Sprint PCS
Failure to correct erroneous charges on billing statement over 6 month period Ripoff

This is a copy of letter snail mailed to Sprint after I was able to obtain their corporate address. If Debra happens to read this report, please provide me with Gary Forsee's fax number so I can fax my letter to him. Thanks.

I have been disputing problems with our account since February. Every month I call customer service to try and resolve the problems. Every month there seems to be a new issue to arise and the previous problem was not resolved as promised, so our account looks like a train wreck.

I have talked to customer service representatives throughout North America, including locations in Colorado, Indiana and Canada. On one occasion the representative did not speak clear English and it was almost impossible to communicate. I believe it was in May when I had to make three separate calls because each time the rep put me on hold, we were disconnected. Then, when I had to call back, I had to start over with a new person and tell my story all over.

In May I asked the last person I talked with for a physical mailing address so I could write my complaint. She did not have or declined to give me a mailing address. I was told that my only other option was email. I was directed to the website for instructions. Subsequently, I sent three email inquiries. The website does not provide a delivery acknowledgement nor does it give the opportunity to forward a copy of any correspondence to my personal email address. I did however, make copies of the email screen which I have attached to this letter. I never received the courtesy of a reply message.

The representative in Canada that I talked to in June was helpful, understood where the problem arose, and assured me that it would be corrected. Upon receipt of the July statement, my bill still had not been corrected. I visited our local Sprint representative at the Radio Shack and was told that they did not have your address either. He suggested that I check the fine print of my statement. Finally, I found an address to write to.

I am frustrated and frankly, sick of doing business with Sprint. I have been diligent to try and rectify the problem with my account. Your review of the notes on my account will confirm my efforts. I hope that this will have to be my final effort to resolve the issues with my account. Please review my account and make the necessary credits to bring my account current and up to date.

The problems began when my daughter's phone # was stolen in January. She immediately went to the Sprint store and reported her phone stolen so the service could be suspended pending the investigation and efforts to recover her telephone. This is where the first accounting error was made. Her line was terminated instead of suspended and we were erroneously charged a cancellation fee. See February 3 invoice, page 2, for erroneous fee. I called Sprint, brought the problem to their attention, was assured it would be corrected, and I paid the balance. The credit was not made.

On February 18, I purchased a new phone, direct from Sprint, over the telephone, based on information obtained on the website. I had an instant rebate in the amount of $150.00 which we saved on my daughter's phone from the fall of 2004. I was told that we could save it, which we did. When I asked to use it, I was told Sprint would not honor the rebate. After I had been told that I could save it, I insisted that we be allowed to use it toward the purchase of my daughter's phone. Reluctantly, the representative cleared the use of the rebate and we received an internet discount in the amount of $30.00. What the rep did not tell me was that she was adding a new line to our account. So, when the phone arrived, we had a new phone number and an extra phone line. At that time, I called Sprint. I could not get the same person to talk to, so I had to tell the tale all over again. I was told that in thirty days we could get my daughter's old number put on the new phone. I discussed with the rep how important it was that the features of my daughter's suspended line be placed on the new line #. Her line has unlimited text messaging for $10.00 per month because she uses her phone extensively for texting. If you will review the March 3 invoice, you will see that the old line # had unlimited text messaging and the new line did also. So at that point, we were good for the text messaging feature; however, the cancellation fee erroneously charged on the # number was not credited to our account. Thus, the problems with our bill continued.

On April 8, I spoke with a representative named Cassie. We had transferred my daughter's old number to her new phone and it was time to cancel the new line, which was added to our account, even though we did not ask for a new line. I explained to Cassie that it was paramount that the original services from my daughter's suspended line # remain in place. The unlimited text messaging for $10.00 per month was to be transferred from the new line # back to my daughter's original line #. She had unlimited text messaging when the service was suspended and was to have unlimited text messaging when the line was put back into service See April 5 statement to confirm unlimited text messaging on #. On the April 5 invoice, our account incurred late fees for the month in the amount of $11.27. We still had not been credited for the erroneous cancellation fee in the amount of $150.00 on line #. I dispute this late fee as Sprint did not issue the credit on our account.

On May 19, after reviewing my statement and discovering that the unlimited text messaging had not been restored to my daughter's line #, resulting in text messaging charges in the amount of $323.60, I once again began my campaign to correct our account. I made four calls to Sprint that day, because my first three calls just happened to be disconnected when I was put on hold. Te first call I spoke with a rep named Felicia, the second call I spoke with Emanuel, the third call I spoke with Shemicka, and the fourth time I spoke with Jamie.By that time I was so frustrated, I did not know what to do. I convinced Jamie that there was a problem, she made notes in our account, told me she would have to get a supervisor to approve the credit because it was over her limit, and I foolishly assumed that the problem would be corrected. Our May invoice has erroneous charges in the amount of $323.60 for text messaging on line # and we incurred another late charge in the amount of $20.53. Also, the $150.00 cancellation fee from the February statement was not credited. It is interesting to note that we were charged a cancellation fee for the # line which was then reversed.

The June invoice finally reflects the credit for the erroneous cancellation fee in the amount of $150.00 from January. However, there is no credit for the text messaging charge in the amount of $323.60. I dispute this charge because there is no question of whether or not my daughter's line had unlimited text messaging. The audit trail is clear, I did everything in my power to assure that the unlimited text messaging was in place. I cannot help that it was not followed through on Sprint's end by customer service. Furthermore, our account incurred a late charge in the amount of $45.88. I also dispute this charge. I have been diligent in tending to our account and I do not feel that we should be charged a late fee for Sprint's failure to comply with my service request. I discussed these problems extensively with a representative in Canada who assured me that he understood the problems and would get his supervisor to approve the credit because it was over his limit. I believe the issue of the unlimited text messaging has finally been resolved and is in place. However, we are due a credit for the text messaging charges.

The July invoice does not have the credit for the $323.60 for text messaging charges on my daughter's line #.in addition, there is another late fee. I have not discussed this statement with customer service. I thought I would try my luck with writing my complaint.

I request Sprint to credit my account for all late charges and the text messaging charge on my daughter's line #.

I am very unhappy with my Sprint service. I can understand that mistakes can be made, but they should be correctable as well. I do not know what else I can do. I trust that a resolution of the above issues can be made as soon as possible. I have spent many hours and high blood pressure trying to get my account straightened out. If Sprint would rather not have us as customers, that is fine too. Release us from our contract and we will happily find service elsewhere. I dread opening my Sprint bill every month. I do not care to devote my time to straightening out my bill every month.

Belinda
Leesville, Louisiana
U.S.A.

Company: Sprint PCS
Country: USA
State: Missouri
City: Kansas City

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