After my third credit-card number was stolen this year, I had to make the rounds of recurring payments to get them changed. But I hit a snag. I had used Apple’s in-store iPhone Upgrade Program to purchase my iPhone 6s, which is handled by Citizens One. But even though I ostensibly should have had loan information somewhere, I couldn’t find a digital or print copy of any of it.
Stranger still, that iPhone doesn’t show up as an Apple Store purchase in my account, even though everything else I’ve bought from Apple online and in an Apple Store is listed. I visited Apple’s site to find more information, and there’s none there, either. I called an Apple Store help number listed on the site, went through phone trees, and when I answered legitimately, the tree said it couldn’t help me and hung up. I tried a few paths with the same result.
I went to Citizens One’s Web site, which required an account number number to register and get started. But my monthly statement from the loan processor, sent via email, only contained the last four digits of my account number. Good on them for security, but bad for me.
However, it’s resolvable. I called its help line, explained my situation, and had a very helpful representative pepper me with account and personal information, then give me my account number and the first payment made, which is required to validate a Web site registration. With her still on the phone, I was able to register, said thanks and goodbye, and was able to update my payment method.
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Author: Glenn Fleishman, Senior Contributor
Glenn Fleishman’s most recent books include Take Control of iOS and iPadOS Privacy and Security, Take Control of Calendar and Reminders, and Take Control of Securing Your Mac. In his spare time, he writes about printing and type history. He’s a senior contributor to Macworld, where he writes Mac 911.