07-17-2009, 02:14 PM | #1 | ||
College Starter
Join Date: Jun 2003
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Fun with Verizon
Since I very cleverly jumped into a pool with my cell phone in my pocket to get away from a bee I had to get a new phone.
I didn't have insurance on it so I had to get a new phone from verizon. I was not eligible for any deals which left me with two choices. Get a really shitty phone from the store for 100 bucks or pay over 300 for a blackberry that given my iq i could not figure out how to use. I quickly calculated that paying the the early cancellation fee of 140 dollars plus the cost of a new iphone (99 bucks) would be the most cost effective option. So I call up Verizon today to pay off what I owe them (cancellation fee + last months bill) . Amazingly, they still have my information under my mother's name because we were on the family plan about 10 years ago even though we get separate bills. Even more amazingly they are showing that I owe no money and just my mom's bill and number is listed. After about twenty minutes of trying to get things figured out, the customer representative asked if I would find my esn number and call back to give them more information. I politely declined and she said I might get a surprise bill in the future, but I said lets trust the computers on this one and hung up the phone. I guess I will find out in a month or so if they really lost my info. If its not in the computers I am home free right? I cant imagine anyone there caring that much to figure out where my info went. I just hope this somehow doesn't screw up my credit. We shall see. |
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07-17-2009, 02:17 PM | #2 |
High School JV
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Dayton, OH
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Hmmm....I think you are probably in the clear.
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07-17-2009, 02:33 PM | #3 |
College Starter
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Kansas
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I'm confused. Have you been getting a bill from them month to month?
There is a decent chance the CSR was just an idiot. Edit: Or do you mean they knew you had an account, were billing you but just didn't have contract date and such? Last edited by Calis : 07-17-2009 at 02:40 PM. |
07-17-2009, 02:45 PM | #4 |
Coordinator
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: Not too far away
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I would expect the bill to show up after you switch. But in any case I would just go ahead and switch your number. Doing so will automatically cancel your current contract and you'll either get billed, or not.
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07-17-2009, 02:49 PM | #5 |
Resident Alien
Join Date: Jun 2001
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Glad to see that I'm not the only one who turns into a wuss when bees are around.
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07-17-2009, 02:53 PM | #6 |
College Starter
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Kansas
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Is the 140 cancellation fee standard or does it base off how many months you have left?
I've been thinking of making the switch to an iphone but have a good chunk left on my contract. Wondered what it cost to get out of it. 140 seems pretty reasonable right nowm |
07-17-2009, 02:56 PM | #7 |
Coordinator
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: The Great Northwest
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So stealing from a company is alright with you? Not saying I would or wouldn't do it, or it's wrong, but want to point out what you are doing if you have been getting service.
__________________
Los Angeles Dodgers Check out the FOFC Groups on Facebook! and Reddit! DON'T REPORT ME BRO! Last edited by DanGarion : 07-17-2009 at 02:57 PM. |
07-17-2009, 03:05 PM | #8 |
Coordinator
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: Big Ten Country
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07-17-2009, 03:58 PM | #9 | |
Grizzled Veteran
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: Syracuse, NY
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Quote:
How would he be stealing if it's a shared line with his mother's account? On top of the fact that the cancellation fee BS is verizon stealing from you (and don't bother getting into the "it's in the contract" when there's many things they do to violate the contract as well) |
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07-17-2009, 04:03 PM | #10 | |
Coordinator
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: The Great Northwest
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Quote:
Regardless if the contract is BS, someone did sign the contract and decide they were willing to keep service for x amount of days. Just curious what do they do that violates the contract? |
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07-17-2009, 04:57 PM | #11 |
College Starter
Join Date: Jun 2003
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Just to be clear I have been paying every month.
I no longer have Verizon so I am not stealing phone service. My mother is still getting billed for her phone service. What am I could be getting out of and what could be construed as stealing is the 140 cancellation fee plus the previous month's bill. However, I did call to pay it and stayed on the line with them for a good twenty minutes. If they bill me I will certainly pay it, however I don't think its completely out of line to not pay if I don't get the bill. I called. I offered to pay. If they don't have the paperwork, that is on them. Not me. Calis, I am not sure how they came up with the 140 figure. However, I did call before cancelling my service to ask what the cancellation fee was and thats the number they gave me. If you are thinking of cancelling just call up Verizon and they will give you the cancellation fee. |
07-17-2009, 04:57 PM | #12 | |
College Starter
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Out of Grad School Hell :)
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Quote:
Companies routinely fuck customers over for money, so in this instance......it's not stealing, the company lost the info, so they are SOL. |
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07-18-2009, 08:06 AM | #13 |
Grizzled Veteran
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Backwoods, SC
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If you would have went to their loyalty or retention deprtment they would have given you a free phone provided you have a decent payment history
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07-18-2009, 08:58 AM | #14 | |
College Benchwarmer
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Sterling Heights, Mi
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Quote:
I just listened to that call to Verizon and I was pulling out my hair. |
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07-18-2009, 09:11 AM | #15 |
College Starter
Join Date: Dec 2006
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I would wonder if you have EVER given them your SSN?
If not...then I dont see how they would have any way to associate you to a new plan or anything like that. If you aren't sure...or you have given them your SSN for plan activation purposes in the past...then I would bet the CSR was just stupid and you will likely see a bill. Also quite possible you'll find out when/if you go to get a new phone and activate it. That would likely be the true test I'd imagine. |
07-18-2009, 09:34 AM | #16 |
Pro Starter
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: Cary, NC
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One other thing about Verizon is their physical locations tend to provide MUCH better service than the phone. You could try just walking in, explaining the situation, and see what they can do.
__________________
-- Greg -- Author of various FOF utilities |
07-18-2009, 03:39 PM | #17 |
Pro Rookie
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Raleigh, NC
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Hm...sorta interested in the doings here since my provider (Alltel) is now offically Verizon as of the next bill, but our two-year contract ends in a couple of months. We're very much utilitarian cell phone users and since we still have our landline, we have the least-cost two-line plan and we are never, ever close to using up the minutes on it.
I do think about whether to get some kind of smart internet phone next time around, though. There've been a few times when I wished I had ready access to the web while on the go. I could have done it with Alltel, but I didn't think the extra cost was worth the rather basic web browsing that was on my phone and I managed to muddle through particularly on sports scores since those weren't walled off by the extra charges. Given our rather pedestrian needs, should I stick with Verizon or perhaps consider another provider? T-Mobile has recently come into the area, which was our carrier when we lived in Michigan, but we had to switch when we moved back here. We had pretty good service with them and they offered pretty good basic plans which suited the times and needs we had before. |
07-18-2009, 04:48 PM | #18 |
Pro Starter
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: Cary, NC
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We just switched from Virgin Mobile to Verizon's prepaid plan. We're on the very, very basic one: put in $100 and your phone stays good for a year, and minutes are 25 cents apiece. We're minimal cell users (mostly for emergencies with the kids, or meeting up when splitting up while shopping) and this works fine for us, and Verizon has better coverage for us.
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-- Greg -- Author of various FOF utilities |
07-18-2009, 05:39 PM | #19 |
Grizzled Veteran
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Fresno, CA
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This is stealing, plain and simple.
Your punishment as I have determined it, is to attempt to pay them $140 without a bill. Good Luck. Your debt to society will be paid in full. =) |
07-18-2009, 05:40 PM | #20 |
Grizzled Veteran
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Fresno, CA
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Dola,
I have no sarcasm symbol to use. |
07-19-2009, 02:43 PM | #21 | |
Coordinator
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: The Great Northwest
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Quote:
If you feel that way, you probably never worked for a company. Most companies aren't really looking for ways to screw over customers, customers just don't understand how their bill or billing works, or what they actually signed up for... IMO. Doesn't mean there aren't mistakes, just stating what I have seen from my side. Trust me, it doesn't stop me from trying to get my way with a company. |
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07-19-2009, 07:17 PM | #22 | |
Pro Starter
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: Cary, NC
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Quote:
What you really mean is many companies come up with really convoluted rules hoping folks won't really read them. See credit card companies and their ever-changing rules, for example, or simply electronics rebates. Or from the banking industry, Check21. Sure some folks are trying to get away with what they can, but many companies are doing their level best to squeeze every dime out of folks they can. Your employer and their "Home of Free HD my ass" included. And probably my employer, too ;-)
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-- Greg -- Author of various FOF utilities Last edited by gstelmack : 07-19-2009 at 07:17 PM. |
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07-19-2009, 07:29 PM | #23 | |
Coordinator
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: The Great Northwest
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Quote:
I was about to yell at you till I read the "and probably my employer, too" part... |
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