« Am I the only one who remembers the 80's? | Main | Hang in there.....crazy is more popular than you think. »
July 30, 2007
Take that, Goliath!
As some of you may know, I have been fighting with Verizon Wireless for the past, oh i don't know, five months. I called to cancel my service, and through a clause in their contract, I was allowed to do so without paying an early termination fee.
They charged me anyway.
Since then, I have been calling and calling. I was ignored. Finally, all my patience exhausted, I stepped up the plate and threatened them with litigation.
I received my check earlier this week.
It just goes to show, if you're obnoxious enough to threaten a monopoly with a small claims law suit, they'll give you your money.
If you're interested in the letter I sent, read on.
Verizon Wireless
Attn: Customer Service
3601 Converse Dr
Wilmington, NC 28043
Monday, July 2, 2007
To Whom It May Concern:
I am writing to express my complete disgust with my Verizon Wireless experience. It would seem that you are very attentive to your customers while they are in your service, but cannot extend the slightest bit of professionalism once their account is canceled. I find this method of customer service both dishonorable and unethical.
I called Verizon on February 6th to cancel my service. Since I cancelled due to an increase in your SMS message rates, I was allowed out of my contract without an early termination fee. Regardless of this agreed upon fact, on March 22nd, Verizon Wireless charged my credit card $193.22; $175.00 for the cancellation fee, and the rest for taxes.
On March 1st I called customer service and was informed that “the system”, regardless of my confirming that I would not be charged, could not differentiate between customers who should and should not be charged. I find this extremely difficult to believe. I have never encountered a financial system without the ability to override a transaction. It is my belief that Verizon Wireless bills their customers in the hopes that they will either not notice, nor put in the effort to claim their money.
I have spoken with Verizon 16 times in order to find out where my refund is. The bevies of excuses I have received are bewildering. I have been told that it takes one billing cycle, only to be changed to three billing cycles on a later call. I have been told that my request has been submitted and approved three different times. I have records of speaking with nine different customer service representatives and not one of them could tell me when I would be getting my refund. Verizon Wireless has owed me a total of $204.48 since my February-March statement.
This is my last casual attempt at getting my refund. I will be calling my credit card company to challenge the charge, and then I will bring this issue to the attention of my small claims court. In addition, steps are in place to contact the Better Business Bureau.
I can think of no legitimate reason why a customer who has used your service for years should be treated with such neglect.
For your convenience, I have included the dates of my aforementioned phone calls below:
| date | why | who |
| 6-Feb | Called to cancel Verizon Service | |
| 24-Jun | Confirm Cancelled Line | |
| 25-Jun | Check on port status | |
| 1-Mar | Called to confirm cancellation | |
| 7-Mar | Called to confirm no charge | Meriah |
| 22-Mar | Called about refund status | Erin |
| 24-Mar | credit request sent out/received/approved | |
| 30-Mar | Called about refund status | |
| 12-Apr | Called about refund status | Gail |
| 18-Apr | gail called to tell me pending | |
| 28-Apr | called with survey | |
| 2-May | called with survey | |
| 14-May | Called about refund status | Lucinda |
| 15-May | resubmitted refund request | Margaret |
| 12-Jun | Called about refund status | Ivan |
| 21-Jun | Called about refund status | Allison/Shante Shantee re-submitted request |
| 25-Jun | Shantee called to apologize for delay | |
| 30-Jun | Shantee left message | |
| 2-Jul | Called to confirm call log | Sean |
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me at 111.222.3333.
Sincerely,
I am so pissed off right now.
Posted by lysa at July 30, 2007 12:18 PM
Comments
Fee fi fo fum! Whos on our sh*tlist now?
Verizon
Best Buy
Blockbuster
Ambercrombie Fitch
Air France
possibly Jet Blue or the entire airline industry (wheres Mr. Garrison's sphere device anyway!? i think our webmaster here would rather go through probing devices and mechanical handjobs than fly again).
Posted by: booboo at July 30, 2007 3:44 PM
Hehehe ... NICE ... Sounds like something I would have done. ;-) I'm so proud of you...this looks like it comes from my ever-growing complaint letter file. GO GIRL! :)
Now get back on Verizon so i can text/pix you for free. ::giggle::
Posted by: scottie at July 30, 2007 6:57 PM
Jetblue. HA. Now there's a slow pitch lowball.
JetBLEW!!!!
Posted by: kbee at July 31, 2007 6:15 PM
Any letter with "disgust" in the first paragraph is okay by me.
Ok, well, not any letter. Put down that pen.
Posted by: Kbee at July 31, 2007 11:04 PM