Billing Mess- Three Months and Counting, despite promises to fix it
RPeppe
Enthusiast - Level 2

I am hoping someone here can help with a billing problem that dates back to August and remains unresolved despite almost weekly calls and discussions with customer service.  They are now threatening to refer the matter to collection, even though I do not owe any money.  I would like to get this resolved, but as an attorney I can not figure out how Verizon gets away with this, and now I am hearing from other people with the same problems.  I do not want to take legal action, I just want to resolve the problem.

I cancelled my FIOs triple play service in August, partly because of the customer service issues when they could never find my account if I had a technical issue.  I ported away my phone number, then cancelled the remaining internet and TV service after the port was complete (I received an email from Verizon saying it would all be cancelled automatically ,but I called to make sure). I returned all the equipment as instructed at the UPS store- I was told there was no other option to return it,

The remaining issue is that I am getting bills and threats of collection for "unreturned equipment," even though I took the equipment (2 cable cards) to UPS, and have a receipt showing Verizon received it and signed for it. I have now provided the tracking numbers for the returns 4 times on the phone, and each time have been told it is resolved, but the charges are still there.  How do we fix this?

I am sorry I sound so frustrated, but before this we had issues that took many calls about being threatened with an early termination fee, even though I was not under contract, being charged an extra month (that was finally resolved), and my payments being applied to the wrong account (apparently they separate the phone from the other charges once you port your number, even though I called and cancelled immediately, and even though I received an email saying it was all cancelled back in August automatically upon the port). I had t ospend hours on the phone and got bounced from FIOS to phone to billing and back before I got a refund back on the phone account, only to then have a new bill for a few dollars show up on the FIOS account in addition to the equipment charge, I went ahead and paid the few dollars rather than continue to fight, and it was credited to the wrong account, and it took two more calls to get the payment moved to the FIOS account.  I have no idea why Verizon has to had several accounts for me- I just opened one account.

Is there anything I can do short of filing aclass action lawsuit?

Thank you very much for any help you can provide.

Re: Billing Mess- Three Months and Counting, despite promises to fix it
KH-OrnEsh1
Moderator Emeritus

I'm sorry you are having difficulty. An agent with access to your account will reach out to you directly by email, private message in the Forums and/or the billing telephone number on your Verizon account for more information or to help you resolve your issue.

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Re: Billing Mess- Three Months and Counting, despite promises to fix it
JFig1
Enthusiast - Level 1

Wow! I can't believe how many people are going thru the same problem as we are!   We are very very frustrated with this situation as well.  We returned the equipment but Verizon is arguing that we did not and is billing us a ridiculous amount.  We will make this mess as public as possible so that other people do not have to suffer with this as we are...Verizon would not have been our provider choice If we would have known about the horrible customer service/billing issues they have. 

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Re: Billing Mess- Three Months and Counting, despite promises to fix it
RPeppe
Enthusiast - Level 2

The more I ask around, the more I hear about the same problem.  The really frustrating part is that where I live, you have no alternative except to take the equipment to the UPS store to be returned, then Verizon says it is your problem. I would much rather have dropped it off on person someplace, but they told me on the phone I had to take it to UPS, and that I should not worry because I would get a receipt. I did get a receipt, and a tracking number, but Verizon is still saying it is my problem that even though they signed for the package they can not find the equipment, and even though it was all sent together and they acknowledge receiving half of the equipment.

I did receive a private message this morning asking me to click on a link and provide my contact information. I did that, and I replied back to the private message that I had done so, but I have not heard from anyone yet,

The odd part was the link they provided appears to be the same online service request form that I submitted back in September. At that time the only response I received, a week later, was a copy of what I had submitted. I received this via email, and it had no information from Verizon, it was just an email that contained what I had sent, plus a bunch of header information with no explanation.  the header iformation had some symbols and numbers I could not decipher, plus text that contained an old address where I used to live over 8 years ago. I have no idea why the system spit that back at me, or why Verizon seemed to think I still lived there, since I had moved my service to my current address for the past 8 years.

If Verizon does resolve the problems, I will certainly give them credit here and let everyone know and that will be the end of it.  If not, we need to pull together the group with the same problems and take a group approach to solving this.

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Re: Billing Mess- Three Months and Counting, despite promises to fix it
JFig1
Enthusiast - Level 1

I completely agree...if they resolve the issue then I will most definitely praise the rep/manager that finally helped however it seems like there is lack of training and communication between peers at Verizon Customer Service...

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Re: Billing Mess- Three Months and Counting, despite promises to fix it
RPeppe
Enthusiast - Level 2

JFig:

I had my hopes up till I read your story.  The quick private message and then form to fill out had me thinking someone at Verizon would resolve this matter. I see you are ten days and counting since you started posting here, so I have lost some of that enthusiasm.

I am also going to start looking at options with local regulators.  I serve on the City Council were I live, and I learned that the city has a franchise agreement with Verizon.  I am going to ask around the city and see if this is a broader problem in the city for other residents. If it is, problems with customer service will be an appropriate area for the city to look into.  I hope I am wrong, and this is not  a broader problem, but I am starting to suspect it is the more  I look into it and the more problems I experience first hand.

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Re: Billing Mess- Three Months and Counting, despite promises to fix it
JFig1
Enthusiast - Level 1

I'm going to do some research as well and find out if what you plan to do would be an option where I live.  I did notice on the bill that a Verizon local franchise authority  is located at our Town Hall.   I am hopeful that someone from Verizon will call by Friday and any further action will be unnecessary. 

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Re: Billing Mess- Three Months and Counting, despite promises to fix it
DLeeFeb268
Newbie

If  you live within Pennsylvania call the Verizon Expedite team  at  {edited for privacy}  they will help you ,If you live else where ,they will  direct you to the nearest Verizon Expedite team in your area ..Just leave your name , phone number and address and they will get back to you

Good Luck

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Re: Billing Mess- Three Months and Counting, despite promises to fix it
RPeppe
Enthusiast - Level 2

Just an update- I did actually receive a call this afternoon from someone at Verizon.  She looked over my account, and said that on November 30 it was sent someplace that should have resulted in a credit, but that it was marked saying Verizon was unable to notify me.  She said I received a paper bill this week because it was generated on November 28, and that I should expect a credit to show up on December 28.

I am hopeful that this will be the end of it, but I apparently will not know until December 28, and they have no way to update the status with my online account to reflect this.

On one hand, I am glad to hear the problem might be resolved, and it is great there is this platform to get the attention required to resolve a problem. On the other hand, no one can show me anything definitive yet and I need to wait will December 28 to be sure, which seems a little crazy for a technology company, especially since I was told at the end of September and middle of November this was fixed and it turns out it was not.  My main concern is that Verizon's mistakes do not mess up my credit, since the bill I received this week says it is being referred to collections.

I will report back whenever I get something definitive!

Re: Billing Mess- Three Months and Counting, despite promises to fix it
hutchison75
Enthusiast - Level 1

At least I know I am not the only one!! What can I do If I don't have that information anymore? There has to be another recourse. I hope yours works out- I wouldn't wish this company on my worse enemy..

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