I Really Didn't Need More Reason to Hate Verizon
I really do try to keep rants off of this space. I prefer to not call companies out unless I've tried and tried to resolve an issue. This time, however, I'm too mad to do anything but just let it out. Feel free to skip this tirade . . .
I hate Verizon.
I have always hated Verizon.
Now I hate them SO MUCH MORE.
Let me start at the beginning . . . so, we moved on July 17th of this year. A few weeks before that, I diligently called all of our utilities to cancel/transfer service. That process, of course, was painful.
When I called Verizon, I already knew that they didn't offer DSL or FIOS in our new neighborhood, but I still started the conversation with, "We're moving so I would like to transfer our phone and internet service." Mostly I did that in hope that I was wrong because it's much easier to transfer than move. The representative looked up the address and confirmed that which I knew. She chuckled a little and said, "So I guess you just want to cancel."
"Definitely," I replied, thinking that was amazingly easy.
The representative did her clicky clicky magic and confirmed that our internet and home phone service were canceled.
A month later, we got a bill. Since my cell phone is also with Verizon, Mr. Husband didn't think much of it and went ahead and paid it. He figured it was the cell bill plus any final charges that we owed.
The following month, we got another bill. This time it was very obvious that we were still being billed for service at a house we had long ago vacated. So, I called Verizon and was told that we never requested that the internet be canceled.
A few stunned moments later, I managed to convey to the representative that it didn't make much sense why the phone service was canceled but not internet. If I hadn't called, how did the phone service get turned off? She looked back through the records and put in a cancellation notice effective July 17th. The net result was that we had paid for two months of internet service that we didn't owe. The representative told me to discard the bill we had just received and that a refund for those two months would be in the mail.
Fast forward to today, about one month after that phone call. Mr. Husband called me and said that there was a message on our voicemail from a collection agency.
A COLLECTION AGENCY.
Half an hour later, I had managed to get through to a human at the collection agency and learned that Verizon had sent us to collections for an unpaid $39.99 bill. I have to send proof that we don't owe that bill or they will ding my (currently outstanding) credit.
Obviously, I followed up with a call to Verizon. OF COURSE the Customer Service department was closed for the day, but from the automated phone service I was able to figure out that we were debited instead of credited in September. The mother truckers sent it to collections less than a month later and without ever sending any notice in the mail.
*Head explode*
I fear for the representative that answers my call tomorrow, because anything short of hand delivering the money they owe us at that exact moment will likely result in a cuss-filled tirade.
I HATE YOU, VERIZON.
Updated 10/8: I contacted Verizon via Twitter and the issue is currently being worked on. +1 gold star to Verizon for using Twitter . . .
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Reader Comments (19)
Awful, but can't say I'm surprised. Canceling just about any service anymore is nearly impossible - don't get me started on Discover Card! I'll cross my fingers for you (or the customer support person) tomorrow!
I hate Verizon, too. They sent me a termination notice for my Fios internet for non-payment. In the meantime, they had been automatically debiting my account for six months previously. I had to spend an HOUR AND A HALF on the phone with them during work hours, to get them to TAKE MY MONEY. I hate Verizon, too.
I KNOW WHAT YOU ARE SAYING I WNET THRU THIS WITH SPRINT ABOUT 10 YRS AGO. THEY OFFRED ALL OF US AT THE HOSPITAL I WORKED AT THIS SO CALLED GREAT DEAL. THEY LIED TO ALL OF US AND WE HAD THE HOSPITALS SUPPORT AND WE KEPT AT THEM AND LEGAL ACTION WAS THREATENED TO THEM AND THE SALES REP. THEY FINALLY LET THOSE OF US WHO WERE PERSISTANT ENOUGH TO NOT LET IT DIE OFF THE HOOK. I NEVER GAVE UP, I PROVED MY STORY AND I NEVER HAD TO PAY THEM A CENT FOR THEIR FRAUDULANT PROMISES. I WOULD NOT HAVE SPRINT IF IT WERE THE LAST CELL COMPANY ON EARTH. SO HANG IN THERE MICHELLE. GIVE IT ALL YOU GOT AND DON'T BACK DOWN !!!!
Unleash the hounds! It sucks that you have to wait to talk to someone at Verizon. You're bound to be calmer by tomorrow. Maybe?
You need to laugh... read my post.
oh. my. god.
Go get 'em, girl.
Wow. Just... Oh my gosh I am PISSED OFF for you!!! What a big freaking JOKE. I hope you give them HELL tomorrow.
From personal experience, the cuss-filled tirades do not work. I completely understand the frustration, though.
Just went through this with AT&T. We changed service twice because Mister C added me to his account and then dropped himself off (it was cheaper this way). Turns out that for each of those transactions, they charged us for a month of service. I dealt with them the first time for well over two hours (and about five different people) just to get them to admit that they charged us twice. It wasn't until I had to talk to the guy in accounting that I finally got anywhere - and even then I had to explain it in little tiny terms for him to see why I was upset. Unfortunately, I didn't realize they had actually triple charged us, not double. So the very next day Mister C got to deal with them for another hour. Good times.
I don't have much better luck. I paid a bill online nonetheless back in May and they said they never got so charged me a late fee. I called, they investigated, saw they got paid but still as of last week had not credited my account. So every month I get a late fee and every month I have to sit on the phone for 20 mins to get them to take the late fee off and wait for them to credit my account. Pain!
They all suck. I have gone through similar situation with every phone/internet/cable company I have ever dealt with. SUCK!
We just got threw with this with the Post Gazette. I canceled our paper because they could never find our house. We were paying for a paper that showed up less than 1/2 the time and I had had enough. I called and canceled. And then suddenly, the paper started showing up. And then I got a bill. I called and told them we canceled. They acknowledged our cancellation and said to ignore the bill. We did. And then a collection agency notice came. For $11. I sent a notice of dispute to the collection agency. Then I called the Post Gazette again and they claim to have fixed it and contacted the collection agency. We're still getting the paper.
through. not threw. never mind.
One of the reasons that cuss-filled tirades don't work is that you're incredibly unlikely to speak to anyone that you've already spoken to. Which is one of the major problems, because it's really hard to verify that you had any of these phone conversations (though it's likely that Verizon tape records them all) from your end.
I'll cross my fingers for you that you get a customer service rep who is actually trying to do a good job, with a manager who is actually competent. Even though it won't be their direct fault, it is the company they work for, and they should be falling over apologizing the whole way through.
I say this as someone with experience working in customer service. If someone comes to me with a complaint and acts like I'm the one that did it, I'm a lot less inclined to be helpful even though I KNOW that the service they got was wrong the first time around, and it was someone from my company. But if someone is nice, even if it's obvious that they're frustrated, I will bend over backwards, because I feel bad that something happened that shouldn't have.
This is a no-brainer, but take down every name of every person you speak to as well as times, so that Verizon can check (if they bother) to see that you did call. If all else fails, in the middle of a call, and someone's being an ass, hang up and try again - you'll probably get someone different.
Kill them all. It's the only real answer. You wouldn't believe the crap we've gotten from Centennial. They are all the same. You have to not only do something once. You have to do it three times or they will F it up. I personally think they do it on purpose to get more fees. I think it's a policy in all companies these days.
Isn't it amazing that they can screw up a cancellation or a refund, but they never seem to mess up when they think they're owed?
When I moved 4 miles north two years ago, we called Verizon three weeks in advance to have the landline and DSL transfered. It didn't transfer because they had us listed as moving from our old address TO our old address. That was the beginning of over three weeks of wrangling with them almost daily to get the service transfered. The whole situation was such a mess I ended up filing a complaint with the PUC (at the suggestion of one of their employees no less).
this is EXACTLY how I feel about AT&T service. I told them that I would use a tin cup and some string before I ever signed up with them again.
...but...aren't you at least a little dubious of the "currently" part of that equation? What with all the false promises of yore.
I'm really sorry to hear about your problems with Verizon. If it provides any help or consolation, I thought I'd add a tip for reducing your Verizon Wireless bills. I work for the consumer advocacy website http://www.fixmycellbill.com, powered by a company called Validas, where we slash the average cell bill by 22 percent. Validas acts as the wireless bodyguard protecting you against frivolous charges that over-inflate 8 out of 10 cell bills. You can find out for free if fixmycellbill.com can modify your wireless plan to better suit your usage by going to the website.
For more info, check out Validas on Fox News at http://www.myfoxtampabay.com/dpp/consumer/conlaw/lower_cell_phone_bills_072409 .
Good luck on cutting your Verizon costs, especially in this tough economy.
Dylan
Consumer Advocacy, fixmycellbill.com