In the year 1999, I opened three cell phone accounts with Ameritech (later changed to Verizon Wireless). I was not allowed to open these accounts due to my credit report until I paid a $250.00 deposit on each account. I had a cell phone and also my two teenage daughters had a cell phone. Well, after my two daughter finished school and got their own accounts I requested my deposits be returned and was told that I had to have a receipt. They stated they could not find it in their computers even though I gave them the account numbers.
Needless to say, I never got those deposits back and just left it alone because I didn't have the receipts. I then started asking Verizon when I would get my deposit back since I was told I would get it back after a year and a year had more than passed. They kept telling me that I would have to pay my bill on the due date at least six months straight before they would return my deposit. Everytime I was even a day late the six months would start all over again.
To make a long story short this has gone on now for almost 10 years. Recently I had a bill for $325 and and I asked that my account be cancelled and if they would use my $250 deposit and I would pay the balance. I argued on the phone with verizon for about 20 minutes while they argued that their computers wouldn't "go back that far" so they could not tell me what happened to my deposit. I again reminded them that they had kept my deposits from two other accounts and they again told me that their computers would not go back that far. Seeing there was no use arguing with them I hung up the phone and that I would see them in court.
They later sent me a bill (the most recent bill is for $405.46 when the assured me I only owed $325 and I am under no contract with them) and threatened to report me to the major credit bureaus. I believe this the most despicable, underhanded, and lack of moral ethics that I have ever seen a company who portrays themselves a reputable and I hope that everyone sees this and don't get caught up in the "deposit" snare that I got caught up in. I would also like to know if this has happened to anyone else.
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