Over the past two months (October & November), and more than likely December when it arrives, I was erroneously billed $513.22 & $545.19 for one-time charges for Video On Demand that I or anyone in my household ordered. These charges were scattered throughout the day and even on days when nobody was home. The peculiar thing about these purchases is that they were made in bunches on the different days they occurred and some 10 minutes apart. Below is the list of charges for September.
Private Title 09/09 3:53p 12.98
Private Title 09/09 7:18a 13.98
Private Title 09/09 7:52p 12.98
Private Title 09/09 9:38p 12.98
Private Title 09/09 10:40p 13.98
Private Title 09/10 6:32p 12.98
Private Title 09/10 6:42p 13.98
Private Title 09/22 4:20a 12.98
Private Title 09/22 1:04a 12.98
Private Title 09/22 11:31a 12.98
Private Title 09/22 6:34p 12.98
Private Title 09/22 7:03p 12.98
Private Title 09/24 11:45p 12.98
Private Title 09/25 12:03a 12.98
Private Title 09/25 8:16p 8.98
Private Title 09/25 11:16p 12.98
Private Title 09/25 7:22p 12.98
Private Title 09/25 6:50p 12.98
Private Title 09/25 7:53p 12.98
Private Title 09/25 6:12p 12.98
Private Title 09/25 11:03p 12.98
Private Title 09/25 7:34p 12.98
Private Title 09/25 6:56p 13.98
Private Title 09/25 7:46p 13.98
Private Title 09/27 11:26p 13.98
Private Title 09/28 1:34p 13.98
Private Title 09/28 6:08p 12.98
Private Title 09/28 10:40p 13.98
Private Title 09/28 10:20p 14.98
Private Title 09/29 2:16p 8.98
Private Title 09/29 12:06a 12.98
Private Title 09/29 12:50a 12.98
Private Title 09/29 12:13a 13.98
Private Title 09/29 11:19p 14.98
Private Title 09/30 12:29a 12.98
Private Title 09/30 12:17a 12.98
Private Title 09/30 9:43a 12.98
Private Title 09/30 12:35a 13.98
Private Title 09/30 12:56a 13.98
One-Time Charges Total $513.22
I called customer service and the people I spoke to seemed like they wanted to help resolve my billing dispute. The first person I spoke to listened to my issue, agreed that something just wasn't right about it and said that perhaps the cable boxes were faulty and could arrange for a service tech to check them out. But before she did anything she said that she was transferring me to someone that could help. This person, whose name I did not get, was very understanding and was going to try to help me get the charges reversed. She started by placing a $1 spending limit on my account so that nothing can be ordered without being called in by me. After we set that up, I wanted to confirm with her that I would not have to have a service person check my boxes out, like the first lady had mentioned. With that said, she says that since that's what I was told that she was going to send a service tech out that day.
The service tech shows up and checks out our boxes and gets on the phone with his supervisor and asks him what he should be checking out. So through the menu option on each of our boxes he checked to see what the boxes had recorded for VOD purchases. There was only 1 purchased title listed as a past purchase that was displayed. So in speaking with the service tech he said that when he spoke to dispatch, he said that the dispatch person said that over the 10 years he's worked there that he has never seen anything like what was appearing on my bill. So the service tech said "I told him you were going to dispute the charges." So I felt like I was taken care of and my problem resolved.
The next day I called customer service to follow up with getting my bill corrected and that's when Charter's true colors surfaced and all 4 of the people I spoke to showed how much I really didn't mean to Charter.
The first person I spoke to and explained what happened said that since the tech's report didn't find any issues with the boxes the most he could reverse was 3 of the 80 VOD's ordered over September and October. I tried to plead my case with him to no avail so he transferred me to a supervisor whose name was Crea. Immediately when she got on the line she was in attack mode and insisted that I was responsible for these charges and insinuated that I was a a deadbeat trying to get out of paying for something. I explained to her that if she would look at my billing history over the past 9 years that she would find that for most of the 9 years I've been with Charter that I make a payment that will cover 12 months of service every year. I asked her to look at my history and she will see that there has never been a trend to suggest that I made these purchases. She stated that my history and the past didn't matter and that I recently could have just started to want to make purchases. I told her that I would not order a VOD and 10 minutes later order another and another. She stated "I see it all the time sir, people do that all the time." By this time I am angry with the way I was being spoken to and demanded that I speak to Crea's supervisor. She said something like "well you can if I can find one to talk to you, but they'll tell you the same thing I'm telling you. We can only reverse 3 of the purchases." I get put on hold and when she comes back she states "They are all in meetings and can't speak to you." So she says someone will call me back. Of course nobody did.
I call back a few hours later and speak to Rachel. She's rude right about from the point when I said I was calling about my billing dispute. Yet another person who my business is supposed to matter to talking to me very condescendingly. She says that from the notes on my account there is nothing wrong with our boxes and nothing she could do to help me. Then she proceeds to say that I could find who made all these purchases and make them pay for it. So I ask to speak to her supervisor and she says that she'll transfer me to an account or team lead. Now I have Matt on the line and he's well versed in speaking politely and not speaking down to you but as a supervisor or team lead he is only authorized to reverse 3 charges. And not matter what I told him he would say the same thing. So I finally point out to him that I have been a loyal customer that has always paid on time and most years a year in advance and not some deadbeat that doesn't want to pay his bill. Matt agrees with me, but still has the same answer. So I stated, that I could not afford and the only choice I would have is to end my business with Charter. His answer was something along the lines like do what you got to do, but I can't help you. So again I pointed out my history and made the point that company like Charter would rather make me pay for something I did not purchase rather than keep a long time customer happy. Then I did the math for him. I told him I pay roughly $2500 dollars a year, now x's that by 10. Now because Charter is not willing to reverse the charges for purchases I did not make they will lose my business. I then ask Matt "Is Charter OK with losing potentially $24000 over the next 10 years from me?" He tells me there is nothing he can do to help me but send another service technician out to check the boxes again. Of course I have yet to hear from them or to even see the reversal of the 3 they state they were authorized to make.
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