Complaint Review: T-Mobile

I recently had the unfortunate experience of losing my wallet and had to close my bank accounts and take other necessary precautions to protect my finances. It was after my accounts were closed and I was walking around the mall that I remembered that I had signed up for T-Mobile's easy pay program and would need to change my billing information. While at the T-Mobile kiosk in Seattle, Washington I also inquired about the cost of a phone upgrade. At the time I had completed a year's contract and was on a month to month program.

The T-Mobile representative put me on the phone to change my billing information. While on the phone I was asked if I would like to renew my contract for another year as well as receive a new phone in the mail. I told her specifically that I did not want either of these. My intention that day was to gather information, and besides I was traveling and did not have an address near to me where the phone could be sent. Before ending the phone call I verified with her that all we had done was change my billing information. I continued to gather information from other cell phone companies and found that another company had a better deal than T-Mobile, and so I signed a contract with them.

You can imagine my surprise when my father, who lives in Utah and was accepting my mail, informed me that T-Mobile had sent me a phone. I immediately telephoned T-Mobile. I explained my situation to a phone representative and he told me to refuse the phone and send it back to T-Mobile. In so doing I would not be charged for the phone or for the erroneous early termination fee. My dad refused the phone and I considered the matter finished.

I am now visiting in Utah and have just opened numerous requests from T-Mobile asking for me to pay them. I immediately called T-Mobile to find that I was indeed being charged for a $200 early termination fee. I talked to Nancy, and then her supervisor Vita. They both told me that according to their notes I had made a verbal agreement over the telephone to renew my contract and get a new phone. Because their notes say this they are unable to do anything. This is still a shock to me. I never had any intention of signing a contract with T-Mobile or to get a new phone from them. I feel helpless because they are threatening to send the bill to a collections agency. It is only my word against theirs and somebody at T-Mobile has lied.

They did give the address to their customer relations department in NM, but I question whether this will have any results.

Rose
Seattle, Washington
U.S.A.