BOGO SCAM!!!! Leaving verizon today!!!

Bought 2 Apple iPhone 11's on a BOGO Promo a year ago. The agent helping me explained that the promo required me entering Verizon device payment program, but that I was able to pay off the $750 balance at any time. After a year, I paid off the phone ($343), or so I thought. When I got my bill this month it was immediately apparent that it was not as low as it should be. I discovered that Verizon has a sneaky way of scamming loyal customers. They hold a balance upon both phones, starting at $750, and going down with each monthly payment. If you pay off one phone early, the other holds a balance of up to $750!!! Thus, it is ONLY a BOGO if you remain in the payment plan until BOTH phones are paid off. Problem is not even their OWN EMPLOYEES understand this. Not only did the agent who sold me the phones misrepresent the BOGO Promo, two of the agents I spoke with in the past two days while trying to rectify this, explained that I had simply paid off the wrong phone, the one that was getting a discount applied. The manager I spoke with verified this is NOT accurate, that either phone I paid off, would leave a balance on the other phone. A very disingenuous promo by Verizon, and why, after 30+ years of being a loyal customer, I am leaving Verizon. In searching Verizon's Community Forum, I've found this EXACT thing has happened to many others.

Not only am I disappointed with this SCAM, the manager I spoke with was short and quite rude. I have always felt Verizon had very poor customer service, but this was beyond any treatment I've ever gotten from service provider!!!

Glad to never give Verizon another cent of my money!!! I will be writing the BBB as well as spreading this unfavorable review of Verizon everywhere and upon every chance I get!!

Accepted answers

thezotico

Whoever is in charge of signing off on the advertising/marketing needs to meet up with their legal team and have an in depth conversation about Deceptive Advertising and precedent that exists for the very issue they are causing right now.

Advertising buy one, get one free, but what they really mean is buy one get $750 in credit spread over 24 months as long as you maintain a balance to pay off throughout those 24 months. It doesn't sound as good, but that is because it isn't. They aren't the SAME, you aren't buying one and getting one free, because the stipulation isn't equivalent. Its buy one get 24 months credit of equal value to one.

Customers would be far less inclined to take this offer if they knew it required a 24 month payment plan. And those who don't mind a high monthly bill or paying for a phone month to month, they don't care because they are used to it. While an entire separate customer group prefers paying off phones in full and keeping a lower monthly payment. That customer group is not eligible for any promotions that are on the website, as from what I can tell all "deals" in the fine print stipulate 24 month payment plans are required.

I would think this is a slam dunk, and easy case of deceptive advertising since ONLY in the fine print will you find out about this and all public advertising clearly indicates what would be an expected cash value.

From the Verizon customer service perspective, I have always found that customer service seems familiar with customer complaints about these issues and often try to make it right. So, overall the company does try to make it right but they create a lot of churn that could be avoided if they were more transparent on the front end.

All comments

thezotico

Verizon_Support

Hello, we would appreciate an opportunity to improve your experience with us. Please send us a Private Note. We are here to help in any way we can.

bobglorptknck

I already looked for resolve. Accept my payment of $750 (paid already), erase the $343 debt on the iPhone 11 line, and we're good. Anything less and I'm gone.

You have my number, call me an fix it if you're really interested in "improving my experience".

Ann154

It isn't scam. It is the customer not understanding the terms of the promotion. The BOGO promotions have required the customer to make the payments over 24 months to fully qualify for the promotion. The device payment agreement balance is based on the full retail price of the phone before any bill credits are applied. If you pay it off early, you are paying the balance without the bill credits.

Doggo

9 times out 10 these "BOGO scam" threads are from people who don't read terms. If you don't qualify for a promo or broke the terms of one such as paying off early, that isn't a "scam".

Verizon_Support

bobglorptknck I'm sorry to learn you are having issues with your BOGO. We do not make outbound calls on this forum. However, we can certainly help you here. We have sent you a private message on this forum.

bobglorptknck

Or were told erroneously by a Verizon employee that the agreed to $750 charge can be paid off, that entering into the 24 month financing is just a process, not a necessity. Very misleading. Yes it is written in the contract, but deep into a very long contract.

Easily rectified by revealing the facts up front.

Verizon_Support

bobglorptnck I'm sorry you are feeling this way. When you visit our website, the DPP required is listed upfront under conditions. I'm sorry this happened to you. We make every effort to be up front.

StLPresto

don’t try justifying these shady techniques that have been used for years by big corporations. sounding like you work for Verizon

[Deleted User]

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