Alltel ripoff! Added extended contract time for purchase of replacement phone! Did not tell me about having another year to go! consumer fraud ripoff tricked and lied to us Alpharetta Georgia
In August of 2000 I signed a two year contract with Alltel. Everything went well until my phone would not hold a charge. I went to my local dealer to see about repair in November of 2001.. I was advised that the plug in my phone was loose and could not be repaired.
I then asked when my contract expired. He told me that it would be August 18, of 2002. He told me that the only thing I could do was purchase another phone. I paid full price for a phone identical to the one i had. (cheap little phone that comes with some sign up packages.) He took the phone out of the box and programmed it. I paid him and left. I DID NOT SIGN ANYTHING!
In July of 2002, I called the local dealer to find out exactly when my contract expired in August. He told me that I had until November 2003! He stated that because i upgraded my service it automatically added one year!
I explained that I didnt upgrage anything! just replaced my phone because I HAD NO CHOICE!! He asked me to bring my paperwork for him to see! I explained that I wasnt bringing him anything. I didnot sign for this service. I asked him to produce something that I had signed and of course he could not.
He told me "TOO BAD" You're Stuck!! I typed an email to the public service commisssion. They forwarded my complaint to someone in Dublin Georgia. He CALLED ME, and said that he would take care of it that our local dealer was no longer with the company. (wonder why) Now I'm still being billed & they want me to return my phone(i paid full price for it) or make me pay for it!! I used it for 9 months! HELP! I have been scammed! They are charging me now $300.00 + I havent used that phone since last august!!!!! They are billing me for the remainder of the contract & the phone!!
When I contacted the guy in Dublin again, he acted like he couldnt believe they havent turned it off. He was gonna contact them again. This is a scam! Just a way to get money. I always paid my bill & never had any trouble!!! I went to nextel because everyone in my family had one. (cheaper for us) THIS IS So UNFAIR! I was a loyal customer! Dumb me even referred some people to them!
Now I am being turned over to collections, they are saying that
Donna
Cordele, Georgia
U.S.A.
4 Updates & Rebuttals
Michelle
Augusta,Georgia,
U.S.A.
HELP, talked with folks at Alltel until I am blue in the face and gotten no where
#5Consumer Comment
Tue, April 22, 2003
Hi Donna! I am in the same situation you were in. I have talked with folks at Alltel until I am blue in the face and gotten no where. Have two phones with them and bill should be no more than $160 a month. Last month;s...$508. Claimed due to computer error. But in the end I had to pay it and now they are saying still owe another $350. I do like Alltel, but these bills are unreal. Please let me know where to start to correct this! Thanks
Donna
Cordele,Georgia,
U.S.A.
Help found!!
#5Consumer Comment
Mon, February 24, 2003
This is an update regarding my complaint! I contacted the BBB in the correct town. They DID contact ALLTEL. I received 2 different phone calls explaining what they were going to do to fix this problem. They wrote off all $300+ except for $44.00 dollars. (my use of the phone from roaming charges from the previous month that had not posted yet) I told them that sounded fair! So guys, I wonder if we have this site to thank? Its certainly didnt hurt! PS. The senior alltel people were really nice! How shocking to get past the dregs and really talk to someone that can take action!
Muriel
Lillington,North Carolina,
U.S.A.
I UNDERSTAND YOUR FRUSTATIONS! HERE'S SOME IDEAS TO HELP..
#5UPDATE EX-employee responds
Sun, February 23, 2003
I worked for Alltel for close to 2 years before they closed down my call center in May of 2001. I worked in the Raleigh NC office and had it been open, you would not be going thru this situation which is probably one of the reasons the closed it down.
Anyway, what you need to do is speak with someone again if you can get thru the complicated phone system and this time get the person's name, extention, which call center they are from, and their supervisors name if they will give it to you. BE SURE TO GET THIS BEFORE YOU BEGIN or else the rep probably won't give it to you at the end. Explain what has been going on and then speak to a supervisor. Hopefully they have upgraded the system and you won't have to wait too long for a supervisor to get to you.
When you talk to the supervisor get their name and extention and explain what has happened. If they cannot or refuse to help you, ask to speak to the CALL CENTER MANAGER. Hopefully at that point it would get resolved. Just keep going up in the ranks and be sure to WRITE THIS DOWN!!
If someone says they have taken care of it, have them read you back the notes on your account. Also you can request a copy of any notes written on your account and I was told by the training manager when I was there, when you do get your notes, if there is anything stating you were "angry" or "mad" you could sue Alltel for defamation of character! :-)
But if you have the names of people, the date & time you called and the extention written down it is more likely the next rep you talk to will believe what you are saying even if they did not write any notes. Normally people don't have all that information on someone unless they have really talked to them.
Be SURE get the where the rep is located! That is the key!!!! Good luck, hopefully this will help...
Donna
Cordele,Georgia,
U.S.A.
They ARE STILL SCREWING ME! Someone HELP!
#5Author of original report
Wed, January 22, 2003
I have received another bill after talking one of there Representitives. I was told by him that it was taken care of! What a joke!! Can someone please help me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!I was a good customer!!! I wish I could afford an attorney so I could sue there a*s! The do not have anything with my signature on it.