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Ask HN: Why and how did Comcast figure out I'm moving?

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Ask HN: Why and how did Comcast figure out I'm moving?

#1
I'm moving out of my rented apartment soon. Today I got a letter from my current ISP, Comcast, titled "Moving?" with details on how to set up Xfinity at my next place.

It is of course possible to deduce that the current resident of an apartment will be leaving if that apartment is listed for rent on various websites, but my name isn’t on those listings. My current landlord and realtor of course know my name and that I’m leaving. My next landlord and realtor know this too, since my address is on the new lease. So one of them could have told Comcast. Or I suppose Comcast could deduce their customers’ behavior by scraping rental sites. Does anyone know exactly how they are doing this?

Also, why would they want to do this?

I can’t shake the suspicion that the primary reason for sending such a letter is not to remind me that they exist and are an ISP option at my new residence, but rather to let me know that they figured out on their own that I will be moving.

I have lived in the USA for a number of years, and have moved many times. In the last three placed I’ve rented, I’ve been able to plug my Comcast router straight in and connect to the internet immediately, without contacting them first. The first time this happened I was perplexed, and when I called to notify them of my change in address, the rep said that the renters before me must’ve forgot to cancel their account with them. This didn’t seem like the truth, so I tried it again when we moved for a second time, and then again when we moved a third time. The last move was to a different state. Each time, the router connected immediately, and each time the Comcast rep told me that this was because the previous tenants had forgotten to cancel or update their account.

Re: Ask HN: Why and how did Comcast figure out I'm moving?

#3
> but my name isn’t on those listings.

But your address is, and you also say this:

> Today I got a letter from my current ISP, Comcast

Which means Comcast has your current address. It is not hard to look up, in their own database, a name when given an address from a rental listing website.

> Also, why would they want to do this?

Their marketing department likely saw it as a "customer retention" activity. By offering to make the transfer of your Comcast account to your new location easy and effortless (they hope) their belief would be that they might retain you as a customer.

It is unlikely they were even aware of the nefarious seeming aspects of the practice.

Re: Ask HN: Why and how did Comcast figure out I'm moving?

#4
post #3

> but my name isn’t on those listings. But your address is, and you also say this: > Today I got a letter from my current ISP, Comcast Which means Comcast has your current address. It is not hard to look up, in their own database, a name when given an address from a rental listing website. > Also, why would they want to do this? Their marketing department likely saw it as a "customer retention" activity. By offering…

> Which means Comcast has your current address. It is not hard to look up, in their own database, a name when given an address from a rental listing website.

Yes, this is exactly what I imagined, which is why I wrote, "I suppose Comcast could deduce their customers’ behavior by scraping rental sites," but perhaps it wasn't totally clear.

> Their marketing department likely saw it as a "customer retention" activity. By offering to make the transfer of your Comcast account to your new location easy and effortless (they hope) their belief would be that they might retain you as a customer.

This makes sense.

Re: Ask HN: Why and how did Comcast figure out I'm moving?

#5
" I can’t shake the suspicion that the primary reason for sending such a letter is not to remind me that they exist and are an ISP option at my new residence, but rather to let me know that they figured out on their own that I will be moving. "

Really? Really? Like, seriously?

You may want to look into a lawsuit based on them being a low-key bully....

Re: Ask HN: Why and how did Comcast figure out I'm moving?

#6
What was your lease period? If you get a note every 12 months, that would explain it.

Most people are auto paid to the end of a billing cycle, idk that comcast gives credit. So moving in before the end of their cycle it should work.

You say you move with your comcast router- if its a rented device, why shouldnt they be able to recognize the MAC address and connect?

Re: Ask HN: Why and how did Comcast figure out I'm moving?

#7

What was your lease period? If you get a note every 12 months, that would explain it. Most people are auto paid to the end of a billing cycle, idk that comcast gives credit. So moving in before the end of their cycle it should work. You say you move with your comcast router- if its a rented device, why shouldnt they be able to recognize the MAC address and connect?

I'm breaking the lease and moving out mid-cycle, and I bought the router independently (not rented from Comcast).

Re: Ask HN: Why and how did Comcast figure out I'm moving?

#8
post #5

" I can’t shake the suspicion that the primary reason for sending such a letter is not to remind me that they exist and are an ISP option at my new residence, but rather to let me know that they figured out on their own that I will be moving. " Really? Really? Like, seriously? You may want to look into a lawsuit based on them being a low-key bully....

I'm assuming you mean to imply that I'm being overdramatic by suspecting something nefarious is going on when it isn't. That might be true, yes, thanks for your input.
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