I am hitting send on the following email. While I cant mention the name. Lets just say, they are high enough up to make the following happen:
Dear Verizon Overlords,
I hope you are doing well. As Nomad Internet continues to scale our offerings and bring high-speed internet to some of the most underserved communities across the United States, we remain incredibly grateful for the strong partnership we’ve built with Verizon. Together, we’ve been able to push the boundaries of what fixed wireless access (FWA) can deliver.
We are now entering a critical phase in our growth where the volume of issued hardware, the creativity of bad actors, and the complexity of fraud prevention intersect. As part of our ongoing commitment to protecting Verizon’s network and ensuring the responsible use of all modems issued to Nomad, we would like to propose a joint monthly IMEI integrity review protocol that reinforces trust and accountability across all levels.
Nomad’s Current Fraud Prevention and Identity Verification Infrastructure
At Nomad, we have implemented a layered and proactive approach to fraud mitigation and user validation. These measures include:
- Payment Validation: We use robust credit card and debit card fraud detection tools that flag suspicious activity and block unauthorized transactions.
- AI and LLM-Powered ID Verification: We are integrating large language models and machine learning systems to assist in real-time identity validation, detect synthetic identities, and reduce social engineering attempts.
- Smart Flagging Systems: Our internal AI systems flag anomalies such as mismatched shipping addresses, unusual usage patterns, and other behavioral markers indicative of fraud.
- KYC-Lite Processes: For sensitive transactions (e.g., bulk modem orders), we deploy identity checkpoints and require document verification.
While these systems are highly effective and constantly improving, no fraud prevention system is 100% foolproof, especially in an environment where physical equipment like modems can be resold, cloned, or illicitly redistributed.
Why We Need Verizon’s Help: Shared Responsibility for Network Integrity
Verizon sits in a unique and strategic position as the core infrastructure provider for Nomad’s FWA modem fleet. As such, Verizon has visibility into the full IMEI universe—including every modem issued to Nomad and any activity associated with those IMEIs across all Verizon partner accounts.
Because of this visibility, we believe Verizon is best positioned to help identify instances where a modem originally issued to Nomad appears outside of our system—whether it ends up active on another reseller’s account, an enterprise partner, or another business channel.
These are key signals that indicate potential issues such as:
- Unauthorized resale of Nomad-issued equipment
- IMEI cloning or spoofing
- Theft or hijacking of modems in transit
- Fraudulent activations using compromised credentials
Proposal: Monthly IMEI Integrity Audit
We would like to propose a formalized monthly review protocol, wherein Verizon and Nomad collaborate to verify the following:
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IMEI Audit Scope:
- Cross-reference the full list of IMEIs issued to Nomad against Verizon’s network activity for the current month.
- Identify any IMEIs that are active or have been recently activated outside of Nomad’s authorized Thingspace instance.
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Anomaly Reporting:
- Provide a report of any out-of-place IMEIs, with relevant metadata such as activation date, associated account type (business, reseller, partner), and network usage.
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Case-by-Case Review:
- Allow Nomad to trace these flagged IMEIs to determine if they were legitimately transferred (e.g., RMA or returns), lost/stolen, or fraudulently reassigned.
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Resolution Pathways:
- For confirmed cases of fraud or misuse, we collaboratively determine the appropriate corrective action—whether that is deactivating the device, reclaiming the IMEI, or pursuing further investigation.
Mutual Benefits of This Protocol
We believe this proposed monthly audit serves both parties by:
- Protecting Verizon’s network integrity and ensuring bad actors don’t exploit the openness of the Thingspace ecosystem.
- Preserving Nomad’s brand reputation and customer trust by ensuring only authorized users operate Nomad-issued equipment.
- Deterring modem resellers and scammers from targeting Nomad’s modem inventory for illicit redistribution.
- Providing early warning signs of fraud rings or compromised logistics that may impact Verizon partners beyond Nomad.
In addition, this protocol gives both of our teams actionable insights into how fraud evolves across the ecosystem and how to continuously improve our tools and policies.
Looking Ahead: Collaborating on Enhanced Security
We are eager to hear Verizon’s thoughts on this proposal. We understand that you may have internal tools, best practices, or even automation frameworks that could support this kind of IMEI auditing process. Whether it’s access to an API, batch audit tools, or Thingspace triggers, we’re fully committed to integrating this process into our internal fraud prevention systems.
Ultimately, we believe this partnership sets a precedent for responsible device stewardship in the FWA space and shows our mutual dedication to protecting both end users and the infrastructure that supports them.
Thank you again for your continued partnership and collaboration. We’re ready to begin the first IMEI review cycle as early as this month if Verizon agrees that this is a valuable initiative.