ATandT Investigating User Account Complaints by iPhone 4 Customers

AT&T said it is investigating reports that customers were able to view other people’s information when placing advance orders for Apple iPhone 4.

The issue came as AT&T was dealing with a huge amount of interest in the device, with preorders totaling 600,000 in a single day. According to Gizmodo, the issue appeared when some customers tried to log into their AT&T account to order a new iPhone 4. Even though the user entered their username and password, they would be taken to another user’s account. Gizmodo posted screenshots from several readers that reported experiencing the issue.

“We have received reports of customers inadvertently seeing the wrong account information during the iPhone 4 purchasing process,” the AT&T spokesperson told eWEEK. “We have been unable to replicate the issue, but the information displayed did not include call-detail records, social security numbers, or credit card information.”

AT&T did not give any information about what could have caused the problem, which in turn follows the leak of e-mail addresses belonging to Apple iPad 3G owners.

Citing high demand, AT&T has halted sales of the new iPhone until inventory can be restocked. AT&T said it logged more than 13 million visits to a Web page where current customers can check if they're eligible to upgrade to the new phone - three times more than the previous single-day record for eligibility upgrade checks.

In a statement, Apple said the number of preorders was far higher than anticipated, "resulting in many order and approval system malfunctions."

"We apologize to everyone who encountered difficulties, and hope that they will try again or visit an Apple or carrier store once the iPhone 4 is in stock," the company said.