Authorised user

[#1]

Seems that the 'authorised user' facility is woefully inadequate. Ive had to set up an account for my son who has learning disabilities.  I tried to report a fault and I'm sure I had already been registered as an authorised user but apparently there's no trace of that 😕

I asked how 'authorised user' status can be set up and was told son has to speak to someone at Plusnet and say 'I want my father to be an authorised user.'...and that's it !  I asked what happens if I phone about something else in the future --- how do they know it's really me ?  With another ISP, as an authorised user I had a seperate password and had to get through that layer of security as well before they'd speak to me.

Not v happy about Plusnet's policy on this. WIDE open to all sorts of abuse and complications

[#2]

Just to confirm that we are compliant with the ICO on this, and we're doing more than the minimum in terms of account access.

It seems odd that you had to add yourself as an authorised user twice. During the first time, was it when you signed up with us?

Matty

[#3]

I'm pretty sure that when I set up the account I asked to be made an authorised user and was told that I would be but when I phoned yesterday about a problem I was told I wasnt on the account: I needed my son to come to the phone and confirm he wanted me to be an autorised user.  That's not a huge problem because later today we'll do that together and then I will be an authorised user on his account --- although anyone could come to the phone and pretend to be my son !

My more important point is that there doesn't seem to be a way to verify that it really is me when I phone and declare myself an 'authorised user'.  Anyone could phone Plusnet about my son's account and if they have the username and password, pretend to be me.  Why doesnt Plusnet have a system like some other ISPs where authorised users have a separate password for confirmation of their id ?  The system as it stands is wide open to abuse for account holders who are vulnerable.

[#4]

Appreciate your comments. It's something I'll feed back as we review our security practices.