Verizon
Sneaky $1.99 Data Usage Charge

When we upgraded our cellphones last year, I specially told Verizon to block internet access on our cellphones (5 of them). I was doing a spot check on my cellphone bill online today, I found out my youngest daughter has an extra $1.99 charge on a Data Usage (not voice, that's internet usage). It turned out even though we blocked the internet access on our cellphones, but Vcast is still available if you by mistake choose the internet/vcast button on your cellphone, even if you press END to quit, sometimes it will be too late. Whether it is 1 minute or 1 second, Verizon still charges $1.99 for the mis-connection (by design not by choice).

Then I looked back some of my previous bills online, there was at least $1.99 extra charge on one of our cellphones every month. My youngest daughter made the most mistakes 'cause her current old cellphone has a Vcast/internet button so she could easily press that button by mistake where the rest of us has to go to the menu and sometimes still pick the wrong choice.

There were one month all 5 cellphones had the extra $1.99 charge, I guessed we all chose the wrong choice from the menu once in a while. I figure I probably paid at least $30 to $60 last year for these stupid charges that I didn't even know.

I argued with Verizon customer support on the phone and told them how sneaky they are, if I had internet blocked, why would Vcast still available, he claimed Vcast is for a quick way of downloading video clips and ring tones... Which is separated from the internet. I said that's BS, since we don't work for Verizon, how would the regular customers know the difference. I wonder how many other people got zapped with this "accidental charge" without their knowing.

Obviously Verizon only credited me $1.99 for last month but not all the previous months that I already paid. What a sneaky business practice.

I wish I could report this to some kind business bureau to warm Verizon that is so dishonest or wrong to charge their customer like that. Totally sneaky.

Company: Verizon
Country: USA
State: New Jersey
City: Belleville
Site: www.verizonwireless.com

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