Now giving Six Flags a run for it's money, Sprint PCS promises to take Consumers for a Dizzying Ride...
The clues were there from the word go, but I chose to give Sprint PCS the benefit of the doubt. Clearly, what I should have done was run as fast and as far as I could without looking back.
Fact One: Sprint PCS allowed a person (whom I absolutely did not know) from another state, no less, open an account in my name.
Because of this fraudulent account and it's outrageous balance, I was not allowed to open an account of my own. Disappointed, I was about to leave the store when an eager sales associate approached me. The young man advised me to call one of my friends and get her social security number and address (and with her permission obtained over the phone) I could open my phone in her name. (At this point a light bulb should have been flashing, a red flag waving, or something... But there I was giving the benefit of the doubt.) I was assured that later, I could call their collection agency "OSI" and request a fraud packet so as to clear the bogus charges, and switch the account into my own name.
Fact Two: Once you become a paying customer, the thrill is gone.
I actually had little problem with my cellular service with this company. Yes I experienced many dropped calls, and other types of inconsistent service, but that is something I expect due to the nature of the technology.
So here I was, with a Sprint account under my pal's name. Then began my oddessy (which lasted an entire year) with "OSI" the collection agency. I was anxious to learn about the bogus account and to clear it from my record. Easier said than done. When I called the numbers provided, I would be lead into a voice mail box (and that's when I got through without getting a busy signal). When I got the voice mail box, another prompt would follow, "This mail box is full, please try again later". Even with sending a registered letter requesting the information I needed... No response.
I went into my local Sprint PCS store and the agent called OSI and got a live person on the phone. She came back to the counter and gave my another number (one that I already had) and told me to call it and request a fraud packet. (Duhhhh!!!) I explained of the problems I was having with the number and could she request one for me since she had no problem getting a live person on the phone. "You have to request it on behalf of yourself, I cannot do that". Cannot or would not?
Fact three: Charges are due without an explanation.
Once I finally got through to OSI and had my name cleared off the charges, I had the phone switched into my name.
When I tried to get the phone switched, I was told that my friend had to come into the store physically, to sign off on the transaction, yet when I opened the account, her prescence was not at all requested. But, I digress.
Once the phone was in my name, I recieved one more bill in her name, and paid it over the phone. (To pay your bill with a live person either on the phone or in person, by the way, is an additional $5... No joke). So I paid the last remaining bill from her name. Then I recieve a bill for my name, and pay it. The first for June, and the latter for July.
Then, out of the blue, I recieve a call from Sprint stating I owe a payment. Payment for what? I wanted to know. So I called back. Apparently the first girl I spoke with that day didnt know and being unable to answer my question, she hung up on me... (I was on my home phone. So it was not a dropped call). Patiently, I called back again, this time, another lady tells me that I have a credit of $100 and some change and that my balance is up to date. That didnt sound right, so I called back.By now, having spent about 2 hours on the phone, Im maintaining composure.
The third lady, nicest of them all, actually goes to get a supervisor to explain the discrepancy. She had no problem admitting, that she herself, was unable to understand what her computer terminal was displaying. The supervisor tells me that I should'nt have another bill due until September. I ask why I was called and told I had a balance, and she informs me it was a mistake.
Two hours later, my phone is turned off.
It has been over a week since my request, and I still have yet to recieve an invoice or bill for the payment I supposedly missed.
When a paying customer goes into the store, he should expect attitude to greet him and to leave with more questions than he came in with. The only persons treated with any semblance of politeness are the prospective customers.
I challenge. No I beg for Sprint PSC supporters to offer a rebuttal, but when you do please address the three issues I placed on the table.
1. I was a victim of fruad and Sprint's practices facilitated that crime.
2. Prospective customers are of much higher value than contractually bound customers, and treated accordingly.
3. Service is interrupted for unexplained balances with no paper trail leading to the consumer.
I beg for anyone to justify this blantantly un-professional behavior.
Jamie
Corpus Christi, Texas
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