any experience with verizon rip-off?

chrisf · 10-23-2009, 07:08 AM

maybe more like a scam. Money has gotten super tight for me this past year.
I called verizon to see what I could do plan wise to save money. I spoke to the rep the beginning of August. I was told that I use less than 300 minutes a month, and my current plan was 900 minutes. So we reduced my plan to a 450 minute plan.

I also saw a "premium texting plan" at $10 a month, which had been on there for just over a year. I explained that I hardly ever texted. She told me it was a billing for a 3rd party service! What the hell! I said I had never signed up for this service, which was called Dada.net. I guess they provide MP3s, ring tones etc...She said there was nothing she could do about it, but gave me their number.
(I was refunded that amount after contacting them, and they could see I never downloaded anything.)

So I switched my plan: cut my minutes in half and removed all texting & pic service.
Cut my monthly bill in half. I was pretty happy.

Like I said, money is really tight, so I let the bill for august & september slide. (I hate doing it, but it was done).

I went to pay this morning, and my outstanding balance is: $440.03!! That's more than twice what is normally is. I called a rep today, and she checked some things for me, and informed me that when I switched plans, I lost the in network, friends & family thing. I wasn't originally informed when I switched plans that the minutes I was quoted as using (avg/month for the past year) were out of network, and I was never informed that I would no longer have the in network service.

I was hoping to speak with a manager, but the rep said that all the lines were busy and they'd have to call me back. She then informed me that if they did this, I would incur additional minutes for this month!

I am completely floored right now. I'm going to call back shortly.

legion · 10-23-2009, 07:13 AM

I had a similar problem with Sprint earlier this year.

I had reduced my number of anytime minutes from 600 to 200. (I'm not a phone person.)

Apparently, in making that change, I had lost my texting plan, and was being billed for texts individually. They told me to add it back in, I would have to pay $10 a month per line. I said that was more than the cost of texts I got in a month, I'd just pay for them as they came in. They said that I could have a texting plan for $5 a month per line. I said (again) that was more than the cost of texts I got in a month, I'd just pay for them as they came in. They said that I could have a texting plan for $1 a month per line. I took the deal.

Gogar · 10-23-2009, 07:15 AM

Verizon got me for $180 when I canceled my service 10 days before my contract was up. Their "New Every Two" plan cycles every 22 months, so if you're not paying attention (yep my fault) you think you're out of your contract, when you actually have 2 months to go. So I fired 'em.

The Gaijin · 10-23-2009, 07:24 AM

A $10 re-occuring monthly fee that verizon is only too happy collect. I wonder how much they keep?

stomachmonkey · 10-23-2009, 07:40 AM

They get you every time.

You need to spend a lot of time on the phone with them and have them go thru every feature you currently have and ask specifically what will happen on a new plan.

My fav with AT&T once was the charge for the "Free Pay Per Text" feature.

If you do not have a text package they do not charge you any money to charge you per text.

GG Allin · GG Allin's Garage

T-Mobile. Best rates, never feel ripped off.

fingpilot · 10-23-2009, 08:55 AM

Have been reasonably happy with Verizon. No choice when at home, they are the only carrier out here in the sticks. Family and friends @$9/month additional, we (7 phones) all share minutes (700), no texts, no pics. We routinely use 1500-1900 in system (unlimited), and 400-600 out of system, plus an additional 300-ish on weekends/nightime. You have to plan for the usage, and be aware of the gotchas.

A relative (the one in the hospital with his wife in SICU) also same plan with just the two of them had 900/month. First month in hospital he ran up 2000+ minutes, and got a whopper bill. He called them and they backdated a minutes increase for that last month, but he is stuck on 2000/month rate for 6 months. He has actually been using 1500-ish since June accident. I figure they gotcha coming or going, take your pick.

We keep a pre-paid T-mobile up here (different towers) in case of emergency (it does work at house). It also seems to work where VZ won't. No landlines, so if cells ever go south, we are incommunicado.

jyl · jyl's Garage

Bummer. Cell phone plans are tricky, +1 on needing to scrutinize every detail and not trusting the sales rep, also get online account access and check your charges during the month.

Rick Lee · Rick Lee's Garage

With Verizon I have found that they're always willing to credit you $XX to get you off the phone. Make a big enough stink and they'll fix it. Don't assume the person you're talking to is personally concerned about your problem. Just get them to fix it and don't worry about the reason the use.

chrisf · 10-23-2009, 09:23 AM

Just got off the phone with another rep, Tracy, in Texas. She was very helpful (the 2 before her could no nothing, and didn't seem like they even wanted to talk with me) and is going to talk to some people to get me back on my original plan, back the two months.

we'll see how it goes.

The Gaijin · 10-23-2009, 09:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mbrouder

T-Mobile. Best rates, never feel ripped off.

They suck too. I settled up an outstanding bill for my sister's phone that was in my name. Year's later some third rate collection agency has something show up on my credit report. T-Mobile sells off information on settled debts to third parties, just more thieves and liars.

GG Allin · GG Allin's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Gaijin

They suck too. I settled up an outstanding bill for my sister's phone that was in my name. Year's later some third rate collection agency has something show up on my credit report. T-Mobile sells off information on settled debts to third parties, just more thieves and liars.

Been with them since '04, much happier now than I was with AT&T.

LakeCleElum · 10-23-2009, 09:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mbrouder

T-Mobile. Best rates, never feel ripped off.

Very poor coverage where I live.......

jyl · jyl's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by chrisf

Just got off the phone with another rep, Tracy, in Texas. She was very helpful (the 2 before her could no nothing, and didn't seem like they even wanted to talk with me) and is going to talk to some people to get me back on my original plan, back the two months.

we'll see how it goes.

Pay attention to whether they will require you to sign a new 1 year or 2 year contract. Depending on how much you want the option of leaving VZ.

I've had Sprint, VZ, T-Mobile, and ATT. I think VZ is a relatively good cellphone company, meaning the coverage is very good, the phone selection is so-so, and the customer service is mediocre - but all of them are mediocre on cust srvc, IMO.

McLovin · 10-23-2009, 11:37 AM

I recently did the same thing, really took a hard look at my plan and cut down on what I didn't really need. Cut the bill almost in half!

I did it by going into a Verizon store and working with the guy there, directly. It was a little complicated with all the different plans, and what happens when you cancel parts of things, etc., but at the end I was able to get him to commit to an approximate "bottom line" monthly number, and that there would be no additional "charges" for anything. It turned out to be accurate.

futuresoptions · 10-23-2009, 03:44 PM

I pay $35. a month for my cell... unlimited long distance and local... I could start calling each and every one of you from now till the end of the month and the bill would be $35... and has free texting... and no contract what so ever....

Joeaksa · 10-23-2009, 04:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mbrouder

T-Mobile. Best rates, never feel ripped off.

Ripped off by T-Mobile several years ago. They tried to keep charging me for service after I had canceled it and had the proof in writing. They keep billing me and I keep telling them to F/O.

Will never do business with them again.

VINMAN · 10-23-2009, 04:50 PM

Just pay your Verizon bills and stop complaining!!

Rick Lee · Rick Lee's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by futuresoptions

I pay $35. a month for my cell... unlimited long distance and local... I could start calling each and every one of you from now till the end of the month and the bill would be $35... and has free texting... and no contract what so ever....

And what plan is this? The spouse of a cell phone service exec. plan?

futuresoptions · 10-23-2009, 05:30 PM

Nah, its Pocket communications... We have another local company called Cricket that has about the same prices... If you do not travel out of your area they are great... if you do travel out of your area you just put $5. $10. $20. bucks whatever into your account so that you can roam...