[zooteo]

They were definitely just asking for your security phrase, not the password for your online billing account.

As an AT&T customer, I know having one of these "passwords" is optional. If you choose to have one as an added level of security (in addition to the last 4 of the account holders social), you can add it to the account. Again, it can be completely different from your online login passowrd and is usually something simple that can be said/understood over the phone.

I found this whole article kind of funny. The rep must have been so confused as to why this customer was getting so hysterical over such a common thing.