Arrest of AT&T rep highlights why it's important to always double-check what you agree to

I’m a regular wallflower on the various carrier subreddits, and I’ve seen customers from all three of the big networks occasionally complain about charges added to their accounts without permission, such as phones they didn’t ask for or an upgraded plan that wasn’t necessary. This is true of Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile, and while less common, similar practices aren’t unheard of from some of the prepaid providers either. While not exactly the same, I even previously covered a Verizon 5G Home internet issue where a 3rd party rep made claims that proved to be untrue.

I hear the word “scam” thrown around pretty loosely online, but it does make you wonder: how often are these changes accidents versus acts of bad faith from reps trying to improve their commissions by any means? We may never know that answer for sure, but a recent arrest highlights the very real risk involved.

According to a local news station in Stafford, Connecticut, an AT&T customer rep was arrested over the weekend for adding unauthorized charges. After receiving customer complaints, AT&T’s internal investigation revealed the rep in question had performed a number of actions on at least 30 different customer accounts designed to improve the employee’s commissions. This included adding and removing protection plans and features on customer accounts between November 2021 and January 2022. There are also reports from co-workers that the rep would add new lines and other features, all without authorization.

One of these customers was informed about the fraud by AT&T and ended up pushing the matter further with local police in February 2024. This ultimately led to a recent arrest after a period of further investigation. Reportedly, the victim initially came into a local AT&T store and ended up buying a Samsung phone, watch, and accessories. When it came time for the first bill, the amounts were much higher than the rep had suggested.

We aren’t blaming AT&T here, as this obviously isn’t a nationwide issue and is just one isolated report. It’s also obvious they aren’t the only carrier that struggles with issues like this. The situation has likely gotten worse in our post-pandemic world, as we imagine it’s more tempting for cash-strapped individuals to fudge the numbers a bit, figuring the customer will eventually get the problem fixed anyhow. Of course, the rep can end up causing major issues if a customer receives a bill they can’t afford, as the customer will still be responsible for paying while the issue is further investigated.

Bottom line: While many reps are perfectly honest and hard-working individuals, bad actors exist. I will tell you that most of these kinds of claims are associated with third-party retailers, where such practices are often more common and sometimes even encouraged by bad management not directly associated with the network. However, that’s not always the case, as the AT&T store in question was company-owned.

What can you do to protect yourself as a customer?

Obviously, one arrest does not indicate a widespread problem. However, it does highlight that fraud can, in fact, happen, and that sometimes what seems like an “innocent mistake” is anything but. Ultimately, there are a few things you can do to help protect yourself from similar situations:

• Use the company’s website or app for orders when possible. Not only is this method faster, but you’ll know exactly what you agreed to. While there are other headaches involved with buying online, like trading in devices or getting your phones faster, you can typically start an order online and still bring your trade-in or pick up your new phone from the nearest retail store.
• Double-check everything always after every single change! Anytime you deal with customer service (in person or via phone/text), you should verify your account details afterward and watch for errors on your next bill. This includes reading any and all notices, as often small (legit) increases are introduced this way. Simply checking for changes, errors, or intentional malice will ensure you don’t get blindsided by major changes.
• Periodically check in anyway. Maybe it’s overkill, but I like to check my bills out in more detail at least once a month or so. This ensures that any errors get caught early, as sometimes problems can happen even if you didn’t directly contact customer service.
• Have a problem? Report it! Sometimes bill changes can be spotted immediately within your app or account settings. I’ve seen past Reddit reports of people noticing issues and simply fixing them without escalating the matter, assuming it was just an error. While that might be true in some cases, it’s always better to report the issue. If a rep has recurring complaints consistently reported, there’s a better chance they’ll get caught.

If you have run into similar issues we’d love to hear how you handled the situation in more detail in the comments.