Verizon Customer Service is AWFUL!!!!!!

[angryvictim1]

In 2009, I was contacted by a collection bureau which was located in Boston, Mass and informed that I owed $138.00 to Verizon for a home telephone line. I was told that the phone was opened in the name of a woman who shares my maiden name and who currently lives on a street I lived on 20 years ago. I made many calls and told the staff at both the Collection agency and Verizon that I was not this person.

At one point, a Verizon employee asked me for the last 4 digits of my SSN. When she was convinced that I was not this person, she told me this woman's place of employment and her work phone number. I phoned her at work and asked her to pay the bill. (I am not sure I would ever do this again, as it put me in jeopardy as far as I am concerned.) She said she would pay the bill. I then called Verizon and told them that I spoke with her and she would be paying the bill.

A male Verizon employee then told me that I needed to call the police and report her for “identify theft.” I explained to him that she did not steal my identity. She did not know who I was, and she did not have any of my information. (Verizon and the collection agency linked us because my maiden name is the same as hers, and I lived on her street 20 years ago - at a different house number. I have not used my maiden name since I was married nearly 20 years ago. In addition, I have lived at my current address for more than 10 years). She opened the account using her own name at her own address!

The person at Verizon told me that I needed to call the police or they could not clear my name. I again explained that I could not report her to the police for something she didn’t do. She did not know anything about me – she used her own name and her own address. Reporting her for identity theft would be fraud on my part.

Today, I was informed by a credit reporting agency that they gave me a negative report because of the $138.00 that I owe Verizon.

I made several calls to your company today to clear up this matter. After being told multiple times that Verizon was sorry for the inconvenience, and they were aware of the problem, and the next person would straighten everything out, I was eventually transferred to a Mr. Kohler. He informed me that they didn’t clear up the problem in 2009, because I refused to file a police report. I explained that as far as I am concerned, Verizon should be reported for identity theft. They linked me to this woman and are giving me a negative credit report!!!!! 

I repeatedly asked to speak to a supervisor – and was told that the only supervisor, a Ms. Hernandez, was not available to speak to me. I repeatedly said that I would stay on the line and wait for Ms. Hernandez. Eventually, Mr. Kohler told me that I was “tying up a company line.” He ended the call over my multiple protests. This call lasted for 58 minutes. I find it hard to believe that there was not someone there in a supervisory capacity, who could speak to me.

Does this make any sense to you? How can I report a woman for identity theft when she doesn’t know anything about me? Finally, I wonder about Verizon’s business practices. Is your company in such bad shape that you are willing to hurt the credit of an innocent person in order to collect $138 from someone else? This is much more than an inconvenience!!!! You have hurt my credit in a terrible economy.

[DougVZ1]

I've had your post copied to an employee monitored board, where a Verizon representative can assist you.  You will be contacted by email, private message in the Forums and/or the billing telephone number on your Verizon account as soon as possible.

[angryvictim1]

I would like to talk to someone about this soon!

[rissanddave]

That is such crap noone helps you

[sje4]

I agree.  I had the bundle package and it was a nightmare from beginning to end.  Everytime you called customer service, they said "this has to be handled by another department" - back and forth.  When we canceled to return to Cox (Great customer service, not sure why we left)  Verizon tried to charge us a cancellation fee.  We had finished out term of contract.  They disagreed.  I made countless phone calls.  Finally I got someone who would listen.  Thankfully I had kept all emails and could verify when our contract started.  I had documentation, sent it via email to someone who finally listened.  If I can keep my dates and records straight, why can't they?

ATT has great customer service.  Verizon has become haughty and unhelpful.   Once I get my daughter's phone number to ATT, we will be finished with Verizon.  AND she will pay half of what Verizon charges!

[Offline21]

Yes it is.

Last week, I lost my FIOS service.  At first I didn't realize that it was more than my internet, but eventually I noticed that it was also the phone.  I went through all of the self-help remedies, eventually rebooting the main box.  Nothing worked.

I called Verizon, and after 20 minutes (mostly on hold), I was told that a service person would be out the following day between 8 and 5.  The following day at 2:30, I began to worry that no one was coming, so I called in.  The automated system said something like, "We are aware of your problem and we are COMMITTED [emphasis mine] to fixing it today, August 3, 2011.  Do you have any questions?"  I decided I wanted to hear it from a real person, so I said "yes."

I was eventually connected with a real person who looked at my records and assured me that someone would be out that day.  At 5:15, after no word, I called back.  Again I was told  "We are aware of your problem and we are COMMITTED [emphasis mine] to fixing it today, August 3, 2011.  Do you have any questions?"  I said yes.  The latest tech looked at my record a little more closely and said that no one was coming that day because the original intake person had filled out the work ticket incorrectly.  I asked about the commitment to having it fixed that day, and he called "Dispatch."  I was on hold for quite a while, and when he came back he offered to have someone come out the following day between 8 and 12.  "But what about the commitment?"  He said he had no idea why the automated system would say something like that.

I asked to speak to his supervisor, and he said he could connect me with an "Escalation Specialist."  I'm not making this up.  He put me on hold while he tried to transfer the call, and after a couple of minutes I noticed that I had been on that call for 38 minutes, trying to fix what Verizon should have taken care of in the first place.  I hung up.  About 15 minutes later the "Escalation Specialist" called me.  His only purpose seemed to be to commiserate.  He did not have any power to do anything.  He said he had no idea why the automated system would say they were committed to fixing my problem that day.

 The next day at 11:58, the service person arrived and fixed my problem.  My service was down for over 48 hours.  I had spent a total of an hour and 10 minutes on the phone trying to get it fixed. - not counting the useless time spent talking to the "escalation specialist."

[paulie1970]

I had a similar awful experience with Verizon and should have my head examined for going back to them after I swore I would have no service than sign up with verizon again.......they were supposed to be paying (or passing on) my directv payment every month because I had the internet and directv bundle at the time. well, turned out verizon was not relaying the part of the payment on to directv for months! So when directv turned off my service and I tried to figure out what the mix up was I got a run around like I have never seen!!! in the end I got a lousy check for $70 bucks...and that took almost 7 months to get....

[wpbjj79]

I emailed corporate executives and was told I'd get s response in 24 hours or next buss. Day. Never happened. I don't feel they care