I recently moved to a new area and required a new ISP, since my old cable company does not offer service in my new area. I was reluctant to go with AT&T in the first place since I had their DSL years ago and it was so terrible, but they were the only option to bundle with the DirectTV I'd ordered. So, I called and placed an order for new service on 1/4. At this time, I was told I would have to purchase my equipment for $100 due to credit issues. Now, I haven't got the best credit in the world, but it certainly isn't terrible, and DirectTV, Cox Cable, Time Warner, the gas company and the electric company were all willing to activate services for me without any upfront costs (DirectTV ran my credit the same day as AT&T and informed me I qualified for EVERYTHING they offer due to good credit, go figure). So I paid for the $100 modem via credit card, over the phone, and scheduled my activation appointment for Monday 1/9. This phone call took a total of 1 hour and 20 minutes.
Due to AT&T miscalculating the date my shipment would arrive, it arrived to the wrong address, which caused me a delay in picking up the package until 1/10. At this time I connected everything as described (plus I am pretty tech savvy, and connecting a modem is a no-brainer), but I did not have working service. I phoned the number included with the equipment and began the wonderful process of being bounced from voice recognition to operator to voice recognition and back to operator. After being informed that U-Verse had a different number from the one I called (that was included with the equipment), I was finally transferred to the right operator. Naturally, he determined that nothing could be done over the phone and another technician visit (at my cost) would be required. After another wasted hour plus on the phone, this visit was scheduled for Wednesday 1/11, in the afternoon.
I took the afternoon off work (lost wages) since AT&T required someone to be at home. Eventually, the tech showed up late, without calling first (as they assure you will be done). He determined that there was no signal coming through to AT&T's equipment outside, and then informed me I would need to schedule a maintenance technician to fix the problem as he would be unable to fix it himself. At least I was let off the hook for the cost of the technician visit since it was their equipment at fault. However, when I called AT&T to schedule this third appointment, they were, of course, closed for the day (apparently they can't pay anyone live to take calls after 5pm).
The next morning 1/12, I attempted to call AT&T to schedule the appointment. However, at this point, as I battled their awful voice recognition, repeatedly gave different operators my verifying info, dealt with one incompetent and sometimes rude customer service rep after another, I decided enough was enough.By now I had spent just over three hours on the phone, been transferred uncountable times, been disconnected, etc., all without ever once having working service. I could not imagine dealing with this for the next two years, so I decided to cancel the service all together. This took some additional doing, and five operators before someone could confirm account cancellation and provide me a BAN to return their $100 modem.
The modem was packaged up and sent back exactly per their instructions. The return policy included in the paperwork with the equipment indicated that equipment costs could be refunded if the order is canceled within 30 days (as it was), and an AT&T rep confirmed, after some initial arguing, that once they received the equipment back I would be refunded. At first she tried to tell me that they would issue a refund request, but it would be up to someone else to determine whether I was eligible for a refund. I read her back the terms printed on their very own literature, and she then agreed I should qualify for a refund. After this, I used the BAN number provided by AT&T to periodically check on the progress of this package. It sat at some facility in Nevada for 5 days, before finally making its way to Texas (from California) exactly 10 days after I shipped it. Never mind that it originally shipped to me from California! I called AT&T at one point during its long layover in Nevada (thinking that must be the final destination) to inquire about a refund, and was told that not only did I not have a refund, but that I owed them money! There was a $17 balance on my account. This required some arguing on my part (how can they charge for a CANCELED service that was never active?), but eventually, they credited the account the $17, and told me to wait until the package was received at its final destination to receive a credit.
Once I confirmed they'd FINALLY received their equipment in Texas, I called again the following day to follow up on my refund. More battling of the phone menu, multiple operators, and terrible customer service. It is now Tuesday 1/24, and AT&T has had my money since 1/4, even though I have nothing to show for it. I am informed at this point that a refund had been authorized/posted to my account on 1/23, and that the credit would hit my card within 2 to 3 business days.
Tuesday 1/31, exactly a week later and I have still not seen my refund, so I call back. Yet again I spend nearly an hour on the phone. At this time I'm informed that the previous operator gave me incorrect information, and that they will not refund my credit card back.instead, they will issue me a check for the amount of the refund, but this will take 4-6 weeks to arrive. This is rubbish and I know it. For one thing, hanging onto my money for so long is completely unacceptable, and for another, this refund practice is most likely in violation of the terms of AT&T's merchant account with Visa. You CAN NOT refund a credit card purchase via cash or check as thats the equivalent of a cash advance. Having previously worked in the credit card processing industry, I know this, but clearly AT&T is banking on their customers NOT knowing this, and just rolling over and taking it.
So, I demand to speak to a supervisor, and provide the time and date of my previous call. I want to know why every time I talk to them I get a different story. I'm then put on hold for a while. The operator eventually comes back to inform me there is no supervisor available for me to talk to (really AT&T?), but assures me that the prior rep will be written up for providing inaccurate information. (I really only wanted the supervisor to push the issue of my refund being processed in a reasonable time, but outright lying to a customer also should not go unpunished.) I have done all I can at this point to plead my case, so I inform the rep that since they won't refund my card, I will likely initiate a chargeback via my credit card company. She tells me thats fine and there is nothing she can do for me as their policy requires refunds to be by check.
Now, this may very well be written into their contract, but since I ordered over the phone and signed nothing, and since the refund policy was never explained to me at the time of the order, I never agreed to it. Next, I looked into my bank's policy online, and I found the following in their merchant section: "When a customer is due a credit and the original sale was made on a Visa, MasterCard or Diners Club card, process the credit back to the original card number. Do not refund by check or cash." So I called the bank and explained the situation. Basically, since AT&T is refusing to refund in a reasonable time frame to the original payment method, it does qualify (to the bank at least) as credit fraud, and so the bank has credited me back the money and is now fighting AT&T on my behalf.in most cases, you can only file a chargeback within 60 days of the original purpose... Hence AT&T's waiting game. Three to four weeks of fighting to get your refund request in, then six weeks of waiting time for your check, and if they don't honor the agreement and send you a check, at that point, it is too late to initiate a chargeback, and AT&T has made off with your money.
I am not dumb enough to believe this is the end of it, and I am sure AT&T will attempt to fight it, but for now I feel things are handled to my satisfaction. I have acted within my rights (and the bank would not have issued a chargeback if I had no grounds), but it is shame that such a large company is so dishonest. They must know the way they handle things opens them up to disputes, but I feel that they don't care because they bank on most people not knowing their rights and/or not pursuing it that far. Many people probably feel that such a huge, well-known company couldn't possibly be operating shadily, but AT&T is proof it DOES happen. For my part, I will NEVER EVER do business with AT&T again. Do not let yourself be taken in by this company.
And just for the record, I signed up for internet with Time Warner the same day AT&T confirmed my cancellation, and was again approved for all available discounts, and once again did not have to pay any equipment fees. I do not believe there was really anything on my credit report that warranted AT&T charging me for equipment, I think they just like to tell you that so that they can get more of your money up front... And of course, the longer they hold it, the more interest it gains for them, and the more interest you pay on it...
0 comments