Equipment return fraud

[srearoyl]

I have been, up until the last month or so, and extremely happy FIOS customer.  It all went south when I moved and I no longer could have FIOS, which is when I had to return the equipment back to Verizon.  First, all was fine...then VZ started calling every day about the equipment, even before the sent me the box!!! How stupid is that?

A few days later (about 15 days or go since I requested), I finally receive the box.  Phone calls still coming the entire time asking about equipment.  The box....huge box sent, only for a router, cable card, and the old standard sd set-top box.  So, I add in extra padding, wrap up all THREE items, and put them in the box with all the paperwork and drop it off at my works mail department to be picked up by UPS.  VZ sent a prepaid UPS label, so a plus for them.  However....

About two weeks later, I get another bill from VZ...I went from VZ owing me $53 to me owing VZ $52....I looked...the charged me for a cable card?  I called "customer service", and the person at the other end asked if I had a shipping receipt...why would I have a shipping receipt for a prepaid label? Kind of stupid.  I've never dropped off any pre-paid box/package anywhere and gotten a receipt....from the driver, ups store, or other. If it is prepaid, it's prepaid.  I explained that if VZ received one item, they received them all since they were all in the same box.  They were supposedly supposed to be looking for them.

Now, well over two weeks after I submitted my complaint, I still see VZ has not credited my account.  I still have a past due bill.  VZ still owe's me $53.  I know how VZ likes to ding people for not paying...how about if it is the other way around?  VZ chooses to use some third party to handle equipment returns, and due to that VZ has now dropped my satisfaction level to a new low, and now I am finding it very difficult to recommend service due to their failures. 

Anyone know how to get it fixed? I get tired of waiting and dealing with the unknowledgable CS people on the phone.  (it took over three years and about a dozen calls for them just to get my name correct on the bill)

[KaLin]

Your issue has been escalated to a Verizon agent. 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. Please keep all correspondence regarding your issue in the private support portal.

[kevlittle123]

I as well am having the same problem with Verizon. All was good until I had to move and I am being charged for $600 because Verizon has not received my Cable box. I sent the cable box, along with my Internet modem, before I made my last payment. I get calls all the time about it being missing. I packaged everything in the box that Verizon sent. I even talked with a representative and they said to wait. It has been a month and I am still getting calls and having to pay $600, which I WILL NOT because I do not have the box anymore. I do not know what to do and it is really annyoing to get these calls. Please fix IMMEDIATELY.

Thanks.

[LawrenceC]

Hi kevlittle123,

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. 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.

[Verizon_Support]

kevlittle123,

We have closed your private support thread due to no response. Feel free to make a new post anytime you need some assistance.

- Jose_VZ

[brk2]

I too am experiencing the same dillema.  I returned one set top box in Dec. 2014 with no problem receiving credit as we were preparing for our move in Jan. 2015.   At the end of Jan. 2015 we received four seperate shipments of return boxes from Verizon for the balance of our equipment; one cable box, one cable card, one router, and one remote.  I just used one of Verizons shipped boxes, rememtber there were four, that had ten individual slots for equipment.  I took the box to local UPS storee in Plano TX.(prior we could go to a Verizon store where Verizon employees would accept equipment)

We left Plano, TX for Conroe, TX that same week.  There is no Verizon FIOS service for this area.  After being a loyal customer for over ten years I loved the service and wanted to continue.  I received a bill in February for what I thought was service of FIOS for Feb. and didn't feel I needed to pay.  After numerous phone calls I was told the bill was for the cable card which was with the other equipment in one box.  I called and then spoke with service person and then her manager; both in St. Louis; and they said it is resolved and would send credit statement for amount due.

Npw the fun started.  We started receiving dozens of collection calls on our cell phones.  We don't even know how Verizon would have access to those numbers because we have T-Mobile.  After more calls to Verizon each time we were told the problem was solved.

Now, finally, it is almost May 2015 and we received collection bill from Verizon for MORE money plus penalties on equipment we returned in January.  Today, April 22, 2015 we yet again spoke with another anonymous representative and manager just to hear they haven't received the equipment UPS sent in Jan..  NOW they say theyt didn't receive any of the equipment!  
This is an unbelievable situation for them to put us in.  

Now for the first time I have found this message board where dozens of customers are experiencing similar treatment.  It must be known by Verizon that this is happening and yet they are allowing to continue.  HELP

[LawrenceC]

Hi brk,

Was this  turned over to a collection agency or were the cell phone calls from Verizon?

[CGardner551]

I am in what sounds like a similar situation where I returned all of my Verizon equipment via UPS and just now got a message from Verizon saying I'm going to be billed for not returning my router. This is clearly in error as it was returned with the cable box, remote, etc...

I need to know how to resolve this as soon as possible as we are in the process of moving into our new home and we have enough things to deal with without adding dealing with fraudulent Verizon bills to the list. Hopefully this can be simply resolved as we otherwise had very few issues with Verizon previously and would consider them in the future again if we move somewhere in their service area (but, at this point if this fraudulent billing isn't resolved then we would of course never go near them again...)

Please let me know if you have any questions. Thanks.

[ElizabethS]

Hello CGardner551

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.

[Verizon_Support]

srearoyl,

     We were able to get your equipment and billing issues sorted resulting in a refund delivered to you. After confirming you've received the refund we are now closing your Private Support Case. If you have any additional questions about your previous account or Verizon home services in general. Please feel free to make a new post and we will be happy to assist.

-Adam_VA

[tns2]

Par for returns to lots of companies. Seems like the receiving groups don't botther entereing what they received or from whom.  Had to follow up each time with DirecTv, Dish. amd Verizon when I returned equipment.  And for anything they didn't  ask for, make sure you pack it away and save it for a long while, just in case.  Even when they do (for Verizon they actually did) it doesn't always get correctly matched up.  Last exchange (which had to be done twice because the first replacement STB had a loose metal plate rolling around inside it), they had two boxes down as returned, but not taken off my equipment inventory that was on my bill.

ALWAYS GET A SHIPPING RECEIPT.  UPS, e.g., always offers me one when I drop off a package with a prepaid lablel.

[ceen0te]

I returned my only set top box  with 1 remote controller to the Verizon store as advised by Verizon CS online when I cancelled my service before my move. There never was any mention during the service cancellation call that I had two standard set top boxes, I really only have one by the way. 

When my turn came to return my box, the service rep at the store asked for my 2nd box, in which I explained I only had one, and that the reason I may have 2 is because the first one that was installed when I moved in wasn't working after the tech came by to set up my residential service. He immediately switched out the boxes, but now Verizon thinks I have 2 set tops because someone dropped the ball along the way. The store personnel acknowledged the problem and collected my returns without incident.

It's been a little over a month since I returned the box and remote, but for the last 3 plus weeks, I've been getting harrassing phone calls from a Verizon dealer  during non-office hours reminding me to return the 2nd box that I never had. The voicemail I get everytime says that a return UPS box has been sent to me (I never received one) and to return all remaining equipment or get slapped with non-return of equipment charge. I was also given a number to call back with questions or concerns, but I always end up getting to voicemail because the automated service couldn't find my old account number nor verify my account via my social security number. I have since left multiple voicemails to the number provided, but am still getting phone calls every week to return my non-existent equipment and my voicemails to the dealer have been ignored.

I called the Verizon store where I returned the equipment (1 standard box, 1 remote controller) before my move, they have verified my return over the phone and checked their records, they advised me to contact Verizon directly. Calling CS at Verizon takes an average of 30 minutes wait time, why am I having to pay for a mistake that a Verizon representative messed up? Why is it so hard to get something resolved? I am not going to pay for something that I never received. 

What choice do I have at this point to not get slapped with a $650 price tag for Verizon's mistake? Please resolve this issue ASAP.

[KaLin]

ceen0te,

Your issue has been escalated to a Verizon agent. 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. you will find a link to the private board where you and the agent may exchange information.

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

[Verizon_Support]

Hello, 

We have not heard back from you. We will be closing out this support case, if you have any additional questions please let us know by creating a  new thread. 

Thank you, 
-Amanda_M 

[njk82]

I'm in the same boat. Sad to see this is a common problem. Returned one of our boxes in the pre-paid box, because I would have had to pay if I dropped it off at a verizon store. Big shock, they "haven't received it." So I'm still getting charged for a box we weren't using, and that they now have back.

[daveman1964]

Whenever I had to swap equipment I will gladly pay the FEE (Verizon all about fees) Just so I could have proof that I did return.

[LawrenceC]

Hi njk82,

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. 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.

[Verizon_Support]

Hi njk82, 

       Having confirmed the box received and credits applied, we are now closing your Private Support Case. If you have need any further assistance with your service or account please make a new post.

-Adam_VZ

[marianex198]

i am having the same issue !!! i returned 4 boxes and a router, now im being charged $399 for "unreturned" equipment, its soooo annoying and i cant get nowhere with customer service. 😞

[LawrenceC]

Hi marianex198,

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. 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.

[Verizon_Support]

Hello,

Since we have not heard back from you, we are closing out your private support case. If you require further assistance, feel free to make a new post, and we can be sure to look into your issue. As always, we're available for support around the clock.

Thanks,

-Amanda_M