years ago for a phone i’ve never had?

• Rahul > Beth , as an alternate verification, we also require a 4 digit pin to complete the verification process.

• Beth_ > to verify that i am a customer and have been for years?

• Rahul > I can send you the pin via US postal services, you will receive the pin with in 2-4 working days, once you have the pin you can initiate a chat and with the help of pin we will be able to assist you with the Comcast account.

• Beth_ > all this just to pay my bill? to give you my money?

• Rahul > Beth, as you have Comcast phone services associated with the account, we need either to call on Comcast assigned home phone number or verify the security pin, without completing verification process the system will not allow to reset the password.

• Rahul > Beth, I have send you the pin via US postal services.

• Beth_ > so…if i don’t pay my bill, i’m assuming someone from comcast will be able to contact me on my cell phone number that i have provided you, instead of the nonexistent home phone for which i have a phantom comcast phone number or online through my comcast account? and it will be taken care of at that time, as they would want me to pay my bill?

• Rahul > Beth, I understand your concern.

• Rahul > I apologize for the inconvenience caused, but as per the FCC policy we will not be able to reset the password without the call on Comcast assigned home phone number or verifying the security pin.

• Rahul > However, I can assist you with the process of payment on the chat.

• Beth_ > i will await the call from comcast on my phantom phone and pay my bill at that time. does the fact that we are chatting on my comcast internet service to solve the comcast identity riddle, support the fact that i am indeed, a customer, and who i say i am? i’m really not trying to buy secret hbo streaming service on someone else’s account, i’m trying to give you money, as you have asked me to do as part of my cable contract.

• Rahul > Would you like to make the payment on the chat ?

• Beth_ > i will await my call on the phantom phone and if it rings i will be surprised as it does not exist, but would happily pay my bill. thank you for your time and service.

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gâchis (French) – a good opportunity wasted by staggering levels of incompetence (from multiple sources) evidenced in its implementation.