Comcast Changed Customer's Name to "Asshole Brown" But Is Totally Sorry

[CatWoman]

When Ricardo Brown from Spokane, Washington got his most recent bill from Comcast, he had an extra special reason to be dismayed. It wasn't the pricey charges—we're all used to that by now. No, it was that on this particular bill, Comcast appears to have misspelled his name. By replacing it entirely with the word "Asshole."

Ricardo's wife, Lisa, shared the unfortunate switcheroo with consumer advocate Chris Elliot. According to her, the whole problem may very well have stemmed from her attempts to reduce her cable bill over the phone—a delicate little dance otherwise known as the Ninth Circle of Hell.


Lisa explained that her family was having financial difficulties and needed to reduce their cable bill. She'd called Comcast to cancel the cable portion of her account, for which she had to pay a $60 fee. Instead of complying immediately, a representative escalated her call to a retention specialist, who tried to persuade her to keep the cable service and sign a new two-year contract.

"I was never rude," she says. "It could have been that person was upset because I didn't take the offer."


Of course, these things are fairly easy to fake in Photoshop (and it all sounds just a little too perfect), so we contacted Comcast to confirm that the incident did, in fact, occur. And oh boy, did it. A Comcast spokesperson provided Gizmodo with the following statement:

We have spoken with our customer and apologized for this completely unacceptable and inappropriate name change. We have zero tolerance for this type of disrespectful behavior and are conducting a thorough investigation to determine what happened. We are working with our customer to make this right and will take appropriate steps to prevent this from happening again.

http://gizmodo.com/comcast-changed-customers-name-to-asshole-brown-but-i-1682409072?utm_campaign=socialflow_gizmodo_facebook&utm_source=gizmodo_facebook&utm_medium=socialflow

[Egnever]

1. Not much of a surprise

The culture at comcast seems to be one of disdain for its customers.

[Flying Squirrel]

19. Ya think?

We tried to cancel our Comcast which was in my girlfriend's mom's name. She was confined to bed with late stage renal failure. Not only did they insist on speaking with her personally even after being advised of her condition, they then began cross-examining her (until we put a stop to it). Saddest part is that this was exactly what we had expected, it came as no surprise at all.

[tridim]

2. I would be requesting full retroactive refunds for the entirety of the original account.

Comcast changed his name, therefore he is no longer responsible for the charges because the account is not his.

Thank Google I don't have to deal with Comcast any longer.

[marble falls]

3. From the article:

We have spoken with our customer and apologized for this completely unacceptable and inappropriate name change. We have zero tolerance for this type of disrespectful behavior and are conducting a thorough investigation to determine what happened. We are working with our customer to make this right and will take appropriate steps to prevent this from happening again.

Our tale does have a happy ending for the Brown, Asshole in question. Apparently, after Elliott publicized the couple's tale of woe, Comcast offered a full refund for the past two years of service as well as two additional years at no extra charge. And supposedly, her husband's name has indeed been corrected in the system.

But honestly, for even just a year of free service, Comcast can call me anything it wants. [Elliot.org via Consumerist]

[yeoman6987]

7. They are getting 2 years back pay

I don't understand the contract thing. I don't have one. They must have signed for a different option.

[BlueJazz]

4. "We are conducting a thorough investigation" "Unfortunately, this will cost you $167.50"

[CatWoman]

11. lol

I just spit soup all over my monitor

[valerief]

14. Bingo!

[myrna minx]

20. In addition to a name change "convenience fee".

Such evil crooks.

[Glassunion]

5. How do we know that this Ricardo person is indeed not an asshole?

[Nuclear Unicorn]

12. I was going to say, "truth is a defense against slander" -- if it applies.

My husband does not suffer fools gladly. He's dropped some real zingers and I find him to be a fair judge of character (obviously since he adores me).

[cyberswede]

6. That's pronounced "Ahs-ho-lay"

[crim son]

10. SO politically incorrect,

SO funny!

[Exhibit A]

21. !!!

[2naSalit]

8. Perhaps a lawsuit is in order over defamation or something? n/t

[snort]

9. C'mon, Comcast! Can't you get anything right?

Everybody calls him Fuckhead Brown. Idiots.

[FailureToCommunicate]

17. **snort**

[valerief]

13. Typical Comcast bullshit. I keep trying to convince a friend to switch to ANYTHING else, but

she's too lazy to make the change. She'd rather get extra fees and bullshit service.

[tiptonic]

15. Good ole Comcast

To Comcast, the customer is their prey. We are suppose to give them our money and shut up about it. That is the 'American way' to be a patriot...

[FailureToCommunicate]

16. This CAN happen more easily than you might think. I was recently put on hold, a voice asked for my

name. I didn't realize that, and, as frustrated I was by that point on hold, I swore. When the automated voice called back in a few minutes, it asked "May we speak to Sh*t please?"

I kid you not.

[narnian60]

18. Hilarious.