Appeal a Charge for Pay per view that was not ordered

[JD551]

My recent bill contains a charge on 11/22/14 in the amount of $72.99 for a boxing event.  I never recalled ordering this event and I certainly didn't watch this event.  In fact I have never ordered any pay per view event in the years that I have been a customer.  I'm really not a fan of boxing.  My family consists of me and my wife only.  I can't believe that an event for this amount can be ordered without any confirmation.  To delete a show on my DVR I need to verify that I want to delete the show by answering yes!

Please explain how this is possible.

If this amount is not credited to my account could you please explain the appeals process. 

I would really appreciate any guidance you could provide.

Take care,

Joe D.

[LawrenceC]

Just a friendly reminder, this is a forum where users help other users. It looks like your issue may require a Verizon representative to review your account details. Please visit Contact Us, or our Support page for a variety of ways to contact Verizon, including “Ask Verizon,” our virtual chat agent, and customer support phone numbers.  Billing can be reached during normal business hours.

[PA_family_15143]

I too got the same bill !!  We never watch PPV, and never Boxing.  I also got the charge, and Verizion, escalated 3 levels up, will not refund the charge !!!  $72.99.  It was for Sunday evening 11/23/2014.  Like I said, we never watch PPV, barely any sports at all so the charge shocked me.

We did see some confirmation float across the screen, but we never ordered it !!

I'm so glad you posted.  anyone else get this charge?  

[thompssj1]

I have gotten a charge like this so this is still happening!

[capmandu]

I checked my bill yesterday, and also had this charge on my bill!  I was informed that it was charged from one of my DVR boxes (the box is in my den) at 6:30 AM on the morning of 11/22/2014.  Not only do my wife and myself not watch boxing, but we weren't even home at the time to order the Pay Per View.

When I called Verizon to complain, they indiciated that it had been ordered and watched.  If this was the case, it wasn't by us.  They refused to credit me for this charge, even after speaking to the supervisor.  It is absurd to charge the customer incorrectly for this.  Additionally, how can a boxing event cost so much money?  This is half of the price of my monthly service of phone, internet, and cable!

I am ready to cancel my service on account of this.

And a message to moderator: THIS POST DOES IN FACT HELP OTHER USERS THAT ARE BEING RIPPED OFF!

[tns2]

You should be able to get the charge removed.

MAKE SURE you have your STB/DVR's set to require a pin for purchases.  Enable parental controls to do this (don't have to actually block any channels) and set either the parental pin or a separate pin as required for purchases.

[Iraboo]

I have this charge as well!!!!

[omaljp6]

We have been charged the same thing on 11/22/14.  Customer service refused adamently to remove charge and we have appealed with no response.  We were not even home that night!

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@JD55 wrote:

My recent bill contains a charge on 11/22/14 in the amount of $72.99 for a boxing event.  I never recalled ordering this event and I certainly didn't watch this event.  In fact I have never ordered any pay per view event in the years that I have been a customer.  I'm really not a fan of boxing.  My family consists of me and my wife only.  I can't believe that an event for this amount can be ordered without any confirmation.  To delete a show on my DVR I need to verify that I want to delete the show by answering yes!

Please explain how this is possible.

If this amount is not credited to my account could you please explain the appeals process. 

I would really appreciate any guidance you could provide.

Take care,

Joe D.

---

[KRISTEN62]

OMG!!!!  I'm going through the same thing.  The same day 11/22 for the boxing math for  $72.99 that was not ordered and they insist they we ordered it and watched it.  Did anyone get this problem resolved and credited off their account?

[Mohan1]

I just noticed the same issue with my bill. Last 2 months I see some boxing and sports evernts ordered. 

Agent was not willing to take off the charges. I dont watch these kids of events. How do I get help with this?

Looks like its a major issue for Verizon if not fixed.

Please help.. I dont want to pay for what I didnt watch or order.

[ElizabethS]

Hello Mohan

Sorry you are having difficulty, an agent with access to your account will reach out to you directly by email, private message in the Forums and/or the billing telephone number on your Verizon account for more information to help you resolve your issue.Please remember to check your spam/junk folder if you do not hear from an agent.

[LouieK]

I got the same charge and Verizon refuses to remove it. 

No one watched the PPV. 

It's clear there are fautly boxes being handed out and Verizon refused to wave the fee.

After heated interactions, I reported them to the BBB and to my bank. 

Love that they subtly implied i was lying or that someone in my family doesn't know how PPV works. 

Worst custmer serice i've ever dealt with. 

Once this contract is up, bye bye fios. 

[LawrenceC]

Hi LouieK,

Your issue has been escalated to a Verizon agent. Before the agent can begin assisting you, they will need to collect further information from you. Please go to your profile page for the forum and look at the top of the middle column where you will find an area titled "My Support Cases". You can reach your profile page by clicking on your name beside your post, or at the top left of this page underneath the title of the board.

Under "My Support Cases" you will find a link to the private board where you and the agent may exchange information. The title of your post is the link. This should be checked on a frequent basis, as the agent may be waiting for information from you before they can proceed with any actions. To ensure you know when they have responded to you, at the top of your support case there is a drop down menu for support case options. Open that and choose "subscribe". Please keep all correspondence regarding your issue in the private support portal.

[LouieK]

I've already dealt with them for a week+.

They are unmoving.

You can escalate it all you'd like, the response will be the same. They refuse to listen and remove the charge.

They keep claiming it as valid even though no one in the house ordered PPV. 

(No one watched UFC)

Verizon doesn't care about their customers.

They've already set themselves to deny my claim and charge me the price. 

Once again, worst service ever. 

Nothing like being charged for a product you didn't recive. 

Not only that, they didn't even send any kind of email or notification that there was PPV ordered. They email for everything. Which means they have techincal issues they wont resolve because it benefits them financially while their customers are being swindled out of $60-$100

You'll notice the issue is consitant. PPV that was charged, no one ordered it, and Verizon refuses to awknowlge it. 

It's fraud. 

[LouieK]

I've dealt with VFios all week and they kept refusing over and over.

INISTING it was done by someone in my home.

The phone rep even said, and I quote, "Maybe one of your parents didn't know what they were doing,"

My parents have had cable for 25 years, they know what a PPV charge is. 

I am terminating my service at the end of this contract because of the refusal to remove the charge and the refusal to awknowledge the issue. It's hoenslty ridiculous, I seriously question Fios business practice. 

[Hern2]

We decided to watch a movie so my wife went to the movies section and an ad popped up for a boxing match, my wife hit the OK button to get rid of it and it confirmed that she had purchased this pay per veiw.  I have been on hold for verizon for exactly 54 minutes,  The pay per view starts in 15 minutes and I have no intention of watching it  This one is 99.90.  I am posting this with the time stamp so that I will have proof when I talk to verizon that I tried to cancel this prior to the event.  I think this is an intenional rip off of the public.  An ad pops up and when you try to get rid of it , you are told you just purchased it with no opportunity to stop the purchase.  This is out and out consumer fraud.  It is now 7:45PM CST 5/2/2015.  I hereby notify verizon that I do no want this pay for view I will not watch it.  If you are monitoring this forum please respond and let me know how you intend to resolve this issue

[dougjcrowther]

Sounds like I'm in the same boat as you all.  Just this past weekend, I've been charged with watching a PPV boxing match for $99.99.  Absolutely insane.  I chatted with a couple people from the billing dept, which ultimately led no where.  In their arrogance, the only possible conclusion they could reach was that they knew for a fact that I ordered and watched the PPV event on my main set top box at a specific time, which would have been impossible to happen without me knowing.  So of course, I'm stuck with the charge.  Finally, their "research team" emailed me, only to tell me the same thing (surprise, surprise!).  However, within the email, they gave the specific serial number of the box they claim I ordered and watched the PPV on.  I checked all three set top boxes in my house, none of which match the serial number they provided.  BE SURE TO ASK FOR THE SERIAL NUMBER.  So clearly, this is either a security issue with account information, or Verizon just straight up messed up.  At least in my case, this seems to be the issue.  I'm still waiting for a response about having the problem resolved, and I'm a bit anxious to see what their response will be or how they'll twist it around, even though it's clearly evident that no one in my house ordered the PPV.

The customer service regarding all this has truly been a disappointment.  I've been a FiOS customer for the past 3+ years, and not once have we ever ordered anything on PPV or On Demand.  That alone should be a red flag when I complain about being falsely charged for a $100 PPV boxing match.  I've also read at least two other discussion threads about people having this same issue, but still they continue to refuse the possibility that the customer didn't actually order the PPV.  At least show me some effort in resolving the issue and working with the customer, knowing that there's other similar cases with mismatched serial numbers being assigned to people's accounts.  I've also raised my issue with Verizon Support on twitter, so we'll see where that leads. 

I honestly would not be surprised if Verizon intends to do this sporadically to customers, knowing that even a small percentage of people wouldn't go through the effort of appealing a charge.  Get it together, Verizon!

[BridgetB1]

I was charged for a WWE event on 3/31 that we DEFINITELY didn't order. We weren't even home. But agent and supposed manager told me they wouldn't remove the charge because their records indicate I ordered it. At worst a scam by Verizon to collect more revenue, at best a VERY poor customer service policy of not trusting their customers. 

Bad policy, bad business practice. Disappointed in Verizon. 

[ElizabethS]

Hello BridgetB

Your issue has been escalated to a Verizon agent. Before the agent can begin assisting you, they will need to collect further information from you.

Please go to your profile page for the forum, and look in the middle, right at the top where you will find an area titled "My Support Cases". You can reach your profile page by clicking on your name beside your post, or at the top left of this page underneath the title of the board.

Under “My Support Cases” you will find a link to the private board where you and the agent may exchange information. This should be checked on a frequent basis as the agent may be waiting for information from you before they can proceed with any actions.

To ensure you know when they have responded to you, at the top of your support case there is a drop down menu for support case options. Open that and choose "subscribe".

Please keep all correspondence regarding your issue in the private support portal.

[LawrenceC]

As this thread is now over two years old, it will be locked in order to keep discussions current. If you have the same or a similar question/issue we invite you to start a new thread on the topic.