One of our phones started to malfunction: it had swollen battery, would get hot, and the battery would easily drain. We were able to get a replacement via our insurance.
Originally we were told we didn't need to return the broken phone because the battery was compromised. Then we were told to return it in the box the new phone came in.
BUT…the box says,
"*Do not return a damaged battery or a phone containing one in this package (for example, a battery that is swollen, leaking or too hot to touch)."
UPS's own website also says not to ship damaged/defective batteries.
We communicated this to Verizon but were still met with mixed answers. Then our account got charged and we received confirmation to just return the phone.
We went to the store, brought the box and the phone, but the store said they cannot accept the package because they are unable to "reference" the phone. We had to contact Verizon AGAIN to get this resolved, keep in mind each time these communications take multiple hours. They told us we would be able to return it in-store and the charge on our account can be removed then.
Turns out, the store could accept it but couldn't give a receipt of proof they accepted it. They also were unable to remove the charge on our account, because that can't be done until the warehouse processes it. Luckily at least this store gave us proper packaging to be able to send it via UPS.
On 2/10/25 the package arrived at the warehouse, confirmed by the UPS tracking number. The same day, Verizon suspended our service because of the outstanding charge on our account. We have spent maybe 12+ hours just in the last day and a half online chatting/talking to agents trying to get help but it just goes in circles.
In almost every conversation, what is said by one agent is then refuted by the next. They all say that the agent before them lied, was misinformed, or handled things incorrectly.
How, then, can a customer believe anything that is told to them? How can we get our issue resolved?
For a moment they were able to reconnect our lines, but now it got disconnected again. One agent explained that they can reconnect us, but only temporarily and it will disconnect in a few hours. Otherwise, it will remain disconnected until either the Verizon warehouse removes the charge off our account, we pay the balance, or we agree to promise to pay in 14 days.
It feels ridiculous that the financial department suggest we pay or promise to pay in 14 days when the billing department has already suppressed our account and this charge is not even one that we're responsible for. Whether the phone actually gets processed or not, we, as customers, have done everything possible on our end and the phone was successfully received by the warehouse.
Billing has also explained that whether or not the package is actually processed, the warehouse will eventually have to remove the charge because we have proof that the package made it to the warehouse.
So, it is simply a matter of waiting for Verizon to do their part, and we have to suffer the consequences for it. It is very disappointing as we have been with Verizon for a long time and have never experienced such a frustrating predicament. Since the beginning, we have received unclear instructions, and now because of all this misinformation and lack of training of these agents, we are stuck.
No agent seems to be able to help us beyond trying to convince us to just pay or set up a payment agreement. But given our experience so far, would you trust that Verizon will be able to successfully process this phone in time? In my last phone call with the finance department, I asked to speak to a manager and they left me on the line waiting and eventually just hung up.
I feel very helpless, sad, and frustrated to be dealing with this. As other agents have sympathized, I don't think this is our fault. But the way the system is set up, it seems to me that there is no favorable solution for us to get our lines reconnected while we play this waiting game.
