I did a "Google" search for Verizon for a contact number to sign up for internet service in my home. The "contact number" that came up was an (877) number, which my husband called and who he believed was a Verizon representative.
Actually (we found out WAY later), this was a "bundle" company called WhiteFence who supposedly finds the "lowest" prices for Cable/Internet/Phone services in your area and contacts the vendors to set up accounts and arrange service.
HOWEVER, we asked for Verizon DSL service and Direct TV. We were asked for our credit card information, address, name, as well as a Social Security Number. We were told that there was a $40 charge for this whole service.
To make a long story short, the TWO different appointment dates (for Verizon and Direct TV) came and went (with my husband sitting at home) with no one showing up.By now, we had received two confirmation e-mails from WhiteFence telling us that our services were being processed by Verizon and Direct TV.
I called WhiteFence and was first told that they couldn't help me, that I would have to contact the two vendors myself, that they gave our financial info to the vendors and that they didn't keep any information, that they didn't charge ANY money (let alone the $40), and I had to hang up and call Verizon and Direct TV.
First I called Verizon - they told me that they didn't even know who we were and that the service that we supposedly signed up to get wasn't even available in our area. Secondly, the price that was quoted to us ($39/month for internet) would actually cost us $59. I asked about the $40 charge, and Verizon told me that they didn't charge anything like that and that they didn't have any of our personal financial information. I hung up without talking to them further.
I called WhiteFence back and gave them "heck" about their lies and asked what was going on — and I was transferred to some "other" person (a supervisor?) who told me that both Verizon AND Direct TV had confirmed our orders, and told me again that they didn't have the authority to charge me $40 for anything. After a long, demanding conversation, I was told that they would contact Verizon to find out what happened and that they would call back in 2 days, and I was to call Direct TV personally.
Okay, I called Direct TV — and yes, we did have an order in & but the installation date that WhiteFence gave us and the installation date that Direct TV had on their system was DIFFERENT. That's why no one showed up. They came the day before when my husband was out of town. No one bothered to leave a note, call us, nothing.
Also, the WhiteFence people told my husband that we signed up for a package that would cost us $35 a month for a year, and it was a two-year contract. That's exactly how they explained it. When I spoke with Direct TV, they told me that AFTER the first year, it would be $69 a month. NO ONE told us that. If they had, my husband told me he would have declined. Also, WhiteFence told us that if we wanted to get out of our Direct TV contract at ANY time, we would have to pay a ONE-TIME $79.95 charge. Direct TV told me that, NO, if we wanted out of a contract, we would have to pay $20 per month for every month left ont he contract.
SO, we ended up NOT getting Verizon internet. We finally made a deal ourselves with Direct TV, who only took $21.95 from our account for the shipping charge for the satellite dish & but we STILL do not know who (if anyone) is going to charge us $40.
My husband went down the first day after we found out about the run around WhiteFence was giving us and closed his debit card out so that no further charges would be made. I'm checking our account daily for any unauthorized charges.
SO, please — do NOT deal with this company. They are worthless. They do NOT get you the best deals, because the deals that they supposedly DO get you are bogus. They don't exist. They lie. They misrepresent. They are plan, down and out worthless. Contact the carrier on your own.
I have wasted over a week and a half running down what's happened. I am still (at the time I am writing this rip off report) waiting for WhiteFence to tell me what happened with Verizon.
I told WhiteFence that I work for a large law firm and not to screw with me. That was the point at which I was transferred over to the "supvervisor." What a rip!
0 comments