Sony Playstation Network Dragging Feet on AllClear ID for Some Users

How much does a company really care about its customers? Are we really just cattle that will stand in line and buy any line of bull? Recently, I had my data stolen along with millions of other users of the Sony PlayStation Network. I had to wait weeks to get little snippets of facts that Sony was not forthcoming with at all. For most of my friends who also use the Playstation Network, it was a scary time in which we had no idea how much of our information was compromised. My family's well being depends on our credit and our ability to buy things. If I was to become a victim of identity theft, it would severly hurt not just me, but my wife and kids as well.

I did receive an e-mail from Sony on May 24, 2011 in which there was a link to sign up for AllClear ID credit protection services. I followed the link an all that was required was to enter my e-mail address associated with my Playstation Network account. I did enter my address and a screen came us saying that my e-mail address had been submitted successfully and that I should allow 72 hours to receive my code for credit monitoring service which is required for activation. Well, it has been eight days, and still no code. Yes, I have been monitoring my junk mail folder also, no e-mail has come through. Some of my friends have already received their codes. I have been a member of the Playstation Network for about eight years. So where is my code?

I decided to check the AllClear ID website and at the top of the page, there is a phone number for the Playstation and Qriocity customers called a "hotline" at 1-800-345-7669. I called the number, which is actually the existing number for the Sony PlayStation support line. After trying to navigate the confusing automated answering system, I finally gave up and hit "0" to speak with an operator. After being on hold for 16 minutes, I finally got someone on the phone.

The conversation was very one sided, in that the operator I spoke with acted as if she had better things to do than to help me. I explained my situation and that I would like to get an activation code for the AllClear ID service. Her first response was, "Well, we have to help 23 million other people, and that is like a lot of people, so..." I asked then if she was or could actually help me with this or if I should speak to someone else. She put me on hold for a few minutes, and came back on the line to tell me, "Sir, our computer systems are down so I can't help you. You will have to call back later." She then said, "Have a nice day." Then hung up. Frustrating!

To me, this is completely unacceptable at this point in the game. It has been almost two months since the breach, and a few weeks since services have been restored to the network. Now, every second that passes by that I am unprotected, my private information could be passed around and used for all sorts of purposes. For all I know, there could be four of me out there right now on a shopping spree! I know there are other users out there dealing with this exact same issue.

It is amazing to me that every time I have called Sony support, they act like I as a customer, am completely dispensable. In reality, I am not fooling myself, one person could be completely insignificant in terms of the entire picture of company revenue. But I have been a loyal Sony customer for all of their products, not just Playstation products. I will be thinking twice about buying products from Sony or recommending their products to my friends and family in the future. Why would I consider buying products from a company who care so little about their customers?