Returned equipment not listed as returned, then lied to about charge waiver
Derigiberble
Newbie

When I had Verizon FIOS of Alexandria, VA was a very great service.  Solid performance, wonderful picture, and great uptime while being cheaper than the cable companies.  I even convinced several of my neighbors to get it over Cox.

Unfortunately I needed to move out of area so I cancelled my account effective June 1st and paid the early termination fee to do so.  I was given two options to return my router and CableCard:  I could either drive one hour each way through DC traffic to a FIOS storefront, or I could use a Verizon supplied box to mail in the equipment.  I chose the box.  I sent the box a few days early using the supplied label and I figured all that was left was to make sure it was delivered, which it was on June 1st.

However I received a bill in early July saying I owed $108 ($100+tax) for a missing Cablecard.  I called Verizon on July 12th and I was told they would check, and they gave me reference number and told me they would call back in 1-3 days.  After receiving no call back I called again on July 20th, and after repeated transfers spoke with a lady who said they could not find the card but were canceling the charge.   I received one more bill very shortly afterward but it must have been in the mail while I was calling.   No more notices or bills came and I considered the matter closed.

However it seems that the rep simply lied and instead have now sent the account to collections.

I just got off the phone with Customer support.  I was first transferred to tech support where a man said that he had just the other day managed to track down another woman's cablecard, lost in the same manner, by looking up the serial number and finding that it was already redeployed in the field.   He said I had to speak with accounts to get the serial number for the cablecard.  Accounts said they showed it as being unreturned, and that I would have to get the serial number... from tech support.  This is pretty typical of every call I have made to Verizon about this issue: lots of transferring and nobody who can actually solve the problem.

I am floored.  This whole experience has soured me greatly on FIOS, and I have made my displeasure well known to all of my friends.  I did everything Verizon asked, and now you want to ding my otherwise perfect credit when you the ones who lost the piece of equipment!   My next step is to speak with a lawyer and file complaints with all the relevant regulatory bodies, but that's something I would rather not have to do when this could easily be solved without doing so.

The best part of all this was that the cable card was in a static baggie taped to the side of the router, yet they say they received the router just fine.  I have visions of the router at some new customer's house with the cablecard still taped to it.

I have the tracking number, I have the reference number of the original ticket, and I have call dates and times.  I do not have the Cablecard.

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Re: Returned equipment not listed as returned, then lied to about charge waiver
ElizabethS
Moderator Emeritus

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 help you resolve your issue.

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Re: Returned equipment not listed as returned, then lied to about charge waiver
Derigiberble
Newbie

Thank you, that would be wonderful.

The most frustrating part of this has been dealing with the phone trees and transfers between different buisness units.

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Re: Returned equipment not listed as returned.
mthmoses
Newbie

Cancelled our service as of May 24, 2014 and was sent a box to return 3 tv boxes and an internet router.  Kept having to call them to verify they received the equipment.  After 18 days I finally discovered they have the tv boxes but, surprise!  No router.  How is it possible to miss that when it's packed in the same box?  Just waiting for the day that is probably coming soon when they send us a ginormous bill for the "missing" router.  BTW, they also sent a box to return the items to our new address which is just ridiculous given that the equipment was in a totally different state and they should know that.  What a waste of money.

Also spent an hour and a half on the phone with them today trying to get my final bill which they will only send out in paper form and will NOT make available to us online at all (however, they're happy to take our payment online).  We are in the midst of some crazy relocation and a paper bill may never reach us.  Can't wait to see what happens then.  Because our account has been cancelled due to our move, we can no longer sign up for "full access" that would allow us to see our bill online.  They also cite "security" concerns for not emailing me the bill but they're not so concerned about security that they won't take your payment online.  They expect me to pay the bill without ever seeing what's on it.

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Re: Returned equipment not listed as returned.
sserpa
Newbie

i wish i check the forum before returning the equipment via the box/label they sent.  We returned the equipment in May and our bill is still not resolved. i called several times and was told that it was all set only to recieve a collection notice in the mail today.  Reading the other posts make me think this is a recurring issue.  

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Re: Returned equipment not listed as returned.
LawrenceC
Moderator Emeritus

Hi sserpa,

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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