Verizon's sneaky way of getting an extra $50 out of you
achh512
Newbie

Verizon, like many other companies these days, loves to persuade you to choose paperless billing. And when you do, they're very good at reminding you via text and email that your bill is due. I get reminders after reminders after reminders to give them my money.

But this month I just realized that my bill went up by almost 75%. The explanation? My service contract expired. If I want bring my bill down (but alas, not quite down to the previous amount), I'd have to commit to a new two-year contract. But that wouldn't start until next month. This month, I'm stuck with the higher bill.

There was no notice, no warning, no reminder. No text or email about this. So how could I have known and avoided the extra charge this month, I ask the Verizon rep on the phone. "You should've checked your statement," I'm told.

But I'm on paperless, Verizon!

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Re: Verizon's sneaky way of getting an extra $50 out of you
jonjones1
Legend

Just because your on paperless billing does not mean you don’t have an online copy of your invoice. This pdf copy is available from the Fios app or from http://www.verizon.com

click on either register or if already have a logon name and password just enter on the website.

from there you can access up to 18 months of invoices.

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Re: Verizon's sneaky way of getting an extra $50 out of you
achh512
Newbie

I'm not saying what they're doing is illegal. But here's my point:

Most customers aren't thinking about their service-agreement end date. Then suddenly they notice their bill has almost doubled. They call Verizon, find out what happened, and are offered a contract renewal that would bring their bill back to (almost) where it was. Most customers would probably renew. But since Verizon won't reverse the charges for the gap month, there's now an extra $50 Verizon gets to collect. One charge per customer every two years is not an insignificant bump to Verizon's bottom line.

I think if Verizon had sent me a text or email a month ago reminding me to sign a new contract, laying out the alternative pricing, I probably would've renewed anyway. In the end, Verizon's still got me for another two years. But after this, I'm not sure I'll be sticking around afterward.

Like I said: Not illegal. Just bad customer service.

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Re: Verizon's sneaky way of getting an extra $50 out of you
jonjones1
Legend

And I am not saying it’s illegal either. But just mentioned you can see the invoices and even save or print them out in order to know when to call to play that lets make a deal routine. Verizon’s pricing is never the same for everyone. It varies by location, state, block, house and on and on.

should they be made to offer across the board stable pricing? Yes they should.

however Verizon is famous for finding loop holes in anything dealing with making a profits. Tax abatements, then passing bogus fees on saying they are surcharges, charging a surcharge they are forbidden to charge on copper as perfectly legitimate such as the NYS Municipal Construction Surcharge, and the list goes on.

Personally signing a contract is something you never should do. I have no contracts with Verizon on any of my services. Wireless or Fios so if the price is raised and I don’t like it I give my business to another provider.

where I live I have loads of other choices for internet and cellular and tv etc. I look at my invoices every month. I never auto pay or paperless bill since you are never certain if the amounts are correct and it takes time to reverse the charge (never use a bank card if you can help it) once you dispute the amount the auto pay will cease.

i also make sure I get a paper copy of my invoice. The company adds the cost of these invoices in your service rate. Why would you say I want paperless billing and still pay Verizon for billing (administrative fee) that is just crazy.

consumers must be proactive so as not to be reactive. 

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Re: Verizon's sneaky way of getting an extra $50 out of you
CRobGauth
Community Leader
Community Leader

for the past month or so, every time I log in to my Verizon account, there has been a banner saying my contract is about to expire. And I still have like 45 days until it expires.

And I can't say for sure on this one, but I believe I have gotten messages on my STB s well reminding me to renew.

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