Complaint Review: Verizon Wireless

I am writing in concern to a sales fraud issue with Verizon Wireless. I have been a loyal customer of Verizon Wireless for over a year, and recently extended my service contract with a move from Virginia to Illinois. When I moved, I had only days left in my first year contract and decided to extend my contract another year after speaking with a Verizon representative in the easy move program. The contract renewal discussed was to stay exactly the same, with the exception of an increase in minutes. Upon receiving my first bill, I noticed my night and weekend minutes were not beginning at 8pm, as was previously specified when discussing the contract with the easy move representative, but were starting at 9pm. I purchased the cellular phone plan solely to make calls to the east coast from Illinois, and the central to eastern time change makes it so the earliest I can call the east coast is 10pm. This is entirely too late for me to place phone calls and makes the plan utterly useless to me.

I placed a call to Verizon, thinking this was just an accident, and described the dilemma. The first Verizon representative (Lisa, ext. 2453 at 1-877-235-2994) proceeded to tell me that she was unable to help me, as did 2 other supervisors. One representative looked into the matter and responded with a voice mail saying, I was unable to help because I could not access the information to your previous account in Virginia because the number has been re-issued to a new customer. As soon as our conversation ended, I called my old cell phone number and a computer message stated, This number is not currently in service. I found an email address online that supposedly went to the executive office, and sent an email describing my dilemma to them. This is the response I received (notice she was able to retrieve my past account history):

Dear Phil Ames,

Thank you for your reply.

I have contacted Verizon in Virginia and they verified that your contract had expired, and you signed the new contract to receive the promotion of 1500 free nights and weekends and 250 free Mobile to Mobile minutes.

We are able to waive the Early Cancellation Fee and void the contract signed 9/5/2001 for the promotion, but you would then be responsible for paying back the free minutes you have already received in exchange for signing the contract. Our records indicate that you used a total of 56 promotional minutes on your September bill, which would have totaled $19.60, and 1500 minutes on your October bill which would have totaled $525.00.

We apologize for any miscommunication there may have been, and wish to retain you as a Verizon Wireless customer.

We appreciate you taking the time to contact us.

Sincerely,

Ericka
Verizon Wireless
Internet Executive Relations

Verizon Wireless' solution is obviously an effort to blow me off. In order for them to correct a mistake, that they made, it would cost ME more than the plan I was supposed to be signed up for would cost for an entire year. They offered a termination of service because they said they would be unable to change my night and weekend minutes to start at 8pm.

Verizon blatantly committed sales fraud. I specifically asked when renewing my plan if my night and weekend minutes would remain the same, and they confirmed that they would. They have made absolutely no effort to properly resolve this problem after I have spent countless hours on the phone with their representatives and sent several emails to the executive office. I am sending this letter out to educate anyone unaware of how Verizon conducts business, in hopes of stopping future fraud, and to continue seeking a resolve to my issue