Continental Utility Systems Inc., the utility billing software provider for the city of Pleasanton, has confirmed that a standard test of new software services accidentally generated phone calls to some Pleasanton residents on Monday and Tuesday.
"The test was an isolated event and does not represent a data security breach," CUSI stated in a press release. "The City of Pleasanton had no prior knowledge of or involvement in this test."
A number of Pleasanton households received the calls late Monday and early Tuesday from a telephone number identified as the city of Pleasanton's. The number showing on telephones with Caller ID is 931-5425, the city's utility billing department.
Joanne Hall, public information officer, said the city's phone vendor determined that these calls are not originating from the city of Pleasanton's telephone equipment.
When CUSI became aware of the problem and corrected it, Pleasanton city staff was notified, according to the press release.
"CUSI apologizes for any inconvenience this test may have caused local residents and would like to express CUSI's continued commitment to supporting and improving the utility billing services offered by the City of Pleasanton," the release continued.
Comments
Highland Oaks
on Jul 29, 2011 at 3:41 pm
on Jul 29, 2011 at 3:41 pm
Problem solved: Good
Outsourcing bill collection: Bad because it make it very difficult to talk to a person with actual decision-making authority to resolve billing disputes. Very frustrating.
Downtown
on Jul 29, 2011 at 7:13 pm
on Jul 29, 2011 at 7:13 pm
I wonder if I have a chance at a pain and suffering claim for my 2:35 AM call from Continental Utility Systems earlier this week? Better yet, a class action suit with the rest of you who also received a middle of the night unwelcomed wake up call!
Another Pleasanton neighborhood
on Jul 29, 2011 at 9:23 pm
on Jul 29, 2011 at 9:23 pm
Our call cam at 4 a.m. and my husband, the insomniac, couldn't go back to sleep. He was not a happy camper. Aside from that, we have 3 kids in their 20s and did not appreciate a fake call at that hour - parents never stop worrying I guess.
It would be nice if we could get a formal apology in our next bill. It would be the right thing to do.
Another Pleasanton neighborhood
on Jul 29, 2011 at 10:36 pm
on Jul 29, 2011 at 10:36 pm
An "isolated" event? Almost everyone I know got one, at different times. How about a little "rebate" on the anxiety the call caused, since it was in the wee hours of the morning!
Another Pleasanton neighborhood
on Jul 31, 2011 at 10:50 pm
on Jul 31, 2011 at 10:50 pm
So does the phone hacker have our social security numbers too ??
I do hope he is sufficiently punished.
Valencia
on Aug 1, 2011 at 9:50 am
on Aug 1, 2011 at 9:50 am
My call came at just past midnight on the Tuesday. If they say this happened over a two day period why did it take so long to figure out there was a problem? In addition, why would software generate billing calls to current (not past due) customers? This story continues to sound a bit hokey to me. The City of Pleasanton should do a better job at picking third-party providers for the city! I don't have a warm and fuzzy that my personal information is being maintained by this outside party. Was I even told that my private information was being provided?
Pleasanton Village
on Aug 1, 2011 at 10:31 am
on Aug 1, 2011 at 10:31 am
My wife and I, as well as our 6 kids in their 20s and 30s, were all greatly disturbed as phones clanged thrughout the compound at 0300 hours. Everyone should demand a free months' worth of rebate. And someone shuld get fired.
Another Pleasanton neighborhood
on Aug 1, 2011 at 11:32 am
on Aug 1, 2011 at 11:32 am
Steven -
Get a life, someone fired because of a mistake and you got a phone call... its people like you who have no common decency... it was a MISTAKE... you want someone to loose their livelihood over it? Nice way to teach your 6 kids to be good citizens and understanding of others.
Another Pleasanton neighborhood
on Aug 1, 2011 at 3:36 pm
on Aug 1, 2011 at 3:36 pm
Walker, A mistake ?? yeah, a really big REPEATED mistake, to MANY numbers, over TWO days. No accident, and no minor mistake. If it was a younger person, they'll never learn with weenies like you who brush it off as no big deal ! So you think it's something to buy your way out of ??? They need to suffer so they'll never forget, or have any other brilliant ideas. I suppose you want to wait until he grows into a bigtime hacker, and hack all American Express accounts, before you would think it's a big deal! Now wouldn't that be funny?
It's a breech of our personal private information !!
Was this a paid employee of the company ?
Another Pleasanton neighborhood
on Aug 1, 2011 at 7:54 pm
on Aug 1, 2011 at 7:54 pm
It sounds like a single mistake. There was not a person in their company calling every number by hand. It was a computer calling. My guess is they had a programming error and it ended up calling most everybody on the list before any personnel knew about it. Unfortunate but not the end of the world. Yes it woke some people up. I was woken up by a neighbor's dog barking. Should I sue the owner? Or how about their car alarm? If it is a repeated action then there is reason do to something but a single incident was due to a mistake here.
Another Pleasanton neighborhood
on Aug 1, 2011 at 11:39 pm
on Aug 1, 2011 at 11:39 pm
Local, I received calls from 2 different CITY numbers, two days in a row,....it was NOT a single mistake ! ! !
Another Pleasanton neighborhood
on Aug 2, 2011 at 12:05 pm
on Aug 2, 2011 at 12:05 pm
Security -
Lets hope they gave our your account information first, and frequently... in fact why don't you post your credit card info here, with security number too... I hope also truly hope they used your social security number as the account number...