MY wife and I signed on with verizon fios last summer wanting TV and internet service. Because we were not requesting phone service, the representitve said we had to use automated biling to a credit card. We agreed. There were a few hiccups with that system in december, but we were assured it was corrected. Late June of this year our services were cut off. We called thinking it was a techinal issue, and lo and behold, we had raked up a $1000 bill. We asked if this was correct, and they said they had not recieved a payment since janurary. I told them that we had an automatic bill to our card, and they said it was not there for some reason. We were refered to the billing department and they refered us to collections.
My wife called and spoke to a representive who told her that the only thing she could do was charge us $178/ month for 6 months. My wife said we could not afford that and asked for a supervisor to talk to. The woman said the supervisor was the only one who could over write this, but he was busy and would call us back.in the mean time, she said, we should pay $100 to get the service back on. My wife did and we never recieved the phone call. We called several times after and sat on hold, racking up our cell phone bill; the only phones we have.
On July 24 our service was disconnected again. We called, and sat on hold again. This time, I called customer relations and spoke to Ellen Johnson who assured us that this was a huge mistake and she would investigate and call us back on the 25th and restore our services. She called my wife back on the 25th and told her that she would need to call the collections number again and that if we could not afford what they decided, maybe we should drop it all together. She was extremely rude and hung up. I called her back immediately and asked why she spoke to my wife like that. She was rude to me and said that was her decision. I asked to speak to the CEO. I was refused, she stated that they took his calls.
Then transfered me to James Neeld, a 'supervisor' who said that if I did not agree with his decision, that it was too bad. I then requested that I speak to the CEO, and he denied me saying that he represented the CEO. I told him that he was not dong the CEO justice and the share holders would not like to hear about how Verizon is treating its customers. He said if you think like that, I am hanging up. He did so, and I called back. Right away, I got a hold of Amy *no last name given* and she tried to transfer me to someone, but I was 'disconnected'. I called again, and got Ellen, who rudely put me on hold. Eventually I spoke to a Ms. McMillian who said we would get a call back soon about this matter.
We are not trying to get out of the bill. We also want to stay loyal verizon customers. The service is great and until recently the customers service was second to none. We just dont feel like we should be punished for paying our credit card bill on time and not knowing that verizon stopped billing it with out telling us.
07/25 Case Received by BBB
07/25 More info received from the consumer
We never at any time received a bill or statement. When we called in June, they finally corrected our address. We had service the entire year and never once did they call to correct this. Our service was not interrupted in that time frame so we would not know to contact them. We did not pick the equipment up; it was delivered. We contacted the New York office, and this was the only office listed that made sense.
07/27 Case Reviewed by BBB
07/27 Notify Business of Dispute
07/27 Send Acknowledgement to Consumer
07/27 More info received from the consumer
Today, we received a call from a Catiline Lane. She spoke to my wife at first and toward the end of their conversation she was crying. I took the phone call at that point and asked why she would not work with us. She rudely explained that all she was going to do was give us those options. I calmly asked why she would not consider giving us two (2) more months, and she refused, saying that all she was authorized to do was four (4) months. (before, all they could do was three (3) months) She gave us an ultimatum of either a three (3) month payment plan or a four (4) month payment plan and said that we could except the extension or she could hang up and leave notes stating that we refused to work with them. She kept screaming at me and saying stop repeating yourself!"Stop repeating yourself! I said we were not refusing, she was. She asked if I had any other question, and I replied yes, I do. She coldly said no, you don't. You either accept or deny the offer. I asked if I could verizon were not the only choice in television and internet in our complex, then I would switch because of this.
07/31 More info received from the consumer
At 4:30 pm, we contacted Ms. McMillan to receive an update to our situation. She informed us that she has called, emailed, and instant messaged the supervisor of Cathlene Lane from last week. She has not received a response and because of this she informed us she is escalating the case further to an executive above that supervisor. We asked about their 10 day rule where after 10 days all services are cut. She informed us she expects to hear from someone by then. If not, then the services stay off and we cannot restore them. We want our services back on! All we want is to work with the company.
08/01 More info received from the consumer
We called Ms. McMillan again this evening because we had not heard back from her regarding our account. She said that an executive was supposed to call us with his decision. She also said that she still had not received a report from BBB. The day before, she said she had. At 5:30 pm cst, we called the 1800-483-7988 number and they said the west coast offices were still open and we should receive a call. At 8:36 pm cst we called again and they said they could not contact this executive. Im not sure there even is an executive. So I called Ms. McMillan at 8:50pm cst and left a message. All we want is Verizon to work with our situation.
08/02 More info received from the consumer
At 5:30pm, my wife called Ms. McMillan because we still have not received a call back. She told her that she was not going to do anything further. She then referred us to collections. When my wife called collections, she was told that we could not make an arrangement. She called again and was told that she could, but services could not be restored until $300 was paid. Last time we did this, we only had to pay $100 to turn it on. Verizon is REFUSING to work with us. We want retribution!
08/14 No response to first notice to business
08/14 Reminder of Dispute to Business
08/20 More info received from the consumer
We made the payment arrangement earlier this month and family lent us the money. We called on Friday, but because of work, we were too late. They took down that we tried to call and pay and we called this morning. After 45 min of being jerked around, the collections department (whom set up the payment arrangement and said after we make the first payment our services will be turned on) said that there was no arrangement and we need to pay off the whole thing now. This is ridiculous!
08/21 More info received from the consumer
My wife called yesterday and today to Ms. Carman McMillan and she has not yet returned our phone calls on this matter. If we do not get a response by tomorrow, I will report this to the FCC.
08/23 No Response received from Business on Reminder
08/23 Inform Consumer No Response from Business
08/23 Inform Consumer - Case Closed UNANSWERED
08/23 Inform Business - Case Closed UNANSWERED
08/23 Case Closed - UNANSWERED
At this point, they had agreed to let us pay again. But all through september and most of October, they put us on hold for an hour at a time. We are school bus drivers and work for a living. We can sit on the phone all day. So they wouldnt let us pay AGAIN!
10/23 BBB Reviews Consumer Rebuttal to Business Response
We now have been trying to pay for 3 months. Online, it locks us out and none of the numbers provided to us online by Verizon or on the bill will let us through. We sit on hold for 40min to an hour at a time. This is running up our cell phone bills, seeing as that we can only call during business hours while we are at work. I have emailed billing but the email I received was automated saying that there was no one monitoring that in box. If they want our money, why dont they let us pay the agreement? Verizon has even called us, but when we call back we sit on hold. We want to pay our bill!
10/25 More info received from the consumer On Tuesday we were able to get through to a rep. They said we could pay $100 to turn our service back on. We paid on Wednesday at 11:00 am CST. The rep said we should have service in 24 hrs. At 13:00 CST (1pm) we still did not have service. My wife sat on hold for 30 min when a rep picked up. The rep said there were not any notes that we were getting service and did not understand our question. She then sent me up to the supervisor who questioned why my wife had me there next to her. I was calming my wife down because of the hell the supervisor put my wife through. This woman was demeaning and demanding. She called my wife useless and thats is when I picked up the phone. The supervisor would not let me speak and told me they had tried to work with us and that her department always had people picking up phones so we were not on hold that long. She then proceeded to tell me that we had free months of service (if we did, why are they on the bill?). When I tried asking what months, she stoped me and said that she was tired of arguing with us and that I was a "Stupid F*&* head". Then she hung up. All we were trying to do is keep our end of the bargain. I do not appreciate being talked to this way and am reporting this to teh FCC.
Brandon
Lewisville, Texas
U.S.A.
0 comments