The scammers are getting smarter/frustration trying to open a new line...
Trying to open a new line on my account and order a new phone for my husband. Normally I do everything related to my account online myself. For whatever reason ordering the phone online was not working. I wait until this morning, try again, still not working. No problem, I start a customer service chat to get assistance.
They say they can help me process it. As soon as I mention I want to put a downpayment on it they want to call me. I get a call from bell (likely spoofed) and alarm bells start going off. He's talking very quickly. Doesn't know my name. Doesn't give me his name. Employee number. Quotes incorrect phone prices (I know exactly which phone I want and how much it cost, and the exact plan I want).
Tell him we want a temporary number then will use the online form to request a port of my husbands number from a different carrier. He says he will "give me a phone number" to call when I receive the phone and that they will help me (biggest red flag). Now he needs to confirm my account but doesn't do it the correct way. Instead he asks for my phone number (edit to add: and email) and I get a text with a code saying someone's logging into my account. I start to read it and then immediately in the back of my mind something said "no". Hang up on him. Bell will attempt contact a few times. Bro started calling me over and over again. Turn to my husband and tell him I'm pretty sure we just almost got scammed.
I contacted fraud department and they confirm this wasn't right. Fraud is able to confirm my account with just the number and my address. Put safe guards on my account just incase so if anyone tries to order anything they are going to need more information. I'm pretty sure whoever was on the phone wasn't the same person I was talking to in the chat. I can see how someone trying to order a phone would have easily fell for this. And I'm willing to bet the phone we would have gotten in the mail wouldn't have been the one I was wanting to order.
We decided to go in store to order the phone. I go to our local bell and they are closed because of a power outage. Not their fault. I ask my husband (who's at home) to call the one in the next town over and just ask if they have the phone he wants in stock, if they do then we will drive up there to get it today. Tell me why they ask him for MY phone number, pull up MY account and start going over information with HIM? They ask him who he is and he says my husband (he is not on my account, or connected to it in any way whatsoever, but apparently this was an acceptable answer) and they start going over with him how they can order it over the phone. This is obviously not allowed. Why is me trying to order a phone resulting in my account security being put at risk twice? He wouldn't have gotten very far because of the safe guards I had added that morning but still. What the heck?
Needless to say kind of mad right now. But anyways, be careful out there folks.