Overbilling after account cancelation
alecksleeoo
Enthusiast - Level 2

Hello,

I requested my account to be cancelled and was informed that the bill would NOT be prorated, and would be cancelled before the start of the next billing cycle on March 2nd. However, I was still billed for the month of April for $64.99 after the account was closed. How is this even legal? Please remove this charge from my account now. 

Re: Overbilling after account cancelation
jonjones1
Legend

@alecksleeoowrote:

Hello,

I requested my account to be cancelled and was informed that the bill would NOT be prorated, and would be cancelled before the start of the next billing cycle on March 2nd. However, I was still billed for the month of April for $64.99 after the account was closed. How is this even legal? Please remove this charge from my account now. 


You have to call 1-800-VERIZON and speak to someone in billing. However if you paid by autopay (cancel it now) you can have your bank or credit union reverse the payment if you contact the bank. If you paid via credit card call your credit card company and do a charge back. This way the money gets back into your account. Please note the chargeback or reversal must be legitimate. If the money was taken properly the charge will reverse back to Verizon. 

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Re: Overbilling after account cancelation
alecksleeoo
Enthusiast - Level 2

I called the number today and they assured me that they will credit my account for the full month. The larger issue remains of Verizon's new policy of no prorating months in conjunction with the "delay" in their billing system.

Does it seem to anyone that they intentionally started the "no prorate" policy specifically to exploit this delay in their billing systems? The account closure date was set by the Verizon representative, not me. Does a customer even have a choice in the matter of account closure date? If it was up to me, the account should just CLOSE when requested. I'd rather they kept my extra money than to have to deal with monitoring my account for the following 2+ months to make sure there are no additional charges, and threats to send my bill to a collection agency. 

Do any other internet service companies have this "no prorate" policy?

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Re: Overbilling after account cancelation
jonjones1
Legend

There is something you are missing. If you read your monthly invoice it states the start and end dates of your service. You are paying in advance so if you call up and say cancel my service on April 17, 2018 when your bill closes out on April 18, 2018 you owe them nothing. Because the new start date is April 19, 2018 you cancelled in time not to be billed again.

get a confirmation number both verbally (write it down) and have it sent to your email listed on your account with the closed account date, time and confirmation number.

i once had cable tell me their computers were down and they could not cancel the account. I then went to a physical location and returned my equipment and had a receipt printed out as well as the service cancellation receipt. 

You could do this also at a physical Fios/Verizon store *corporate only and not a resellers location. 

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Re: Overbilling after account cancelation
alecksleeoo
Enthusiast - Level 2

@jonjoneswrote:

There is something you are missing. If you read your monthly invoice it states the start and end dates of your service. You are paying in advance so if you call up and say cancel my service on April 17, 2018 when your bill closes out on April 18, 2018 you owe them nothing. Because the new start date is April 19, 2018 you cancelled in time not to be billed again.


I think that's what I did? I called on February 6th. That billing cycle ended on March 2nd. The REPRESENTATIVE told me that due to the "no prorate" policy HE would set my account closure date to March 2nd. I either had no choice in the matter, or he did not make it clear to me that I had a choice.

Re: Overbilling after account cancelation
jonjones1
Legend

@alecksleeoowrote:

@jonjoneswrote:

There is something you are missing. If you read your monthly invoice it states the start and end dates of your service. You are paying in advance so if you call up and say cancel my service on April 17, 2018 when your bill closes out on April 18, 2018 you owe them nothing. Because the new start date is April 19, 2018 you cancelled in time not to be billed again.


I think that's what I did? I called on February 6th. That billing cycle ended on March 2nd. The REPRESENTATIVE told me that due to the "no prorate" policy HE would set my account closure date to March 2nd. I either had no choice in the matter, or he did not make it clear to me that I had a choice.


I see what happened. You cancelled too late. Since you are paying prior to February 6th. You service must be February 1, 2018 through March 2, 2018 (30 days service in advance) since you are paid up to March 2nd. They cancelled your service as to not go into another month. Verizon does not prorate (at least the wireless side never did) and recently Verizon changed their billing dates. No I don’t know why. But not only do customers pay in advance, now they want you to pay sooner. Absolutely a money grab.

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Re: Overbilling after account cancelation
alecksleeoo
Enthusiast - Level 2

It seems to me that this "delay" in their billing system is charging customers an additional month due to the new "no prorate" policy. I'm not saying it's intentional. It could be due to poor management, and a fundemental misunderstanding of how their billing systems operate.

I think customers wishing to cancel their account should ensure that their accounts are closed at least a week PRIOR to the end of the billing cycle. Do not listen to the representative. Request that your account is either closed now, or a week prior to the timeline they are suggesting.

Re: Overbilling after account cancelation
jonjones1
Legend

@alecksleeoowrote:

It seems to me that this "delay" in their billing system is charging customers an additional month due to the new "no prorate" policy. I'm not saying it's intentional. It could be due to poor management, and a fundemental misunderstanding of how their billing systems operate.

I think customers wishing to cancel their account should ensure that their accounts are closed at least a week PRIOR to the end of the billing cycle. Do not listen to the representative. Request that your account is either closed now, or a week prior to the timeline they are suggesting.


And I agree. That is how it should work. But it’s all for more money....a pity ☹️

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Re: Overbilling after account cancelation
Laguna73
Newbie

I have a similar problem, I cancelled home Internet and sent the equipment back in October. Called twice and visited the store about this still being charged on auto pay. Verizon told me they would credit my account in February but I'm still seeing charges on the account. Now I'm only going to go to my bank and reverse the charges. Seems like the Internet and home line service is outsource to Florida somewhere not connecting. 

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