Complaint Review: Verizon Wireless

Two months after adding a new line to my account and purchasing a LG G2 for that line, we noticed an area on the screen that would not respond to touch. I have insurance through my local authorized Verizon Retailer that offers new phone replacement for a small deductible therefore i elected to return to the store. Once there, the helpful sales rep removed the phone from the case, noted it was in like new condition. After a soft reset, the problem remained and he advised us that this is a "known issue" with this phone and seeing that it is in mint condition we should contact customer service and they will send us a new phone under warranty.

Upon arriving home, I contacted Verizon Wireless customer service. They had me go through some steps and after confirming an issue with the phone they advised a replacement phone would be sent. A few days later, I did receive a refurbished "like new" as they call it phone via US Mail.  Once I transferred the content from the original phone to the new phone I did a factory reset on the old phone.  Having worked in the mobile phone industry for a few years I decided to cover my bases and take detailed clost up pictures of the phone from all angles showing there was no damage on the phone. Two hours later (as my time stamps prove) I dropped the old phone off at the post office in the supplied box and return label. At this point, I thought I would be done and all is well.

I was wrong. A few days later I received an email from Verizon Wireless telling me I was being charged a "damaged device fee" of $299. To my surprise I called customer service. After spending little over an hour on the phone I was advised that the device I returned had a cracked lens (screen). I assured them that was not the case  and that I had very good insurance through their authorized retailer and that had the phone been damaged, I would have used the insurance to replace it with a new phone for a fraction of their fee. After spinning my wheels for another half hour or so I gave up.

A quick Google search showed this is common practice for Verizon Wireless. To put it simply, they extort money from their customers. I tried many more phone calls and finally had one CSR tell me that if I provided time stamped pics showing the phone was not damaged he could reverse the charge. He sent me a picture of what he claimed was the phone I returned with a cracked screen and right away I could tell this was not the phone I had sent in because there were also scratches on the screen. The phone I sent in had no scratches as it had a screen protector on it from day one which I removed when I took the pics and sent it back.  I sent four time stamped pics to hom and never heard back from him. He failed to respond to several follow up emails.

Over several days I spent hours on the phone and got nowhere. Their final ruling is that the damaged device fee stands and I either pay it, or it goes to collections. Really? Considering this is common practice for Verizon Wireless and well documented, I think a class action suit is needed. I am considering a small claim in my local court as research also shows that they will usually settle before the court date. I will not take this lying down.