Vonage�s 30 Day free trial Fraud
On April 14 I called Vonage�s 800 number to sign up for their Unlimited Local & Long Distance calling (Premium Unlimited Plan) for $24.99 per mo. Which included with a free 30 day trial period.
I spoke with a Vonage sales rep and gave him all the information he needed and my credit card number to be used as guarantee back-up for payment, I wanted monthly billing sent to my home.
After we finished the sign up process, he said for the cost of just $. 99 cents that is, I could get another line for fax or whatever I needed it for. He appologized for the. 99 saying it was required for 911 service. I said ok, and he said they would send acknowledgement for my order via email and the service would start when I received my modem in the mail, (5 to 7 days).
Also that I should go to their websites and check the status of the installation process..
On the April 15, I went online to the Vonage website, I notice that on April 14 my credit card had been charged ($25.54) for various start-up fees and there was another charge to my credit card for $48.69 on April 15 for installation and monthly service fees for the second line.
I called Vonage customer service and told them that the sales rep said it would only cost 99 cents. This service rep pretty much accused me of lying and said she had never heard of such a thing. I said if it cost what they had charged my credit card, then I didn�t want a second line. She asked if I wanted to cancel the second line and I said yes I did.
Later that day, I checked to see if my order had been corrected, I found another charge on my credit card for $39.99 to have the second line canceled.
That evening I called customer service and spoke to someone about what happend and he said I shouldn�t have been charged for the cancellation. Also that he would submit for a refund on the second line installation charges. My Vonage account was credited fir $39.99, not my credit card. Then on April 27 my Vonage account was credited for the second line installation, again not to my credit card.
So now I had a credit balance of $88.68 on my Vonage account.
On April 21, I received the modem and installed it and now my telephone line was activated.
I wasn�t real happy with Vonage sales and customer service but thought I would try it.
I noticed a severe degradation in my cable internet service which Vonage uses as its telephone line.
After trying a few thing suggested by Vonage technical service there was still the degradation for my internet.
I decided Vonage wasn�t for me so on May 16 I called another carrier and signed up with them. They would noltify Vonage and change my number to them. We went through a verification with another company that asked if I was requesting the switch and I confirmed it.
On May 19, when the new service started, when I went to disconnect the Vonage modem I called Vonage because I noticed the service was still on, their modem was still activated into my interent carrier and still degrading the service. I said I had cancelled their service and wanted to get an RMA to return the modem.
After 20 minutes of badgering me with all sorts of offers they told me there would be cancellation charges because their agreement with me stated such and that I couldn�t return the modem because it had been used. I asked why the cancellation charges and she said because it was over 30 days and I had an agreement. I said no it wasn�t over 30 days because my service was never activated until April 21 and I cancelled on May 16. The service rep was everything but pleasant. She kept telling me our contract specified all of this. I then told her I had no contract and never signed one and wouldn�t have it this was specified. She then told me my cancellation charges would be $122.08. I said I needed to speak to someone else and she said she was a manager and that no one else was higher. After continuing to tell her I needed to speak to someone else I was put on hold for about 20 minutes and finally someone in the accounting department answered and told
Me they couldn�t help me because they were the accounting department and their computer did this when someone cancels service.
I immediately went to Vonage website to see if they cancelled the account and a charge of $122.08 was already on my credit card.
So far Vonage made 4 charges totaling ($236.30) to my credit card that was suppose to be used for backup payment only. Out of the 4 charges only the first for $25.54 could be considered legitimate even thought they told me no activation charges.
My Vonage account showed no credits for the earlier false charges.
I have all documentation to support what I have stated including the Vonage advertisement for the free 30 day stating to how to get a RMA to return the Vonage modem.
This is outright fraud.
May 22 I called Vonage to get an RMA to send back their modem and they refused to give me an RMA. Their 30 free trial ad says I have 14 days to return the modem after I cancelled the service,
I am documenting this they will later tell me I didn't return the modem with the 14 days.
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