Complaint Review: Verizon - New York NY

Complaint date: 05/25/20

3/16/20 payment made

4/24/20 payment made

4/30/20 phone shut off during pandemic and payment to turn on plus $20 fee.

05/25/20 harassing phone calls and texts.

5/25/20 notes: Tried to chat, system would not let me. Kept referring me to pay my bill no matter how many times I asked for an agent. Called the number spoke to an agent asked to be transferred to a supervisor. Transferred to Edgardo employee Id# 1306581. Explained my situation asked for last two years of my account data to file a complaint in small claims court. He did not know how to provide this information. Navigated me to Verizon page to contact headquarters. This information was NOT readily available, and I had to do several searches using different words to find information.

Called corporate number referred me back to pay my bill. Called again referred me back to customer service. Called the third time and instead of telling them what type of phone I was calling from, I just waited on the line. Eventually, was offered a way to leave a message. Left phone message with I don’t know who.

Edgardo stated that he would put a hold on my account and not disconnect services until June 30th due to COVID-19. Although, when I did pay my bill, they shut off my service six days later during COVID-19.

05/26/20 Received a call from “Fatima” who stated she worked in the executive office. I explained my issues (overcharging, wrongful disconnection, imaginary fees, having to file claims with the BBB several times to even get beyond standard customer service, each time told there was nothing they could do about the past, but moving forward we could look at new plans, etc.). I explained I was tired of having the same issues over and over again and not ever having them be resolved. The only solution was to pay more money and pay the unfair imaginary fees that no one could ever explain. I have gone to Verizon stores, I have called multiple numbers and spent hours upon hours to fix these problems.

I requested all the information of the past two years including documentation regarding prior phone calls and complaints. Fatima told me that I would need a subpoena. I told her that I was formally requesting information about a debt that they claim that I owe, and that I have every right to request that information without a subpoena. She stated that they could not give me any information about my account, but I could go online and get my bills or she could go over them on the phone. I explained to her to that I would like to have the information sent to me in writing. The reason I requested this is because in the past the bills that I have been mailed are different from what it says online. Additionally, my payments show up on my bank account and not always online. I have had customer service tell me an amount I owe that differs from the online versions and often they do not even add up.

Fatima told me that if they sent me my bills and only my bills, it would be $5 a bill. I told her that was unacceptable, and that part of my complaint was these hidden “fees” and unexplainable charges that were unacceptable. It would have cost me $120 to get standard information about my account that anyone inquiring about a debt can request. Even debt collectors do not charge you to get information requested about a debt they claim you owe. Fatima then got very sarcastic with me and stated that, “You will pay $5 for each bill and that it was not their problem that I didn’t want to go online and get the information myself".

Essentially she was calling me lazy. I told her that I would not allow her to be condescending to me and asked to speak to her supervisor. She told me this is the executive office and she did not have a supervisor. I inquired if she was the highest-ranking person in the executive office? She just repeated that she worked in the executive office in a very condescending way. I then asked for her employee ID number for my complaint. She stated, “at this point I am refusing to give that to you”. It was the same customer service experience that I have had multiple times while trying to inquire about my so-called charges. I have even had supervisors quote me numbers that do not add up at all, and when I point that out, they argue with me about basic math.

I asked her to save the recording of this call for future use and then again asked to speak to someone above her. She told me that she it was not possible to save this call. This is interesting because apparently these recordings exist only to benefit them. Every time I have asked a supervisor to listen to the last call and hear what I was told then, the best I have gotten was, “I listened to the call, and I did not hear what your claiming”. Now they cannot record them at all. Fatima then told me that I could call their legal department and gave me a number, 1-800-451-5242.

I called that number and had four choices, 1) if your calling about a subpoena press one, 2) if your calling about a judgement press two 3) if your calling about court orders or searches press three, 4) electronic surveillance orders press four, or if you are a customer calling to request records or assistance with your account press *. This brings you right back to the main customer service line. It is clear that this subterfuge goes clear to the “executive office” as it is the same run around, I get every time I try to inquire about my bill. It is completely unacceptable. Additionally, even though I was assured that my phone would not be disconnected, I am now having weird symbols showing up and when I try to call a local number a message says that I can be charged for an international call. I have restarted my phone 3 times and it works for one or two phone calls and then goes back to having a symbol whenever I make a call.

I really could go on and on going back at least five years. I went online to see if I could find out some more information on my Verizon account, now it won't let me access the corporate address at all. Fatima told me that the disconnect fees had been removed from my account, yet they are still showing online at $20 per line so an additional $40. Also my "billing statement" shows that I owed over $400 for last month (which I don't) and that I am being billed $600 for the month of April. My bill even with being over charged is only $213/month and I have obviosly made payments every month. No explaination why after paying almost $500 in a month they are still showing that I owe over $600. This is exactly why I don't go online because it is gibberish. I have so many screenshots I should open a studio.