1. jenaywins's Avatar
    This is a rant thread. This is pointless - fair warning.

    My two Blackberries were stolen last week in New York City - right out of my hotel room by housekeeping. One was my personal 8900 through Tmobile, the other was my Tour through Verizon that I use for work. Likelihood of getting either back? Fat chance, I know. I did, however in a desperate attempt, contact Tmobile this afternoon to ask them if there was anything that could be done to perhaps locate my phone (I know, won't happen) or at least check for usage based on my PIN, etc. I was really offended by their answer. The representative told me point blank that not only could this information not be retrieved, but that it was also none of my business what usage the phone has incurred and would legally not be released due to the fact that, yes, now that the phone has a "new owner" it is rightfully theirs and what they choose to do with it is private. Ok, I am all for the protection of rights and privacy; however, is that really an appropriate response to a customer who recently had their device stolen? At least with Verizon regarding my work phone, I have the piece of mind that they have blocked the ESN of that particular device, rendering it useless to the thief. Tmobile and its use of SIM cards, however..... Oh, how I miss Verizon................
    11-10-09 08:37 PM
  2. dawnierae's Avatar
    This is a rant thread. This is pointless - fair warning.

    My two Blackberries were stolen last week in New York City - right out of my hotel room by housekeeping. One was my personal 8900 through Tmobile, the other was my Tour through Verizon that I use for work. Likelihood of getting either back? Fat chance, I know. I did, however in a desperate attempt, contact Tmobile this afternoon to ask them if there was anything that could be done to perhaps locate my phone (I know, won't happen) or at least check for usage based on my PIN, etc. I was really offended by their answer. The representative told me point blank that not only could this information not be retrieved, but that it was also none of my business what usage the phone has incurred and would legally not be released due to the fact that, yes, now that the phone has a "new owner" it is rightfully theirs and what they choose to do with it is private. Ok, I am all for the protection of rights and privacy; however, is that really an appropriate response to a customer who recently had their device stolen? At least with Verizon regarding my work phone, I have the piece of mind that they have blocked the ESN of that particular device, rendering it useless to the thief. Tmobile and its use of SIM cards, however..... Oh, how I miss Verizon................
    I hope you reported the theft to the hotel?
    11-10-09 09:00 PM
  3. omgwtfitsp's Avatar
    Yea.....LOL You never told us if you you reported this to the hotel manager or something of that sort. If you think(or know) it was stolen from housekeeping then the hotel should be helping you out in some ways. Maybe checking their housekeepers and so forth. I would be totally pissed if I had anything of mine stolen, especially in a hotel by housekeepers. So if you haven't done so already, go to the hotel manager and ask him for assistance or at least to check surveillance cameras if possible? And one question - why did you leave your phones visible in your suit? I would have hid mine somewhere because I'm always nervous about these things.
    11-10-09 09:07 PM
  4. jenaywins's Avatar
    Ok, here is what happened. I was in NYC for business. I went downstairs Friday morning to check out and realized I left my two phones upstairs - very unlike me. By the time I got back up, there was already a houseman in the room and the two phones were gone. I of course reported this to the hotel, threw a fit, etc etc. The security guy on duty first accused me of leaving the premises and misplacing them. I elevated this to the director of the hotel, and they are now "investigating." Whatever that means....
    11-10-09 09:14 PM
  5. Radius's Avatar
    Strange T-Mobile would not help, technically the phones have your phone plans attached to them so at very least they should tell you if someone was using them.

    I think you can report the PINs to RIM and have them perma blocked, give that a try.
    11-10-09 09:51 PM
  6. Blkbear's Avatar
    Ok, here is what happened. I was in NYC for business. I went downstairs Friday morning to check out and realized I left my two phones upstairs - very unlike me. By the time I got back up, there was already a houseman in the room and the two phones were gone. I of course reported this to the hotel, threw a fit, etc etc. The security guy on duty first accused me of leaving the premises and misplacing them. I elevated this to the director of the hotel, and they are now "investigating." Whatever that means....
    Well you do have to look at it from their point of view, you say you noticed the phones missing only after you went down to check out. As as far as the hotel knows, you could have lost them going out to dinner or something the night before checkout. But then like most of us, you'd have noticed that earlier if that was the case, but then maybe not, depends on the owner.

    Really don't like the TMO "new owner" lecture, seems odd. Would be better for them to just say there was nothing they could do. But then if the call center was in NY, I can understand the attitude there.
    11-10-09 09:55 PM
  7. jenaywins's Avatar
    Well you do have to look at it from their point of view, you say you noticed the phones missing only after you went down to check out. As as far as the hotel knows, you could have lost them going out to dinner or something the night before checkout. But then like most of us, you'd have noticed that earlier if that was the case, but then maybe not, depends on the owner.

    Really don't like the TMO "new owner" lecture, seems odd. Would be better for them to just say there was nothing they could do. But then if the call center was in NY, I can understand the attitude there.
    I guess I should have been more clear: I informed the hotel that I literally had used both phones right before I went downstairs, and I hadn't left the hotel prior to checking out that morning. No way they could have been anywhere else.

    As for the post above you, that is a great idea - requesting that RIM block the PIN. If I can't have the phone, no one can.
    11-10-09 09:58 PM
  8. sixsixwag's Avatar
    SOOOO Sorry, that would really be totally devastating to me!
    11-10-09 10:18 PM
  9. jenaywins's Avatar
    SOOOO Sorry, that would really be totally devastating to me!
    Yep. The device? Replaced. Numbers? Replaced. Media card with 9 years worth of pictures/videos/etc?
    11-10-09 10:23 PM
  10. barbwyr's Avatar
    Did you ask to speak to a supervisor after that type of response from TMo? Thats just wrong. They may not be able to do anything but that is still a completely inapropriate response to a customer.
    11-10-09 10:24 PM
  11. Iceman's Avatar
    Yep. The device? Replaced. Numbers? Replaced. Media card with 9 years worth of pictures/videos/etc?
    Wow Jenay that is terrible. I agree about trying to have the pin blocked. I'm very sorry for your loss...
    11-10-09 10:25 PM
  12. Blkbear's Avatar
    I guess I should have been more clear: I informed the hotel that I literally had used both phones right before I went downstairs, and I hadn't left the hotel prior to checking out that morning. No way they could have been anywhere else.

    As for the post above you, that is a great idea - requesting that RIM block the PIN. If I can't have the phone, no one can.
    Oh I understand about when you noticed the phones missing and when the last time you used tham, I was just saying that as far as their point of view, the phones could have been lost at any time, and you only noticed it at checkout. They tend to always look at customers sideways when they bring up theft by their employees, unless a camera crew is there with video of the theft happening.

    Hopefully the TMO person you talked to, at least had the good sense to VOID your SIM, so it could not continue to be used.
    Last edited by BlkBear; 11-11-09 at 10:34 AM.
    11-10-09 10:25 PM
  13. barbwyr's Avatar
    Yep. The device? Replaced. Numbers? Replaced. Media card with 9 years worth of pictures/videos/etc?
    Back up Back up Back up!! I never will understand why people take pictures and never download them. You never know when you might, lose your device. I know people who have over a thousand pics on their digital cameras because they don't download and then delete pics to make room when they absolutely must take a picture.
    11-10-09 10:27 PM
  14. AaronWasHere's Avatar
    Wow Jenay, that sucks. And the answer that the T-Mo rep gave is horses**t. He/she probably should have been fired if that call was pulled for review of any kind.
    11-10-09 10:28 PM
  15. barbwyr's Avatar
    Oh I understand about when you noticed the phones missing and when the last tie you used tham, I was just saying that as far as their point of view, the phones could have been lost at any time, and you only noticed it at checkout. They tend to always look at customers sideways when they bring up theft by their employees, unless a camera crew is there with video of the theft happening.

    Hopefully the TMO person you talked to, at least had the good sense to VOID your SIM, so it could not continue to be used.
    Better hotels usually have their employees bonded so that when theft like this happens they simply pay out then if it becomes a routine they investigate and fire. This is why I only leave my computer in the room when the Do Not Disturb sign is up. If I want the room cleaned I put my computer in the trunk of the car.
    11-10-09 10:30 PM
  16. davidnyc's Avatar
    Horrible story, and shocked that T-Mobile would treat you that way. I'm hoping you just ran into a lousy representative, and that isn't a corporate policy of theirs.
    11-10-09 10:32 PM
  17. Xpimp's Avatar
    Damn sorry about your berries. Even though there isn't anything T-mobile can do for you, I think you deserved a much better response then what you got.
    11-10-09 10:54 PM
  18. tmp3150's Avatar
    Did you bother to call the police?
    11-10-09 11:24 PM
  19. Duvi's Avatar
    Sorry to hear that Jen... hope everything turns out okay.

    I've almost felt the feeling when I couldn't find my BB and all I was think of was my little man's pictures from when he was born until now. I was lucky enough to have someone I know/trusted that found/had it in their possession.

    The dummy in me would have told the dude to empty his pockets at the hotel.
    11-11-09 12:18 AM
  20. amazinglygraceless's Avatar
    JJ, I would absolutely call T-Mobile back and have the matter escalated. That
    answer was total crap and does not acquit that CSR well at all.

    In the future consider Roblock or some similar app that that will allow you to kill
    the phone yourself.

    Shame this happened to such a nice person.
    11-11-09 12:26 AM
  21. cenloe's Avatar
    Did you bother to call the police?
    Exactly! After the hotel security gave you that crap response I would have told him that you were calling the police. I wonder what his response would have been.
    11-11-09 12:57 AM
  22. brandim24's Avatar
    This is a rant thread. This is pointless - fair warning.

    My two Blackberries were stolen last week in New York City - right out of my hotel room by housekeeping. One was my personal 8900 through Tmobile, the other was my Tour through Verizon that I use for work. Likelihood of getting either back? Fat chance, I know. I did, however in a desperate attempt, contact Tmobile this afternoon to ask them if there was anything that could be done to perhaps locate my phone (I know, won't happen) or at least check for usage based on my PIN, etc. I was really offended by their answer. The representative told me point blank that not only could this information not be retrieved, but that it was also none of my business what usage the phone has incurred and would legally not be released due to the fact that, yes, now that the phone has a "new owner" it is rightfully theirs and what they choose to do with it is private. Ok, I am all for the protection of rights and privacy; however, is that really an appropriate response to a customer who recently had their device stolen? At least with Verizon regarding my work phone, I have the piece of mind that they have blocked the ESN of that particular device, rendering it useless to the thief. Tmobile and its use of SIM cards, however..... Oh, how I miss Verizon................

    That's horrible! Tmobile should at least turn the phone off and what is the logic of them not being able to give the usage amount cause new owner wow! totally shocking! I always use the lock on my storm 1 an enable the no calls out while device is locked feature just to be sure. Yea they may get my phone but they won't be able to use it! Sorry about your phones, hope all works out

    Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com
    11-11-09 01:53 AM
  23. Bigbaws's Avatar
    Ok, here is what happened. I was in NYC for business. I went downstairs Friday morning to check out and realized I left my two phones upstairs - very unlike me. By the time I got back up, there was already a houseman in the room and the two phones were gone. I of course reported this to the hotel, threw a fit, etc etc. The security guy on duty first accused me of leaving the premises and misplacing them. I elevated this to the director of the hotel, and they are now "investigating." Whatever that means....
    Why did you not ask the houseman to empty his pockets ? I'm sure if he refused he would be guilty of hiding something.
    11-11-09 03:25 AM
  24. dawnierae's Avatar
    Better hotels usually have their employees bonded so that when theft like this happens they simply pay out then if it becomes a routine they investigate and fire. This is why I only leave my computer in the room when the Do Not Disturb sign is up. If I want the room cleaned I put my computer in the trunk of the car.
    There is also Innkeepers Legal Liability. Hotels have a legal obligation to keep guest property in their "care, custody or control" (i.e. locked in your room) from damage or loss. There are different limits in each state, some are $1000, some higher. Most hotels carry insurance for this exposure, though they hate to use it because there are so many dishonest people out there who will rob them blind that way. I understand their need and desire to investigate. However, if you used your berry right before you checked out, that should be pretty easy to prove by obtaining records from your carrier. I wouldn't drop it with the hotel if everything you explained thus far is accurate.
    11-11-09 04:58 AM
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