Verizon Wireless deceptive ripoff company Rancho Cordova California
Verizon Wireless West Dishonest! Verizon Wireless reported bad credit on account that's NOT MINE! deceptive company Rancho Cordova California .....
I was denied credit recently and ordered my credit report from Trans Union to find out what was going on, when it arrived I was shocked to see a derogatory entry from Verizon Wireless West. I have never had service with this company based out of Northern California and have cell service with Cingular. I've lived in Southern California for the last 30 yrs.
Verizon Wireless West reported a "profit and loss write off as bad debt" for $70.00 in April 2003.
I realized this is a mistake and called the phone number listed in the credit report for Verizon Wireless West. I was put on hold immediately and after 30 minutes I hung up and called back. Hoping they would eventually pick up, I waited another 20 minutes before I gave up.
Determined to resolve this I called a local customer service number and got through to a live person. I gave the rep my SSN and was told there was no account in my name with that SSN. ( yeah, that's right. I'm not your customer!) I gave the rep the account number listed in my credit report and again was told it did not match anything in their records.
The rep then advised me to call the phone number in Rancho Cordova to have them search further. I told her that I've done it and can't get through to anyone. I can't wait on hold for hours, 30 minutes in outrageous as it is.
So, she advised me to start at the Fraud Dept and get an investigation going. I called that number to report a fraud and got voice mail! You are instructed to leave your name, acct number and circumstances and phone number where you can be reached during the day. BUT not a cell phone, they will not return your call to a cell phone! Interesting, that a cell phone company will not call you on a cell phone.
Well, I work during their business hours and only have a cell phone with me. So, this is not going to get me anywhere. I left a message but expect no results from the Fraud Dept.
I called the local customer service number back to see if I couldn't get someone who would take the effort needed to help me.
I asked for the manager and was told (after quite a few questions about why I wanted the manager)that there was no manager in today. So I settled for a floor supervisor. The supervisor told me to call Financial Services because they handle this kind of thing.
Ok, I called that number, they listened to the story and said they were going to transfer me to the number in Rancho Cordova
( the one I waited on hold for 30 minutes on!) I'm getting very frustrated with the run around right about now. I said no! Please do not do that! I explained the situation again and was told "I'm sorry but I have to transfer you ". When I insisted, the supervisor agreed to stay on the line to be sure someone answered the phone and helped me. The he transferred the call and promptly disconnected himself from it. A few seconds later I was disconnected too.
The realization that they were not going to do anything to correct their mistake hit me. I'm infuriated at the lack of professionalism and training of customer service. No one I talked to could have cared less about how devastating this is for me. ( maybe because I'm not a paying customer?)
I started looking online for ways to handle the problem. I filed a dispute with TransUnion, but that could take up to 30 days to get results. If Verizon refuses to remove the entry, my option is file a complaint with the Better Business Bureau. Meanwhile homeownership is out of reach because my credit report is questionable. ( Verizon is the only adverse item, but it is bad to have a write off of any kind)
I searched online for complaints against Verizon for reporting inaccurate credit information. I was surprised to see I'm not the only one having this problem, there are many others. And most of them were not their customers, just like me! How can this happen?
One of the most important things you posess in this life is your credit history. I take it very seriously and pay on time. Verizon Wireless has taken something I work very hard for, away from me. The callous attitude and disregard for the gravity of the situation makes me determined to get the message out.
I was very discouraged to read comments on this site from call center employees that said they put you on mute and laugh at you.
Be careful, you are a consumer too. This could happen to you.
Beware! Verizon Wireless is dishonest and careless with information reported to credit bureaus. If you value your credit rating like I do, check out what's in your report regularly. And don't do business with Verizon, ever. They're too big to care anymore.
Karen
Rancho Cucamonga, California
U.S.A.
Click here to read other Rip Off Reports on Verizon
5 Updates & Rebuttals
Tracy
Las Vegas,Nevada,
U.S.A.
To everyone who has inaccurate entries on their credit bureaus
#6Consumer Comment
Wed, August 20, 2003
I am the owner of a stenography service that helps people dispute and challenge inaccurate and erroneous entries on thier credit bureaus, as well as a Jr. Loan Officer for a Mortgage Co. here in Las Vegas.
Some free advice for you all:
1) Get copies of all 3 of your bureaus. Equifax, Experian and Trans Union. Most creditors do not just report to one bureau.
2) Write letters of dispute to the bureaus, detailing perfectly what the discrepancy is and request updated addresses and names of the contact person in their dispute department. Yes, this process does take a minimum of 30 days because the bureaus have to contact the creditor.
3)Once results are received from the bureaus, then it's time to contact the creditor directly. Any phone conversations you have with them, tape them, but you do have to tell them you are taping it for quality assurances. They do it to us, so we have every right to do it to them. Make sure you document everything. If you have to, write them till you get it in writing that they are going to delete the entry. I have the FCRA in fron of me right now - ask if they know what it states in Section 623 "Responsibilities of Furnishers Of Information To Consumer Reporting Agencies, and of Sections 616 & 617, and all their subsequent paragraphs regarding "The Civil Liablities for Willful Noncompliance and Civil Liability for Negligent Noncompliance."
It would be to your benefit to get a copy of the FCRA (can be obtained thru the internet) make copies of these sections and send them with your letters.
If you need more info please post your questions below.
Karen
Rancho Cucamonga,California,
U.S.A.
A resolution, at last!
#6Author of original report
Sat, June 07, 2003
I think some of the noise I've made and I made A LOT of noise, letters and email I've written have finally done some good. It took 3 weeks of me steadily applying pressure and vowing to Verizon that I will not go away....I will not get tired of fighting them until they do the right thing.
Well, hell froze over today in Southern California. I recieved a 2 voice mail messages from Mike Livingston, Executive Consultant at Verizon Wireless West. His attitude had greatly improved since the last time I talked to him, last week. Since then he had stopped taking my calls or returning messages I left for him. ( I called or emailed him everyday )
Well, folks.....today he called and said he was taking my account out of collection and sending a "deletion of information letter" to remove the charge off from my credit profile!
And he faxed me a copy of it.
I was about to go to the next level in my fight with them. I had already written ( by email and registered letter) to 5 executives at Verizon in California and the corporate headquarters in New Jersey, Federal Trade Commission, The Better Business Bureau, Consumer Affairs,the FCC,posted complaints on this site and another one called Planet Feedback. I've told the story to everyone who will listen, hoping someone would have a solution, or a suggestion about what to do. Apparently one or perhaps a few of my letters hit their mark?
I made 100 color copies of my complaint at RipOff Report and had 5 friends who were all set to help me warn Verizon customers as they enter the store in Rancho Cucamonga. Verizon's west coast administrative offices are 10 miles from my work, so that was next. I planned to cover their office door with my complaint, leave them on car windshields in their parking lot and talk to as many employees and customers as I could. It was a last resort, because I thought nothing else I've tried was bringing results.
The moral to this story is: Don't stop until you get what you want! Persistance pays off. They hope to wear you down, that you'll tire and quit. Don't ever quit if someone has fraudulantly damaged your credit rating!! It's a pricelss thing and you have to protect it.
Above all else........ BOYCOTT VERIZON WIRELESS !
VERY IMPORTANT !!! WARNING !!! NEVER,EVER, FOR ANY REASON GIVE VERIZON WIRELESS YOUR SSN. They have proved that they will go back many, many years and report false charges off in your name.
No one is safe doing business with Verizon!
Karen
Rancho Cucamonga,California,
U.S.A.
I have exhausted my options with the Office of the President Brian Shay and have moved on
#6Consumer Suggestion
Sat, May 24, 2003
I am the original poster, and am updating this post with information as of 23 may 2003
I have exhausted my options with the Office of the President Brian Shay and have moved on to President of the company ( Verizon Wireless) Mr Dennis Strigl.
I've written email and made telephone calls. I spoken to 4 executive consultants and the bottom line is : "Once a charge off is reported it is our policy not to correct or recind it"
Talk about a lack of integrity! Even when they've made a mistake, they will not correct it because it is their policy! Wow.
I am now including in all my correspondence, a reminder to Verizon of their own comapny's Business Code of Conduct:
"Our sucess depends on our ability to connect through integrity with each other, our customers and our many business partners"
So far, I haven't had the pleasure of connecting with anyone at Verizon with any integrity. But I haven't given up yet. It may be futile, but I will continue to work up the executive chain of command until I get this situation resolved. I am making a lot of noise and forcing them to see what they've done. So far, they don't seem to care, but my credit rating is being held hostage, so it matters to me.
For those of you who are in the same situation go to Forbes.com to view a comapny profile. All the executives are listed, there's contact info too.
I left a voice mail message at President/CEO Dennis Strigl's ofc on Friday May 23 and am sending a registered letter to follow up. I've been advised to mark it Personal and Confidential (the odds are better that an assistant won't intercept it)
Karen
Rancho Cucamonga,California,
U.S.A.
Email the Pres/CEO of Verizon
#6Consumer Suggestion
Thu, May 22, 2003
Your response is very interesting. This is what I did when calling them didn't work. Go to the company website at www.verizonwireless.com and email the pres/ceo. His name is Dennis Strigl.
Tell him the whole story and demand a satisfactory response within 10 days. Brian Shay is the res. of the "western area" I emailed him too. There are other pres. of different parts of the country and functions within the company. I emailed 5 in all. ( Talk about top heavy, that company has it's head up it's ---)
I got 3 phone calls from Verizon yesterday and an email from the executive office.
In my case they think it was an Air Touch account I had back in 1997. When I moved from San Diego to LA, the account was transferred and (they say) there was money owed on the San Diego account. Funny, I was never billed and continued to have service with them for a year afterward!
Now, 6 years later they discover their billing mistake and send a write off the 3 credit bureaus! I'm not going to take this. I will call the pres./ceo in New Jersey EVERYDAY if I don't get this resolved.
You may want to do that too, considering we are both having the exact same problem.
His name is Dennis Strigl and he's the pres/ceo of Verizon Wireless. 908-306-7000
At the very least start writing email if you can't call long distance. Write everyday and demand they fix their sloppy mistake.
I also filed a complaint with the Federal Trade Comission, Consumer Affairs and the Better Business Bureau. I let Verizon know too.
If anyone has any other suggestions about where I can go for help, please post them here.
I'll update this post as things happen.
Perales
Austin,Texas,
U.S.A.
Me too!!!! There has to be a way to stop them.
#6Consumer Suggestion
Wed, May 21, 2003
When reading about your problem it ws like listening to myself over the last 3 days. Verizon on 5/18/03 put a 1300.00 charge off on my transunion credit file. I have spent at least 6 hours over the last 3 days, calling and talking to9 customer service, fiancial services, loss prevention, in house recovery and the fraud department. Each of which I was disconnected from at least once and held for more than 30 minutes for someone to pick up. NO ONE at that company Verizon Wireless West, can find anything with my social security number or my name, but its on my credit now. They saidthe account "looks" like it was from AIrtouch cellular in 1996 or 1997. But today is May 2003 - 6 almost 7 years later and they are trying to put this fraudulent derogatory information on my credit report. I do not know what to do. There has to be a way to stop them.