Last week my BlackBerry was stolen; taken right out of my purse as I waited for someone on a street corner here in my colonia (see location). The panic I felt when I realized my phone was missing was nothing compared to the anger I felt when, Iusacell, the cell phone company I have been using for several years now, told me there was no insurance on my phone. I couldn't believe it! I had contracted insurance on my original plan and for some reason, the company dropped the insurance when I got the new plan with the BlackBerry!
So, my options to fix this situation are: pay for a new phone, preferably a BlackBerry since my two year plan is a BlackBerry plan, get out of my contract with the cell phone company or get another, less expensive phone and keep paying for something I am not using. Of course, I had one of the newest, priciest phones and really don't have the cash to buy a new one like the one that was stolen. The customer service rep assured me that the person that took my phone could never use it, since it has been suspended by the phone company, not all that comforting really since there are some sites on the Internet telling people that they can unblock BlackBerrys with "this phone has been stolen" message on it. Not making matters any better, I also got a scolding from a family member for having such an expensive phone, which was just "asking" to be stolen. This mentality is blaming the victim for being victimize and goes something like this: You got car jacked? Well it´s your own fault for owning a car! You got got mugged? Well you were wearing jewelry! You were raped? Well, you WERE wearing a mini-skirt. So all those thieves, muggers, rapists, car jackers, they are O.K.; they are just doing what they do.
So, my options to fix this situation are: pay for a new phone, preferably a BlackBerry since my two year plan is a BlackBerry plan, get out of my contract with the cell phone company or get another, less expensive phone and keep paying for something I am not using. Of course, I had one of the newest, priciest phones and really don't have the cash to buy a new one like the one that was stolen. The customer service rep assured me that the person that took my phone could never use it, since it has been suspended by the phone company, not all that comforting really since there are some sites on the Internet telling people that they can unblock BlackBerrys with "this phone has been stolen" message on it. Not making matters any better, I also got a scolding from a family member for having such an expensive phone, which was just "asking" to be stolen. This mentality is blaming the victim for being victimize and goes something like this: You got car jacked? Well it´s your own fault for owning a car! You got got mugged? Well you were wearing jewelry! You were raped? Well, you WERE wearing a mini-skirt. So all those thieves, muggers, rapists, car jackers, they are O.K.; they are just doing what they do.
Sheesh!
With the news last week that Research in Motion, the company that makes BlackBerrys, is in financial turmoil, I am wondering, no, more like hoping, to get a great deal on a BlackBerry, finish out my two year plan and NEVER buy an expensive cell phone again*.
*Ok, so I might eat my words here but at least I know that my phone company can't be trusted to keep the insurance on my phone. Constant vigilance seems to be the answer here. Sigh
*Ok, so I might eat my words here but at least I know that my phone company can't be trusted to keep the insurance on my phone. Constant vigilance seems to be the answer here. Sigh
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