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If you’re a Verizon customer, you may want to read this

Verizon is using some sneaky tactics again to make profit. Verizon will soon be sharing the customer’s CPNI with their business affiliates. This information consists of the numbers you call, what numbers call you, and how much the call costs. Supposedly none of this will be linked to your name, number, or address, but we’ve seen how well they handle that in the past. Verizon is no stranger to customer relations problems.

Skydeck, a wireless industry blog, was one of the first to draw attention to this. You can see a scan of Verizon’s snail-mailed notice here.

As usual, the wording is just right as to cleverly mask the intentions, and to buffer it with such blathering drivel that no one will bother reading the entire thing.

Verizon has carefully buried the Opt-Out information in their privacy brochure. If you don’t want them to share this information, you’re required to call them at 1-800-333-9956 to opt out.

However, a more careful inspection of the document also seems to indicate that simply by using you’re device authorizes them to share said data. The only way to opt-out is to cancel.

IF YOU DO NOT WANT US TO COLLECT, TRANSMIT OR USE SUCH INFORMATION ABOUT YOU FOR THE ABOVE PURPOSES, YOU SHOULD NOT USE THE SERVICES; BY USING THE SERVICES, YOU EXPRESSLY AUTHORIZE US TO USE YOUR INFORMATION FOR THESE PURPOSES.

The real kicker is that changes in this privacy document are not changes which would warrant them to let you out of your contract without an ETF. That right is typically reserved for pricing and service alterations.

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