Cingular Wireless cheap overbilling ripoff fraud business Stillwater Oklahoma
Having had cingular for 1 year 10 months, our service was cut off, to make it round, we pay $50/month. 2 month prior to contract expiration, the service was disconnected early February, and we were told that we MUST pay for February or be turned into collections. As this was our third disconnect since Christmas we weren't going to budge.
The bills grew from $50 to $220 from 1 February to 14 March which was last contract date. The bills now total to 20 March (thus including the whole month of march) and we have to pay for two piece of s**t phones that never really worked (I bought nokias from ebay which worked to replace them) and the bill went from $220 to $550 and they call my wife at WORK and are threatening to garnish her wages since we told collections to blow it out their a*s.
Aside from their computer calling our house 4 times a day for 2 months, they call her at work, and according to the consumer protection act it will take a court order to garnish a person's wages. I think this will be quite difficult to do with the growing rap-sheet that Cingular has acquired in the last couple years or so. Then again, if garnishment was that simple, then most utility, power, gas, and internet providers would do the same I'm sure.
Aside from breaking the law and calling her at work, we have pages and pages of threats ant there was no discussing with them before all this s**t came down.
I strongly recommend not going with Cingular. Everyone I know locally who has them have similar issues, lately double and triple billing is common, but fixing these mistakes is not nearly as common.
Take care!
John
Stillwater, Oklahoma
U.S.A.
4 Updates & Rebuttals
Lorraine
Eagleville,Texas,
U.S.A.
TO: District Area Consumer Dissatisfaction Manager
#5Consumer Comment
Tue, November 11, 2003
To the Dissatisfaction Manager; you state, "Wireless carriers are not currently governed under the same statutes as utilities. They have every legal right to garnish your wages, and if needs be, reposess your assests." If you believe this, then you have been misinformed. A Summons and Complaint have to be filed in a court of law (small claims)and the person would have to have an opportunity to be heard in court. The judge would have to rule in Cingular's favor and a judgement entered. Then you might be able to attach a garnishment or the person's assets only if they have not made out a filed a Claim for Exemption. This is an amount, ($4000.00 in TN) that is exempt from garnishment, execution, or levy. On this a person can list their personal assets, automobiles, household goods, bank accounts, cash, etc. up to the exempted amount. which cannot be touched.
What you are trying to say is that Cingular is above the law and can violate a person constitutional right to due process.
PS: Thanks for admitting that Cingular sells inferior phones. And, if Cingular has so many 'real' customes, then why do they have a Dissatisfaction Manager (if that is what you really are?)
Laree
Las Vegas,Nevada,
U.S.A.
Cingular Wireless Does Not Care About Their Customers
#5Consumer Comment
Fri, June 20, 2003
I used to use Cingular Wireless, and I never had a problem with them until 3 months before my contract was going to end. My plan was around $40.00 per month and I never missed a payment. The last few months of my contract all of a sudden all these charges showed up on my bill for over $500.00. When I called customer service, a woman told me that there were mistakes made and would be corrected. She apologized to me about the mistakes and said that Cingular appreciated my business since I always paid on time. Well, the next month the same thing happened, roaming charges, phone numbers I didn't recognize and text messages from a phone I didn't know. I again called customer service and spoke to a man who told me that since the charges were reversed the previous month, I had to pay this bill in full. I was outraged! I told the customer service rep that I did not incur these charges and I should not have to pay for it. The customer service rep said that most people don't pay and expect a free ride. I was certianly not that at all! I paid my bill every month on time, and I was treated like dirt. Since I couldn't cancel my plan (I only had one month to go) I paid their outrageous bill that month and the next. All in all I paid over $1000.00 for two months. I cancelled my account with Cingular. When I did so the woman I spoke to did not even care they were losing a customer. I am now with T-Mobile and so far it has been a good experience.
Kim
Brentwood,Tennessee,
U.S.A.
give Cingular a call
#5UPDATE Employee
Tue, April 29, 2003
First, as a very loyal Cingular employee (Sales manager) I am sorry to hear about your unpleasant situation with Cingular, although it sounds like you may not understand fully where these charges are coming from.
If your phone was "suspended" due to late payment or non payment, then it is just "suspended" and NOT "cancelled". When the service is in suspend status, you still incur your standard monthly charges plus late fees. Without actually seeing your account, it is hard to determine exactly why your bill went up so high.
Also, if your service is suspended for more than 60 days without a payment, it is then cancelled due to non-payment and you were more than likely charged an early termination fee of $150 per phone. Which would explain a bill over $500.
I cannot comment on the garnishment of wages, I am not familiar with that policy.
I think it would be wise to give Cingular a call and I am sure someone would be more than happy to take some time with you and explain where all the charges came from and hopefully save yourself and Cingular also from pursuing this any further.
Chuck
Indianapolis,Indiana,
U.S.A.
District Area Consumer Dissatisfation Manager
#5UPDATE Employee
Mon, April 28, 2003
When you sign a wireless contract, you agree to pay for the service with which you are provided (whether you're satisfied or not). Cheap people who opt for "free" phones are often dissatisfied, and when they lose , break, or are simply fed up with using an inferior phone they are often outraged that they acually have to spend a dime, or sign a new contract to get another free or discounted phone.
Wireless carriers are not currently governed under the same statutes as utilities. They have every legal right to garnish your wages, and if needs be, reposess your assests.
I highly commend Cingular for actually following through on your delinquency and requesting that you pay up or lose!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Customers like you raise the costs that our REAL customers pay, and also can at times (although usually not as well as they would hope) make our jobs difficult.
Whatever handsets you purchased are the responsibility their applicable manufacturer; Cingular only services handsets as a courtisy to you. Do you expect your cable company to replace your tv every time you drop it or it loses signal?