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Sprint Ripoff snake oil salesmanship Overland Park, Kansas
I've got friends in lowly places.....and I consider myself in the most sacred of company! I have been sooo ripped off by Sprint. In may 2003, I bought a phone and a one year contract with sprintpcs in Crystal Lake, Illinois store on Route 14, from "Brenda" a sales rep. I had fair service for this last year, although alot of dropped calls. Billing wasn't too bad, although, I can't believe they charged me for listening to my own voice mails! Then in Oct. 2004, a full five months into my month to month basis (per their own terms and conditions agreement with me) I called them to upgrade my MINUTES ONLY. I spoke with a pleasant cust. serv. rep who explained the upgrade options and the monthly cost to my ALREADY EXISTING CONTRACT.
I chose the 600 anytime min. upgrade. She explained that with this upgrade she would automatically lower my free week-end mins. and evening mins. to 7pm rather than 9pm as inclusive of this upgrade to my existing contract, which by now, is on a month to month basis, since I had met my contract agreement date May 2004. So I said, thank you.... and we hung up.... Then in early Dec. 2004, my husband found a better deal for family plan (better everything, it seems.) and I called Sprint to cancel service. I was told they wouldn't cancel until another whole month was up because "of their billing cycle" and that I would be responsible for an "early termination fee." Since their own terms and conditions states that people on the month to month plan are exempt from early termination fees, I reminded the csr that I was on a month to month now.... he informed me that my contract was renewed in Oct. when I upgraded to more mins. and that "we have electronic automated system agreement from you... including a taped conversation."
I stated that at no time did I agree to a renewed contract, that I specifically asked the sales rep. if this was just an upgrade to my exisiting contract or if this was a competely new contract, and she stated that this was just an upgrade to my exisiting contract. So now the cream-filled-outer-candy-shelled-bastards have replaced my original contract with one of their own creation and design and claim that I have electronically agreed to it via taped conversation. In fact, everyone of the 8 people I have talked to today have repeated the same song and dance, and after all, it must be true, because it is in the computer screen right in front of them!!I believe that one of the prerequisites for working for sprint must be an IQ in the developmentally delayed range, and the compassion ratio must be that of a pit-bull on meth! In the problem solving department, they must have the patience of a water buffalo in heat, and early reptilian brain activity in the hibernation phase! Even coffee won't wake these buttheaded baffoons up!
So now, when I set out to work in MY territory, I pray for the day when Mr.Dubose Ausley (chairman of the Board of DIrectors, Sprint)from Tallahassee, Fla.shows up in my ICU with a massive coronary....heheheheh! I can never exhaust the ways in which I can really make a person suffer!! Scenario: what's that you say, you have chest pain?? Oh, I'm sorry, it's not the end of my billing cycle,er, shift....I have a meeting to go to....and a coffee break to take...uh, I'll have to get your pain medication when and if I get back...in the mean time, when you see that top squiggly line on your EKG go whappa, whappa, whappa, and then go flat-line...don't be too concerned....it just means you are going to die....hopefully, you will be fortunate enough to have nurses at your bedside that can attend to your problem a little more effectively than you have to mine at your place....have a nice day! One last thought,I noticed that the company headquarters are located in Overlandpark, Kansas.
Sprint needs to be reminded that they aren't in Kansas anymore, and get honest with their customers.... I would be honored and proud to join a class action...what they did to me was completely fraudulent, and if Mr. Ausley isn't careful, he could be finding himself flat-lined and stiff-(ed) by his own shareholders..... after all, the law of reaping and sowing is a true spiritual and physical law placed by our Creator.... mr. ausley and his minute minions may munch marvelously on our money, but malevolent money made,is malevolent money lost. I just love my new phone company by the way.... and their calling area is better.... so to all my friends in lowly places: "SPRINT, you can just kiss my grits!"
donna
chicago, Illinois
U.S.A.
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2 Updates & Rebuttals
D
lake in the hills,Illinois,
U.S.A.
snakoiled update, Sprint changed the rules without my agreement
#3Author of original report
Sun, December 26, 2004
apparently Bob from Plano Texas doesn't get it. While my contract clearly stated all the terms and conditions of the agreement, Sprint changed the rules without my agreement. That is the fraudulent part of this complaint. I never agreed to a whole new contract....I only agreed to an upgrade of minutes to my existing contract, which, by the way, was clearly discussed with their employee before I ever said yes. Bob, when you go to a store, and you buy a product, and you read all the inserts on the box, believing that what you have in your hand is what the box insert says, then you get it home, and discover that the insert information was a lie, do you just say, "oh, well, the information was clearly stated on the box..." and then just continue with a useless product because you believed the product was what was stated on the insert information? All consumers are protected under the law by fraud. It is that simple. All businesses are bound under the law to fully inform their customers of just exactly what the customer is buying. That is why ingredients are listed on labels, and why milligram doses are printed clearly on the side of your medication bottles. If a company tries to sell you something you did not willingly agree to, then charge you to discontinue with them, that is fraud. As for vindictive, I think not. What could be more vindictive than lying to a customer, all the while accepting a monthly fee for services not agreed to? You will all be happy to note that the FTC, and attorney gen. office has responded to my complaint, and they are investigating...they wouldn't waste their time if they thought I was just being vindictive. So Bob, maybe you should get your eyes off the fine print, and look at what Sprint really has been doing....they are the vindictive ones...and why would you align yourself with that? HMMM??
Bob
Plano,Texas,
U.S.A.
Comments from a current Sprint customer
#3Consumer Suggestion
Thu, December 09, 2004
I have had a cell phone for 10 years with three different companies in four cities and have helped others select cell phone service. I have always compared pricing, coverage, and the contractual agreements for each. Sprint has great service if you use your phone in cities and on interstates, which is their target area.
Concerning your complaint, Sprint lists an outline of their usage rules and fees on their service plan screens, and their Advantage Agreement is written in a concise, easy to read format. This agreement is online, provided with your phone, and at any Sprint store. The second paragraph states:
Term Agreements: If your Agreement requires you to keep a phone active/maintain a line service for a minimum Term, the Term begins on the phone activation date; for customers changing service plans, the Term begins when the new service plan is selected. You may terminate any line of service before its Term ends by calling *2, however you will be responsible for an EARLY TERMINATION FEE of $150 ("Fee") for each line of service terminated early.
Sprint charges airtime usage for any use of your phone, as stated in the third paragraph of the agreement: All phone usage, including incoming and outgoing calls, incur charges. Unused plan minutes do not carry forward.
I really believe your anger is misplaced and overly vindictive. You should have at least mentioned the Automated Assistant' they use to direct customer calls. To those that read this and are frustrated by the voice interface, just say something fully indiscernible. The assistant will usually direct you to the incoming call queue.