Go to my website that I created specifically for Orange County victims:
www.geocities.com/worldcomwirelessnightmaresinoc/index.html
Here's my nightmare testimonial:
I decided to purchase my 'first' cell phone on April 18 from one of WorldCom's distributors: Rudy at Elite Communications [888-292-7601] with a calling plan of 150 Weekday Minutes plus Unlimited Weeknights and Weekends at $29.99 a month.
I did not receive bill #1 until 2 1/2 months after receiving my cell phone (5/14), and was careful to stay within my minutes. All of my bills for the proceding four (4) months indicated 0.0 minutes used for both Home and Roaming calls, with no itemized listings of phone calls made. Each bill had the standard $33.06 usage charge, so I took this to mean that I was under my minutes and decided to use my phone more frequently after the third month of having my phone.
After 7 months of actively using my cell phone which I thought was in my minutes, I was devastated to see a large phone bill (#5) from 08/12/01 09/11/01 that itemized a listing of every single call I made since the purchase of my phone starting on 5/14/01!! It amounted to $822.57!!!
I immediately contacted WorldCom Wireless Customer Service and spoke to Joe at 1-888-259-2956, x2140 on 10/25/01 who reviewed my account and he explained that no one from Accounts starting with the #26 received the correct billing since there were database problems. This however meant that I would also receive two more bills in which I did not know I was over my minutes since WorldCom Wireless kept sending me incorrect bills!!!
Joe agreed that I am not responsible for any calls made beyond my plan since it was a WorldCom Wireless error. He immediately issued a credit for the Total Usage Charges for $728.10 and indicated that taxes of $64.48 would not be credited until the actual total usage charges were reversed. Joe indicated that this would be fixed, and that I should ignore further invoices, yet pay the standard access charge of $33.06 which I did.
I then received the following month's bill [#6] and saw that my credit adjustment was NOT made, and a Total Usage charge of $216.45 was added. I called customer service once again and spoke with a supervisor: Crystal at 1-800-745-0255, x2191. I inquired about the previous credit that was issued by Joe, and she saw that for some reason, the ticket request for my credit had been closed. [She said that Joe was actually from Account Services and didn't even have authorization to give such a credit!!! Only 'Customer Service' could do that] She placed another credit "request", in which I later saw in Bill #7 that they only gave me a $202.50 credit for in-plan minutes they owed me for sending me screwed-up phone bill for 5 months!!!
I used my cell phone with extremely limited use since October 31 but kept getting my service disconnected. I wrote two more letters to WorldCom Wireless [which of coarse they have no record of] and was obviously not getting anywhere with their incompetent customer service. I tried one last effort to talk to a supervisor to clear my account, and 'Alicia' said that even though WorldCom Wireless sent incorrect bills, I am 'responsible' for all the calls I made over my plan, [Even though I had no idea I was over my minutes] and that Customer Service had NO INTENTION of issuing any additional credit... So as of January, I cancelled my service knowing they'll charge me a $200 early termination fee.
My bills are at $900 and I have no intention of paying any of it! I am now only dealing strictly with the California Public Utilities Commission, and they have a copy of every single bill I have received. I received some legal advice from my company's Employee Assistance Program, and so far they said I have been doing the right thing.
Here's what they advised:
* Keep a copy of every 'Past Due' statement, but DON'T IGNORE them. Mail a response saying that you are disputing your charges with the California Public Utilities Commission. This will help in your paper trail if you decide to go to court. [Mail it certified/return receipt]
* File a complaint with the California Public Utilities Commission [they must have 100's by now on WorldCom Wireless! ]. Follow up with them at 1-800-649-7570.
* Locate your local Small Claims Court, and talk a 'Legal Advisor' - they offer free advice if you have a case in Small Claims Court. [To file a claim costs ~$30, and to serve papers, you need to hire a messenger which will cost ~ $25 - $75]
* Find out what department at WorldCom Wireless handles legal papers for the corporation so once you file a complaint with the courts, they can serve the papers to the correct department/person. [This should be filed with the Secretary of State, Corporation's Deparment. Look in the phone book]
* Hearing date: Once you file a small claims complaint, it takes ~ 1 - 2 months to get a hearing date infront of a judge. It is better to have everyone in your area who has a problem with WorldCom Wireless to get the SAME date so that the judge doesn't have to listen to the same problem over and over at different time slots. If you are all there at the same date and is one right after the other, you will have a stronger case. If WorldCom Wireless never show up, it's an automatic win!
WISH ME LUCK!!! I live in Orange County, so if anyone wants to try to clear their 'good credit' along with me, email me! I'm at [email protected].
Otherwise, maybe we can all unite for a CLASS ACTION LAW SUIT and Erin Brokovich their ASS!!!
Good luck everyone!
Janet
Huntington Beach, CA
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