MCI telemarketers called some time before 11/05/02 on the phone and offered the neighborhood plan. It had advantages over my (then) current MCI plan and my Verizon accounts, so I accepted. Unknown to me was that they initiated a new account number.
I did receive a bill, however, I paid no attention to the account number change. I use an on-line bill payment service which auto-pays bills by going on line and checking for new bills, but for the old account number. I considered this my fault and advised my service of the new account number.
I discovered the new account number the hard way when I attempted to make a long distance call. When calling, I received a long distance blocked message and to call some number.
I called the number in the recording and explained what I believe had happend. The man assured me that he will remove the blocking and that he will call the next day to verify that everything is working. He never called and nothing changed for the next two weeks.
I called again. During this call, I was transfered no less than eight times, having to expalin over and over again and being hung up on once.
Finally, I was connected (in a three way conversation) to a man in "billing?" who explained that I was past due and that I can pay by credit card to remove the call blocking. I paid.
Then the lady who initiated the three way conversation assured me that she will take care of the neighborhood plan issue. After the call was finished, I tried to dial long distance and it worked. About a month later, I receive a threat letter stating that I have not paid my old (the second account number).
The $195 overdue included the money I paid by credit card earlier, so I really wasn't overdue. They had also initiated yet another account number.
A week later, I received a bill for the second account number. I studied the bill and realized that I was being charged at about five to six times the rate for long distance from my first account. I decided to respond in writing. There was no way that I would call them again. I explained what I believe had happened and challenged the amount in writing.
Since they started this whole thing, I asked that they pro-rate the amount to the original plan and then contact me by mail when everything is straightened out. I was withholding payment until I heard from them. Then I began to receive automated threat phone calls.
That was enough. I paid the bill and switched to another long distance carrier. Also, during this whole thing, I had sent email twice and received a modified boilerplate response.
I was happy to discover a your consumer oriented Rip-Off web site. The credit bureaus have been doing this to us for years, based on information provided by puzzle palaces like MCI.
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