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I Can No Longer Recommend Google Fi

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Re: I Can No Longer Recommend Google Fi

#241

Post by tedivm »

hojjat12000 wrote: post #132
CPLX wrote: post #93

She should sue Google. Serious response. This kind of thing is bullshit, and she has a legal right to have the number ported, especially if she’s been willing to pay the bill and has not been able to due to Google’s technical problems. File a lawsuit for the value of the time she’s had to spend on it and an order to show cause or temporary restraining order type motion for them to release the number to her. It’s too…

I have no idea what you just said. To understand that I need to see a lawyer, pay hundreds of dollars to be told what my right is, and how I can proceed. Then probably invest thousands of dollars in a lawsuit. At least that's how I see it. Unless there is an app that you click a button and you sue Google for free that I don't know about.

That's not how it works, at all. Taking someone to small claims court (which is what this would fall under) is trivial compared to what you're saying. Many county court systems even provide checklists to get through it. Last time I took someone to small claims court it cost about $200 in fees.

Re: I Can No Longer Recommend Google Fi

#242

Post by zamalek »

buf wrote: post #5

I just traveled to Japan, the Phil, Bulgaria, San Francisco, and Boston without having to change sim cards or worry about my data situation. I'm going to keep it until someone else can do the same at a lower price.

I'd bite and switch if there was someone else in America who wasn't truthfully awful in some way. I cannot morally support the likes of Verizon and AT&T. T-Mobile are the good guys, but spotty reception is a more common occurrence than bad support; I haven't had to call support once in two years, but my phone has switched networks multiple times.

Re: I Can No Longer Recommend Google Fi

#243

Post by hcurtiss »

wyldfire wrote: post #139
ploxiln wrote: post #130

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is also a problem with Square, and Stripe, and Paypal ... it's an unsolvable fraud/scammer problem. Basically, if there was customer support that could fix the problem, then skilled scammers can get money and control out of them. They can do it a lot better than you can get your stuff re-enabled, they know just when to say what to whom. Verizon just accepts the inefficiency, and also over-charges random customer…

> This is also a problem with Square, and Stripe, and Paypal ... it's an unsolvable fraud/scammer problem. It's compounded by the fact that Google has the primary element of your 21st century identity: your email address.

I'm increasingly convinced it's your cell phone number (i.e., all the IM services using SMS authentication). And when you're using Google Fi, they have that too.

Re: I Can No Longer Recommend Google Fi

#244

Post by krferriter »

ploxiln wrote: post #130
ronsor wrote: post #40

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is a general issue with google. If their system decides it doesn't like you, then you're out of luck. You'll never get them to fix it.

This is also a problem with Square, and Stripe, and Paypal ... it's an unsolvable fraud/scammer problem. Basically, if there was customer support that could fix the problem, then skilled scammers can get money and control out of them. They can do it a lot better than you can get your stuff re-enabled, they know just when to say what to whom. Verizon just accepts the inefficiency, and also over-charges random customer…

They need to require better identity-proofing methods. To open a bank account at many banks you need to physically show up at one of the bank locations and present physical original copies of identification documents.

Allowing people to submit documents online is not good enough. After the identity has been proven, then from that point on you can offer online services, but the initial account creation needs to be done offline.

Re: I Can No Longer Recommend Google Fi

#245

Post by jpeeler »

iandanforth wrote: post #29

The lede here is somewhat burried: "From what I’ve since learned, if a card in your Google Pay is stolen, or someone uses your Payments account fraudulently, or anything happens that leads to a security flag being raised, it can lead to your Google Payments account being frozen. ... If you can’t use Google Payments, you can’t pay for Google Fi This, fundamentally, is why I can’t suggest anyone use Project Fi anymore.…

A somewhat similar situation happened to me in that my Google payments account was frozen, supposely due to fraud. This caused me to be unable to buy a new project fi compatible phone or do any other payments, except... My monthly Fi bills continued to be processed as usual. I tried escalating with Fi support and filing a BBB complaint (which at least got looked at, but did not resolve my account standing). Finally, I contacted a Googler that commented here on HN and luckily they were sympathetic and fixed the issue. If I hadn't have been able to get my account in good standing and I was forced to start over with a new Google account, I would have switched to an iPhone. Sometimes I wonder if I should have switched anyway.

Re: I Can No Longer Recommend Google Fi

#246

Post by jjeaff »

fernandotakai wrote: post #144
jlarocco wrote: post #61

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Wouldn't surprise me if Microsoft saw how much money Google saves by not having support, and decided to follow their lead. They used to have decent support.

i don't know but last august i had an issue with my surface and i talked with chat support as well as phone support without any issues.

There are so many companies that could make customer service an absolute breeze compared to the nightmare they have created by just offering customer service chat with reps that are actually empowered to do something.

Of the few companies I know that have chat support, a very select few can do anything more than apologize and give you a phone number to call or place to open a ticket.

Re: I Can No Longer Recommend Google Fi

#247

Post by JohnTHaller »

r00fus wrote: post #238
will_brown wrote: post #127

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I had a similar problem with Apple. I made an in app purchase (with a YC company nonetheless) and the company gave a limited period to cancel the service for a full refund. I cancelled the service within the deadline, and didn’t get a refund. I requested the refund from the YC company who said “they can’t” refund and I have to ask Apple. So I asked Apple for the refund included the YC company policy/purchase date/can…

> Apple blacklisted my debit card which basically bricked my ability to use my phone You are hyperbolizing. You can just use a different card. It's not like they killed your AppleID which wouldn't kill your phone regardless.

Ever occur to you that someone using a debit card may not be able to "just use a different card"?

Re: I Can No Longer Recommend Google Fi

#248

Post by marcus_holmes »

mjevans wrote: post #240
ploxiln wrote: post #130

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is also a problem with Square, and Stripe, and Paypal ... it's an unsolvable fraud/scammer problem. Basically, if there was customer support that could fix the problem, then skilled scammers can get money and control out of them. They can do it a lot better than you can get your stuff re-enabled, they know just when to say what to whom. Verizon just accepts the inefficiency, and also over-charges random customer…

I believe these issues could be solved by actually taxing corporations and providing the service they clearly so desperately need. An /actual/ (inter)national ID and Identity verification service. One where disputes about identity and authorization can be escalated somewhere that makes sense, to the jurisdictions issuing these IDs. Ideally someone should be able to go to a police station (locally for local IDs, if on…

I don't have a physical address (I move approximately every 3 weeks). I don't have a phone number (I move country every 3 weeks and need a new SIM each time).

I have so many problems with online authentication it's not funny.

So yeah, I'd love a global system of identification, but please let's not tie it to an address or phone number

Re: I Can No Longer Recommend Google Fi

#249

Post by mdpopescu »

lvs wrote: post #159
dstaley wrote: post #39

Stories like this make me incredibly wary about the future of my Google account. I've been using it for almost twelve years. It has a copy of every photo/video I've taken for almost eight years. It's what I use to download apps, listen to music, and pay for things, and get around. I'd be absolutely devastated if I suddenly lost it. I've been planning for a while now a sort of contingency plan where I regularly backup…

I agree -- this single point of failure is incredibly scary. There must be a legal mechanism established to ensure consumers are protected. This is an inevitable technological cycle within markets: 1) a technology arises 2) usage spreads across consumers 3) consumers become deeply reliant on it 4) megacorps coalesce dominating market power over it 5) consumers demand protections from the government We have to get to…

I would love to get protection from the government. What company does that? /s

Re: I Can No Longer Recommend Google Fi

#250

Post by splonk »

saagarjha wrote: post #152
sithadmin wrote: post #42

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You can pause Fi service for a few months at a time. However, Google will catch on to your proposed usage pattern and will eventually boot you from the platform. Majority usage outside the USA violate ToS. There are plenty of stories on r/projectfi about this. I've also had a personal friend that was booted after he subscribed to Fi, then moved out of the USA month later for a temporary work assignment, and was boote…

> Majority usage outside the USA violate ToS. I'm not seeing this listed here: https://fi.google.com/about/tos/ . What are the guidelines behind this?

"The Services are offered only to residents of the United States. The Services must be primarily used in the United States and are not intended for extended international use. Further, the Services are designed for use predominantly within our network. If your usage outside our network is excessive, abnormally high, or cause us to incur too much cost, we may, at our option and sole discretion, suspend your Google Fi account, terminate your service, or limit your use of roaming."
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