Can Verizon sign me up for a contract without my consent?

[scott310]

Today I contacted Verizon to see if I could switch to just internet when my contract was supposed to expire this March.  I was shocked to find out that my contrct was renewed a month ago and wouldnt expire until 11/2020.  I am the only person with access to my account and never made this account change.  Has anyone else had anything like this happen? There is no way I plan to honor a contract I never agreed to so please let me know if you were able to resolve your situation.

[CRobGauth]

Couple of things:

1) This is a peer to peer support forum.

2) Is there anyone else int eh household? If so, I believe it is possible to renew a contract via STB.

3) I would assume you would receive an email when contract was renewed. Did you see anything?

4) Does you bill state anything about a contract renewal?

[scott310]

Thanks for responding, here are some answers to your questions.

1. got it

2. No one else in the household has access.  What is an STB?

3. I never recieved any emails about a contract renewal.

4. It said there was a $20.00 increase due to the price of equipment but nothing about a renewal.

[jonjones1]

Verizon still needs your permission to renew a contract. However they have been known to extend or renew contracts whenever a customer calls them for any issue.

i would contact your states Public Utilities Commission or Public Service Commission via a google search to have them intervene.

contracts are also covered by your states attorney generals office which takes a dim view of such antics by Verizon or any service provider. Again do a google search on yours states AG

[CRobGauth]

Its been a while since I looked at my bill.

But thought it says when a contract is up.

Have you looked at you last few bills?

[jonjones1]

That’s bad you didn’t look at your invoices for awhile. I look at mine every month for any changes. I also don’t allow paperless billing, or auto pay anything.

the original poster didn’t know what a set top box was, (a tv tuner box) so how would they have known if a message came up for any renewal?

no company should automatically renew a contract. Verizon didn’t renew their contract with the NYS Department of Public Service. See my point.

[idburns]

"Verizon still needs your permission to renew a contract. "

No they don't. On November 18th, 2018 one of their website chat reps accessed my account without my consent (I literally told him to not do anything) cancelled by TV and Internet service (but left the phone connected) and submitted a move order to my same address for the exact same service I already had.

It took me 2 days and over 10 hours on the phone, talking to over a dozen people, to finally get it "fixed". And by "fixed" I mean they signed me up for a new plan and contract (I had just renewed 6 weeks prior) for the same service I had but also charged me $10 more a month for it because "that promotion doesn't exist anymore and there isn't anything we can do about it".

And 2 months later, and actually moving, I'm still dealing with the ramifications of that original screw-up.

Oh, and I can't redeem the Amazon Prime promotion like a ton of other people.

[jonjones1]

See my first reply. “I said any call to them can have them mess with your contract/non contract)

your own story bears that out.

[noverizonforce1]

They just did this to me via chat. I complained. I never even saw a contract just a congratulations on getting this new contract. My contract expired 2 months ago it seems. 

I called and called. I was even connected to their fraud department when I suggest it was illegal and even possibly fraud. You know of course that they deal with fraud of others. I've been looking for their legal department.No luck. I filed a complaint with the FCC and have a case number. Who knows.

I was told that notification of contract expiring was on the bottom of the many paged statement. Paperless so I just didn't see such.

One rep suggested that the chat guy was being helpful as he saved me $10 a month with HIS decision.

Wow.

[LawrenceC]

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