Customer Service Reps cannot resolve this.How do I escalate my issue?
Hurtin12
Newbie

. I have been a Verizon Prepaid customer since 12/2015. I really like the all of the features that I can control from the "My Verizon" page like changing phone number, HD calling, caller ID block, ECT, ECT. Also, I live in a very rural area and Verizon's network works the best in this area. I have tried prepaid services from other carriers and only Verizon and Straight Talk seem to work in this rural area. I have had the same phone since I stated using Verizon Prepaid (HTC 526). It has been a very reliable phone for me. Recently, I started looking at possibly replacing my HTC 526 with a newer phone and keeping Verizon as my cell provider. Recently, a family member recently bought a phone to upgrade his current phone on Straight Talk. He only had it for 45 days or so, and I really liked it. It is an LG Stylo 3. He did not like the Stylo 3 and purchased one he did like. I offered to buy the LG Stylo 3 from him as long as I could use it on my current Verizon Prepaid account. On 11/18/2017, I used the "chat" feature on My Verizon to inquire if the LG Stylo 3 could be used to replace my current phone (HTC 526). I provided the agent with the IEMI number of the Stylo 3 and was told by the agent that I could indeed use that phone to replace my current one, and all I needed to do was go to any Verizon Store and get a new SIM card, free of charge. So I purchased the LG Stylo 3 for what we determined to be fair market value given the age and condition of the phone ($125.00). On the morning of 11/19/2017, I did just as the agent told me to, and took the phone to the Verizon Store at 650 Boardman-Poland RD, Boardman, Ohio. However, after checking everything out, the in store employee informed me that the Stylo 3 could not be used on Verizon's network. This was quite frustrating as I was told by the support agent that the Stylo 3 could be used. Once returning home, I called Verizon Prepaid support. I explained to the agent on the phone the situation. The agent checked the IEMI number of the Stylo 3 and informed me that it WAS INDEED compatible with Verizon's network, and instructed me to take it to a different store at 2870 East State Street Salem, Ohio. The agent also told me that if the Verizon Store Employee at the Salem store told me that I could not use the Stylo 3, to call Verizon Support while I was at the store, and they would work with the employee on activating the Stylo 3. However, the store employee at the Salem location also informed me that I could not use the phone. I left and drove to ANOTHER Verizon location in Salem, because it stated that they were open until 6PM EST on 11/19/2017. I arrived at the second Salem location at 4:58PM, only to be told that they closed at 5PM and not at 6PM like it said on Verizon’s store locator on the website. At this point, I was EXTREMELY upset and frustrated. I had already drove from my house to the first store in Boardman (18 miles, 27 minutes), then back to my house again (18 miles, 27 minutes), then from my house to the first Salem Store (11 miles, 21 minutes), then to the other Salem Store, then back to my house again (11 miles, 21 minutes). Let’s just say that after all of that, Verizon was not my favorite company in the world at that point. Once returning home, I once AGAIN called Verizon Support. I asked the agent how I could get in contact with someone a bit higher up the “food chain” than a customer service rep. I was transferred to the agent’s supervisor, who asked me to explain the situation. So I did, and the supervisor replied: “I don’t understand. I don’t understand what the issue is”. Despite being IRATE at this point, self-control got the better of me, and I decided to terminate the call and try again today (11/20/2017). So here we are. Now, being a Technical Support Specialist for a software company myself, I can understand the stress of a customer service job. Also, I understand that mistakes do happen, as we are all human. Sometimes, despite our best efforts, things do “fall through the cracks”. So my question now is: “What can be done to resolve this situation?” As I stated earlier, I like Verizon’s Prepaid service. I really do. However, I also really like my LG Stylo 3. Even though it is not activated, I really like what I have seen from it so far. Now I understand that the Stylo 3 cannot be used on Verizon’s Prepaid service. However, it CAN be used on Strait Talk’s service for basically the same monthly fee as Verizon’s. My mother has an LG phone with Straight Talk’s service and she lives less than a mile from me so I know it will work in this rural area. So we are at a bit of a crossroads here. I paid $125.00 for a phone that does not work on my carriers service, I drove almost 60 miles that took 1 hour and 35 minutes on my day off only to come home and be exactly where I was when I started out that day. If nothing else, let’s hope that this is a learning tool for your support agents so that this does not happen to anyone else.

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Re: Customer Service Reps cannot resolve this.How do I escalate my issue?
vzw_customer_support
Customer Service Rep

I'm truly disappointed to hear what you have gone through when attempting to get a new SIM card for your LG phone, Hurtin12. You should expect to receive the correct information from every representative that you speak with. We certainly don't want to see you leave the Verizon family and I want to be sure you have the resources you need for your Stylo device.

 

You mentioned that customer service has verified that this device will work with Verizon service. You can double check this information here: http://vz.to/2n10zuq . You may select the option that you have Verizon then you can sign into your My Verizon account, enter the IMEI for the Stylo phone, and order the corresponding SIM card. I hope this information is beneficial.

 

LaurenC_VZW

Follow us on Twitter @VZWSupport
If my response answered your question please click the �Correct Answer� button under my response. This ensures others can benefit from our conversation. Thanks in advance for your help with this!!

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Re: Customer Service Reps cannot resolve this.How do I escalate my issue?
deloused
Master - Level 3

The LG Stylo 3 is technically compatible for operation on Verizon‘s network & plan, so it was a good idea to check that. That’s not the only important factor to check when buying a used phone however, so this can also be a good learning experience for you. The phone you bought is locked by Straight Talk to only accept their SIM cards, so you’d receive an error when attempting to activate it with any other carrier SIM. In addition to the importance of network/plan compatibility & SIM lock status a device could also be blacklisted by its previous carrier for any new activations due to being reported as lost/stolen or fraud.

Since you offered to buy it provided you could use it with your Verizon account, and the seller sold you one that was still SIM locked for Straight Talk I’d suggest seeking to return it to that person to request a refund. Also, it doesn’t really seem like a fair price for a used device that would cost just $5 more for a new one with a longer warranty.

You‘re correct that while Verizon can help you check device compatibility they can help with Straight Talk‘s unlocking policy. That was the agreement between the original owner and their carrier

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Re: Customer Service Reps cannot resolve this.How do I escalate my issue?
Hurtin12
Newbie

I certainly DID learn from this! I have learned that Verizon utilizes a bunch of people that barely speak English and have the IQ of an ashtray in their prepaid customer service/support department. VERIZON is at fault here, not me! Had I been given the CORRECT response to begin with, I would not be in this situation. My attorney calls it a little something like "fraud" and "theft by deception". The [removed] in the PREPAID SUPPORT DEPARTMENT could obviously see that I am a PREPAID customer, NOT a postpaid customer when I contacted them to see if I could replace my current PREPAID phone with the LG Stylo 3. Two different Prepaid Support [removed] said "Yes, you can use that phone in place of your current one". Had they given me the correct answer, I would not have purchased the phone. Then, they send me on a wild goose chase all over northeast Ohio, costing me money for gas and wasting my time during the weekend! On top of that, there is no other way to escalate the issue, other than talking to the [removed] [removed] in the Prepaid Support department. The same people who caused this situation in the first place. What good will that do??? I'll just get another "supervisor" that will say "I don't understand your issue" after I explain in plain English. It is NOT my responsibility to be an expert on cell phones, it is THEIR responsibility! That is why I contacted them in the first place! That is their job! Also, WHO THE [removed] ARE YOU to suggest I do anything, or judge the price I pay for something??? My great-grandfather lived to be 104 years old. One time, I asked him what the secret to his longevity was. He responded, "I kept my mouth shut and I minded my own [removed] business!" Perhaps that would be a good learning experience for YOU!!!

Inappropriate content removed as required by the Verizon Wireless Terms of Service​.

Message edited by Verizon Moderator.

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Re: Customer Service Reps cannot resolve this.How do I escalate my issue?
deloused
Master - Level 3

Based on your post, you had asked if you can activate an LG Stylo 3 on your Verizon Prepaid account and you were provided with the correct answer which is yes. Likely if you had also asked if you could activate a phone that’s locked to Straight Talk’s service they would also answer that correctly by saying no. If you don’t want community member responses to the details you post then it would be wise to not post in the community forum

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Re: Customer Service Reps cannot resolve this.How do I escalate my issue?
Hurtin12
Newbie

deloused wrote:

Based on your post, you had asked if you can activate an LG Stylo 3 on your Verizon Prepaid account and you were provided with the correct answer which is yes.

Not "A" LG Stylo 3, "THIS" LG Stylo 3. I gave them the IEMI number of the phone! They said "YES, I can see this IEMI number is showing in our system, it is compatible". I then asked: "Can I replace my current prepaid phone with THIS LG Stylo 3?" They said: "Yes you can". I then asked: "What do I need to do in order to use this phone in place of my current phone?". They replied: "All you need to do is go to the nearest Verizon store and get a new SIM card.". They never asked if it was "unlocked", or told me that it had to be "unlocked" before I could use it. It's called being "proactive". The family member that I bought the phone from is not a dealer or an expert on cell phones.Neither one of us knew about "locked" or "unlocked" phones. However, the support agent did know about "locked" or "unlocked" phones.The bottom line is, they didn't provide me with the correct information that I needed to know, and it cost me money! Verizon WILL compensate me for their lack of good customer service, one way or another!

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Re: Customer Service Reps cannot resolve this.How do I escalate my issue?
vzw_customer_support
Customer Service Rep

Hurtin12,

 

 

This is definitely not the experience we want for any of customers. On behalf of Verizon Wireless, I do apologize for all the time you’ve spent with trying to get the LG phone activated. We would not want for you to leave our wireless family at all & we would like to do what we can to figure this out for you. I have sent you a Private Message so that I can gather much needed information to assist further. Please reply to me in the Private Message to continue.

 

 

AliciaS_VZW

Follow us on Twitter @VZWSupport

If my response answered your question please click the �Correct Answer� button under my response. This ensures others can benefit from our conversation. Thanks in advance for your help with this!!"

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Re: Customer Service Reps cannot resolve this.How do I escalate my issue?
Hurtin12
Newbie

Hello,

Thank you for contacting me. I will me more than happy to give you whatever information you need. However, today (11/25/2017) I have my daughters all day long, so today would not be ideal as far as speaking with me. I am available pretty much any other day of the week, except for 6pm-3am as that is the shift that I work. I will respond to your message ASAP.

Thanks,

Todd [removed]

[removed

Personal information removed as required by Verizon Wireless Terms of Service​.

Message edited by Verizon Moderator.

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Re: Customer Service Reps cannot resolve this.How do I escalate my issue?
Hurtin12
Newbie

Hello,

​​My  phone number is [removed] . I am in Ohio, so I am in Eastern Time Zone.  However, I am a divorced single father of 2 girls, ages 7 and 3. I have them all day today (11/25/2017), so a phone call will not be possible today. Allow me to provide you most of the information about my  issue:

​1. I have been a Verizon Prepaid customer since 12/2015.

​​2. I recently decided to upgrade my current Verizon prepaid phone (HTC 526) because of some performance issues.

​3.  I stated in my post, that it was a family member that sold me the LG Stylo 3. However, let me clarify that the "family member" is not a "blood relative".  He is one of my closest friends. I am an only child, so I do not have "blood" brothers or sisters. Instead, my closest friends are my brothers and sisters, and I love them just as if they were  "blood relatives". The reason he was selling the Stylo 3 , is that he recently lost his job when the company he worked for went out of business. That forced him to make some changes on things that saved him money, because he is married with 3 children, ages 9, 6, and 4.  That is why I willingly paid a bit more money for the Stylo 3 than "fair market value"  for a used phone. I realize that I could ask him to cancel the sale and return the Stylo 3 to him and have him return the $125.00 to me. I would NEVER even consider that because times are tough for him and his family right now, and they need all the help they can get, especially since Christmas is coming.  I will gladly take a $125.00 loss than to put more of a financial burden on him right now.

​4.  On 11/18/2017 I used the "chat" feature from the "My Verizon" website to inquire if the LG STYLO 3 that I was thinking about purchasing was compatible with Verizon's Prepaid network, and could be used to replace my current HTC 526. I was told by the chat agent that the STYLO 3 COULD be used in that matter. The agent also told me that all I needed to do to activate it was to go to any Verizon Store and they would give me a new SIM card for the STYLO 3. The directed me to a Verizon Store at 650 Boardman-Poland Road, Boardman, Ohio.

5. On 11/19/2017 I went to the above mentioned Verizon Store to get a new SIM card just as the agent instructed me to. The store employee informed me that the Stylo 3 could NOT be used in place of my HTC 526. I then left the store.

​6. After leaving the Verizon store as described above, I contacted Verizon Support VIA phone call. Once again, the agent told me that after checking the IEMI number, the Stylo 3 COULD be used to replace my HTC 526. The agent directed me to another Verizon Store in Salem, Ohio. I went to the Verizon Store at East State Street, Salem, Ohio. and was told by the employee that the Stylo 3 could NOT be used on my Prepaid account.  AFter leaving the store, I went to another Verizon store in Salem, Ohio because the verizon website said that it closed at 6PM EST. I arrived at the 2nd Salem Store at 4:58PM on 11/19/2017 only to be told that they closed at 5pm even though it said 6pm on the website.

​7.​ After leaving the 2nd Salem Store, I went home to contact Verizon Support via phone call again. I asked the agent to "escalate" my issue. The agent transferred me to a "supervisor". I explained the entire situation to the "supervisor". The supervisor responded: "I don't understand. I don't understand what your issue is". I then decided to give up for the day and try other methods of getting help.

8. Over the next few days, I tried contacting Verizon via Facebook. I was told that "We don't handle Prepaid Accounts on Facebook, please contact Prepaid Support". I was hesitant to contact Prepaid Support, as I had no success in doing so earlier and they told me the incorrect information that started this whole issue.

​To sum everything up, I was told by Verizon Support that the LG Stylo 3 was compatible with Verizon's Prepaid network and could be used to replace my current HTC 526, after I provided them with the IMEI number of the Stylo 3. I wasted $125.00 on purchasing the LG Stylo 3 because Verizon informed me that that I could replace my current Prepaid phone with the Stylo 3. Support sent me on a "wild goose chase" to multiple Verizon Stores to get a new SIM card for the Stylo 3. I drove well over 60 miles and wasted over 2 hours of my time on 11/19/2017 which was my day off from work. I found out that the only way to escalate my issue was through Verizon Prepaid Support ( the same people that started this whole mess).

​All I want is to have my issue resolved FAIRLY. I  would like to have Verizon issue me a Prepaid compatible phone that is of equal value and has somewhat similar specs as the LG STYLO 3, free of charge.  Let me know if you require more information.

​Thank You,

​Todd [removed].

Personal information removed as required by the Verizon Wireless Terms of Service​.

Message edited by Verizon Moderator.

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Re: Customer Service Reps cannot resolve this.How do I escalate my issue?
vzw_customer_support
Customer Service Rep

Hurtin12,

 

I completely understand your need for a phone you can rely on. I want to make sure you have the best options to solve this. I'd normally have called you but I understand now isn't a good time. I would recommend deleting the portion of your post that has personal information for privacy reasons.

 

From our past posts I see we have sent you a private message through our system so we can solve this together. I'd recommend replying there so we can continue assisting you. Once we gather some necessary information in the private message we'll be glad to reach out to you and get you to our prepaid team so they can find a solution. That will be the best option here as only our prepaid team has access to prepaid accounts.


AndrewT_VZW

Follow us on Twitter @VZWSupport

If my response answered your question please click the �Correct Answer� button under my response. This ensures others can benefit from our conversation. Thanks in advance for your help with this!!

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