Duplicate Account Created: Won’t Remove a Charge on an account I did not create

[Mick1417]

I switched to Verizon back in February of 2023. I have never had a problem with service, have recommended Verizon I multiple other people, have paid my bills early or on time, have had a great experience…until now. 

I was looking into upgrading one of my lines on my account and was dumbfounded when I got a response of an outstanding balance on a previous account. I called Verizon, as I had never had an account prior to the one I have now, eventually getting to the fraud department where we found out that a duplicate account was created when I tried to have my number ported over from straight talk. After nearly an hour on the phone, we figured it all out, was told the fraud team approved the removal of the charge, and I was told to contact the Recovery Team because they couldn’t transfer the call. This was a Saturday evening so I had to wait until Monday to call. 

I finally get in contact with the recovery team on Monday and they proceed to tell me there was usage on the duplicate account with a number that never transferred over and was never on either of the phones on my actual account. They told me they would submit a request and I would get an email within 48 hours. So I wait the 48 hours, no email. I call back to be told that the request wasn’t submitted until Tuesday so I needed to wait another day. Still no email. Today, Dec 1, 2023, I call again and spend over an hour on the phone, first being told the request was denied because of the usage, then being sent to the fraud department, then sent to another department, just to be sent back to the recovery team. At this point I was getting frustrated. They tell me again that I have to pay the outstanding balance because there was usage. 

It is impossible for usage to have been on this account if the phone number never transferred over and was never activated on Verizon. I am beyond frustrated and it is not right that they will not do anything to remove this charge as it was not my fault that a duplicate account was created and my number never ported over to my phone. I am at a loss because this charge has now been sent to collections and hurt my credit score, but I should not have to pay for service that I never used. 

At this point, I am considering switching carriers because I don’t want anything to do with a company that will not right a wrong that their system did. There should never have been a duplicate account created as the number was never ported over or activated on Verizon. 

[Lizzaymarq]

Hello, mick. I’m sorry this is happening to you bc this is happening to me too. RUINED my credit and nobody knows what is going on. Whenever I speak to someone I get shuffled down the line and no one knows what the hll I am talking about. Constantly repeating myself. I switch carriers over for phones and watches. The man who did it made an account and then made another account. I did not know he made the first account until 8 months later. No plan was attached to it just the “agreement plan” . I was bringing over my other phone number. So he attached my old phone numbers to the second account he created but left new numbers in the 1 account created. 

I have been hung up on, lied to, and treated like **** from customer service and different departments and supervisors. 

Did you ever get this resolved ?

[vangcr390]

I've brought this up to verizon support multiple times since July.  They still do not know or understand what is going on or even have a clue of what issue I am having. This has caused me over and over again having to re-enroll every subscription and changes on my billing. Kind of getting impatient with verizon trying to resolve this issue! If you get any answers to resolve the problem please do share. 

[vzw_customer_support]

Thank you for lifting this concern. We want to make sure you're only getting charged for what you're supposed to. Please connect with our Fraud Team at vzw.com/fraud. 

-Melissa