Verizon Bans Libshitz Family From Using Last Name in E-Mail Address
What's in a name? For most, it's just a jumble of letters. Some people have a word or two mixed in, and a rare few have words in their names that can't be said in polite conversation. That's the problem faced by Dr. Herman I. Libshitz, a retired Chestertown, Maryland radiologist who recently was given quite the run-around by Verizon when trying to upgrade his aging dial-up connection to something a little faster.There's a certain word contained within the good doctor's last name (Can you find it?) that Verizon doesn't permit in its e-mail addresses. So, when Herman was told he would need to pick another name to set up the account, he told them to shove their DSL where the sun don't shine and went back to dial-up.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 8)
Jerold Billings @ Aug 4th 2008 9:18PM
The same thing happens to me whenever I try to create a hotmail account. Hotmail doesn't allow my last name at all. (Billings)
Bill @ Aug 4th 2008 9:35PM
I don't get it, why would they ban Billings?
Jamie @ Aug 6th 2008 8:57AM
They probably dont allow the word ''billings'' in an email address because people have tried to use the word to convince people that they need to pay for services.. as in the 'billing department'' and it's hard to force only the bad people not to do it, haha. That stinks though.. but I'd never use my last name in my email address.
amanda @ Aug 6th 2008 10:01AM
So..if Ralph Lauren decided to use his born name... Ralph Lifshitz, do you think they would have banned him??
www.ShopEBlairClothing.com
iansilv @ Aug 5th 2008 4:35AM
Yeah- i have a friend- Johnny Steven Tossmysalad. After a Chris Rock show a few years ago, they turned his email off too. What gives?
gwen @ Aug 6th 2008 11:07AM
That is definitely not his name.
Sara Jackson @ Aug 6th 2008 12:15PM
picky bastards! that is the best name ever.
telecaster48 @ Aug 6th 2008 7:23PM
aol uses the word "toss" in thier chat rooms for people that are causing trouble,thats why they wont let you have toss in your name.
Simzee @ Aug 5th 2008 5:52AM
The owner of Verizon should be made to use his/her own product.
Virtuous @ Aug 5th 2008 7:49AM
Multiple people working for Verizon need a good dressing down.
johnny @ Aug 6th 2008 5:54PM
oh my god yes they do. not only is verizon tough to deal with, their commercials actively put down other companies (in any other arena this would be termed "bad sportsmanship") and every one of their employees that I've known is a total deleted. Now before anyone gets on my case, I'm sure there are nice verizon employees. just that they don't seem to...uhm...exist.
Daelin @ Aug 5th 2008 8:47AM
I have Verizon and must say that it's OK. Verizon acts like they have the monopoly on everything. Why not use Libsh1tz? I can understand why their filter may block names like that, but you don't have to use their email address when you can use services like AIM for free that let you use POP email access and are portable when you change service providers. My service was changed from Comcast to DSL a while back because of the price. The one thing that was lost was all of my email notifications which were all linked to the Comcast address. Now, I don't need to worry about that anymore. Surely a doctor could've figured that out.
Lisa @ Aug 6th 2008 9:38AM
Putting a 1 in place of a letter in your name is stupid? Would you? It's the man's name for Pete's sake. Years ago when personal column's were big I could not place an ad that said I lived in Sussex County because they thought it was kinky sex. It takes time but you have to fight idiots.
Tammy @ Aug 5th 2008 12:38PM
My last name is the same way. I am told more often than not that my last name is not "valid." I was once so ticked that I emailed the company and I was given an apology and special access to the website.
Nancy @ Aug 6th 2008 6:11AM
>
Because they're afraid that it could be used to generate "phishing" emails ... think about it: you get an email from:
billings@blahblah.com
and it DOES look like a phony email, doesn't it? I get phishing emails from billings@paypal.com now and then, and they're all phony. I guess they're just being hypervigilant on this one.
michele mcgregor @ Aug 6th 2008 6:55AM
Hi Nancy...my name is Michele and just wanted to say I am in total agreement with you and the way you presented your perception was very articulate. I applaud your intelligence and "common sense" approach..awesome..
Peace...
Michele
Ramone @ Aug 6th 2008 2:45PM
Nancy, his email address would not be billings@blahblah.com. His email address would be JeroldBillings@verizon.c0m. (Changed it a little so if someone really has this email then no spam would go to it.)
Verizon gives emails with the person's whole name, not only a last name.
IMB @ Aug 6th 2008 6:21AM
Yeah, a local (almost! lol) You live down the block from the Hearing Aid specialist.... and around the corner from the college! The receptionist said that they have so much fun telling customers this address, just from the reactions they always get. :-D
Peace.
ivy b.
Bumble @ Aug 6th 2008 6:46AM
All I can say is that LARGE COMPANYS are just getting too big for their own businesses. IF you have a strange name, what is the problem, I bet they have no problem giving them a cell phone with their name, or if they live in an area where the Libshitz family lives I have no doubt they can have a land line posted in the phone book?? SO WHAT IS THE PROBLEM VERIZON??????????
DANNY @ Aug 6th 2008 7:13AM
Verizon banned me too. My last name is BONERINYUE