Verizon Deceptive Practices - Need to take my 5 devices to a different carrier!
DeceivedByVerizon
Enthusiast - Level 3

I have been a Verizon customer for around 20 years.   I am at the end of my rope with them!   I’ve only had experience with Verizon, and that experience has been full of deception, lies, sloppiness, extremely poor customer service, defective phones, bait and switch tactics, and more.   Can anyone recommend a carrier who actually follows through with what is promised to customers?

In October 2020, I purchased a new iPad, and in December 2020, I purchased 4 new phones.  My $849.99 iPhone 12 Mini immediately dropped every call that I received in my home.  The other three phones worked fine.   I attempted to exchange my defective phone for a non-defective model of the exact same phone, well within the return window.  

Verizon would only agree to exchange the defective phone they sold me by extorting a $50 exchange fee from me.   Eventually,  a Verizon rep who I connected with thru Chat agreed to waive the fee.  Even though I had a screen shot as proof of the Chat, Verizon refused to honor what I was promised in writing!

The hoops I had to go through to get this overturned were unbelievable!  I could not fathom that Verizon sold me a faulty phone, and expected me to pay them to exchange it for a functional phone!   Has this happened to anyone else?

Prior to selling me the 4 phones, Verizon told me about a promotion that would save me $40 per month on my bill by signing up for auto-pay using any credit card.  I was also to save $20 per month for a 55+ promotion, and a $5 monthly Smart Family fee was to be taken off my account.  Lastly, I was to receive a $440.00 trade-in credit off my bill.   I took very careful notes of what I was being told by Verizon before making a buying decision to purchase these 4 phones.

Before purchasing the phones, I called back one more time just to confirm that what I was promised by the first sales representative was accurately entered into my account notes.   I was told that it was.  I was also told that the $40 per month auto-pay needed to be paid with a Verizon credit card, but since I had already been told that I could use any credit card, Verizon would honor what I was promised.  

At that time, I had no idea that NONE of these promises would actually take place.  I also had no idea how many hours I would have to spend on hold trying to reach someone at Verizon who would rectify this for me.

After purchasing the 4 phones, my bills came in, and what I was promised NEVER matched what Verizon was charging me.   I repeatedly called Verizon to request that the promised promotions were added to my account.  It took several months of calls before they finally agreed to apply the 55+ promotion that they lured me with.  It took 4 months for them to finally start applying the $440.00 trade-in value from my phone.   As of this week, which is six months after making my purchases, they still had not removed the monthly $5 Smart Family Fee, and most disappointedly, they elected not to honor the auto-pay promotion that had been used to lure me to buy the phones.  

Yesterday, I was told by an Verizon employee that if you closely read the terms and conditions on their website, you will discover that Verizon is within their rights to promise anything they want to customers, and they are permitted to completely disregard those promises!!  Yes, you read this statement correctly!!

Verizon may have found some loophole to legally deceive their customers this way, but I can’t continue to do business with an untrustworthy partner.   

I want to discontinue my relationship with Verizon for good.  They don’t deserve my business!  I have met with the leadership team where I work, and upon hearing the details of Verizon’s deception, they will be discontinuing their over 20-year relationship with Verizon as well.    I have a Zoom meeting scheduled next week with leadership at my church to also let them know what has transpired, since they also use Verizon.   

If anyone can recommend a way to hold Verizon accountable for what they promise customers, I would love some advice.  

Also, if anyone can recommend a wireless carrier who is honest and dependable (meaning they are trustworthy to keep promises made to customers), I will gladly move my service.   I am willing to pay higher fees in order to be treated respectfully and honestly.   I just need to know which carrier that is.  (It is definitely not Verizon!)

Thank you in advance to anyone who can make some suggestions to help me!!

Re: Verizon Deceptive Practices - Need to take my 5 devices to a different carrier!
Tigerstep
Specialist - Level 3

Search <company name> + restocking fee. ATT charges $55 for phones and T-mobile charges $70 if your device retails for $600 and above. You act as if a restocking fee is somehow exclusive to Verizon. Once a product has been open, it can no longer be sold as new -- this is why restocking fees exist. 

Now Verizon's chat support is a legitimate grievance -- they are awful. Don't bother using screenshots as "proof". A rep could say the sky is purple, doesn't make it true.

Also, Verizon doesn't make phones. No carrier does. No carrier will randomly open retail boxes and check every single one then reseal the boxes. Bad batches of any product exist.

I don't believe "any credit card" was discussed as that's not true. You were probably told no other credit cards. Autopay discounts have been around since 2017 with debit cards and then the Verizon credit card when it came out. I can see a push for pushing the Verizon card, but doubtful you were told any credit card gets the discount.

Re: Verizon Deceptive Practices - Need to take my 5 devices to a different carrier!
DeceivedByVerizon
Enthusiast - Level 3

I can understand a restocking fee if I had changed my mind and wanted a different model, or different color, or different storage.  However, I did not request any changes at all!   I requested a phone that worked, as opposed to a phone that was defective.   The phone they sold me was not usable.  The phone that they ended up exchanging it for worked properly.  

The fact that Verizon sold me a defective phone which they could not repackage as a new phone has nothing to do with me.  That issue is between Verizon and the manufacturer.   To expect the customer to cover Verizon’s loss when they ship out a defective phone is illogical and unethical on every level! 

The representative absolutely promised that I could set up auto-pay using a credit card, a debit card, or a bank account for payment.   She never made any mention of having to use a specific Verizon credit card at any time.  When I spoke with the second representative in order to confirm that all of the rates that were promised to me by the first representative, the second representative then told me that the credit card which could be used for the promotion was the Verizon credit card.  However, because she could see in the notes what the first representative had promised me, she then advised me that Verizon would honor what I was originally told, and I could use my preferred credit card to set up auto-pay.  

Re: Verizon Deceptive Practices - Need to take my 5 devices to a different carrier!
LadybirdGem
Enthusiast - Level 1

I’m so sorry to hear that you’re going through something so awful. I feel I’m having a similar problem but much smaller in scope. I had been with Verizon for 10 plus years then went to ATT for 3. Customer service was awful but there weren’t all these “pay upfront and you’ll get a rebate sometime later” scams that I feel like I’m dealing with at Verizon. Also I recall Verizon's service being so much better than ATT’s, but when I was recently traveling I often only has 2 bars in major areas. I don’t know what happened, but I’ll suggest ATT esp if you can use them for internet.

Re: Verizon Deceptive Practices - Need to take my 5 devices to a different carrier!
DeceivedByVerizon
Enthusiast - Level 3

Thanks so much for your recommendation!  With Verizon, I only get one bar inside my home.  I already have Internet with AT&T, so I’ll definitely look into that.  

I’m still stuck with Verizon until my current contract ends.  Does anyone have suggestions on how to protect oneself from being deceived Verizon them during the remaining time I am with them?  


Is there a way to get confirmation in writing before agreeing to anything?”  Would they honor what is promised by their representatives if there  is written proof?  

Is there a way to get Verizon to go back and listen to their recorded phone calls with customers to prove what customers were actually told?

 

Re: Verizon Deceptive Practices - Need to take my 5 devices to a different carrier!
vzw_customer_support
Customer Service Rep

Good morning. We are not ready to lose you, and would like to help with service issues and your options. Please respond to the Private Note we sent you.

 

Re: Verizon Deceptive Practices - Need to take my 5 devices to a different carrier!
DeceivedByVerizon
Enthusiast - Level 3

I have responded to the private message that you sent.

Re: Verizon Deceptive Practices - Need to take my 5 devices to a different carrier!
vzw_customer_support
Customer Service Rep

It sounds like you've been through quite a bit. We would like to get all of this straightened out. Let's get to the bottom of this. Please send us a Private Note for assistance.

0 Likes
Re: Verizon Deceptive Practices - Need to take my 5 devices to a different carrier!
DeceivedByVerizon
Enthusiast - Level 3

I have already sent you two private notes.  Were they not received by Verizon?

0 Likes
Re: Verizon Deceptive Practices - Need to take my 5 devices to a different carrier!
vzw_customer_support
Customer Service Rep

I sincerely apologize you have been going through this process of back and forth. I have sent a private message please respond to that message. 

0 Likes