Verizon Taking me to Collections
misterrat88
Newbie

I'm posting here, because quite frankly, I don't know what else to do at this point except file a police report tomorrow morning and report this to the BBB.

I have been trying, repeatedly, without ANY success, to just TALK to a representative who won't give me the run around or place me on hold forever. I requested that I have my account frozen back in June until I am able to find work again since I am currently unemployed and can't pay the monthly payments anymore. The woman I had spoken to back in June said my account was frozen and I could "unfreeze" at a later date. Well, since then I've been getting letters from Verizon saying that a balance of $75 or so is due immediately and if it's not paid, I would be referred to collections. I just received a letter yesterday saying I would be sent to collections if payment is not received immediately. After calling the credit number....AGAIN, and being placed on hold...AGAIN, I finally got to some representative who after repeatedly asked me to provide a password for my online account (which wasn't correct for whatever reason, I logged on here just fine), called me back on the prepaid phone I was using and then started rattling off some pre-fabricated script on Verizon policy. I told him REPEATEDLY that this account was frozen and I shouldn't be paying ANYTHING until I open the service again. I was placed on hold AGAIN and hey, guess what.....another lecture. At that point I just hung up as I was clearly talking to a brick wall.

Does ANYONE here know what I can do to get through to these people, or if you've had a similar experience, what you did to resolve this idiocy? This is the absolute most fraudulent company I have ever dealt with and I will NOT stand to have my credit ruined because of this.

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Re: Verizon Taking me to Collections
Tidbits
Legend

You billing password not your password...

Also they only freeze your account without billing for 3 months at a time.

BBB isn't going to help you sorry to say.  FCC and FTC won't do nothing either about it.  It's a contractual agreement that you put on hold for a period of time.

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Re: Verizon Taking me to Collections
sexual_diviant
Enthusiast - Level 2

Despite what everyone says theres a better way of going about it. After fighting with Verizon over a 2000.00 charge that turned into a 5000.00 charges  do to thier  mistake to begin with (for not adding my unlimited data plan to a phone I had to reactivate till my 3rd replacement arrived) 

They began with the "mistake" that was to cost me 2000.00.and had my phones shut off in the middle of my billing cycle.after pointing out that I had an unlimited data plan they  agreed to put it in an "investigation mode" but still wanted me to pay 15.00 per phone to reconect. I refused being that it was thier mistake. They agreed to add it  to the 2000.00 already being investigated .Now you would think this is a no brainer right? Of course not.

It took me 1 year 7months, 9phones (8 were defective) and thousands of hours on the phone with them to get it resolved.

BUT DONT FRET. I'll save you the time I  had to spend finding out who to talk to.

I looked on line to get Verizons Corporate number and was amazed to find out that I could not use a Verizon cell phone or landline to get through. It was blocked. I used a girlfriends phone who had Sprint ( I believe) and recieved a ring and then an answer. That made me more livid than I already was.

Long story short . I was able to get ahold of an executive and she settled all my problems.

They had lost 830.00 dollars I paid them

had two years of my bank statements

countless reconections fees  from shutting my phone off every two weeks

multiple adjustments  and charges that NOONE could figure out pluss much more.

I stopped paying them for five months and swore Id sue if they disconnected me one more time.

So a $,5000.00  bill and no payment for 5  months ended up costing me  $248.00 all said and done.

Here is the persons name and number I spoke to.

Jennifer    @ (edited post to remove personal information per

) and yes you can use a verizon number to call from

Good luck

Katlyn

P.S. allways ask to speek with a supervisor and if that doesnt work ask to speak with the supervisors supervisor. Its the law that they give you corporates number .FYI  you wont get it from anyone there

Message was edited by: Verizon Moderator

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Re: Verizon Taking me to Collections
rcschnoor
Legend

I assume by freezing your account, you mean suspending without billing. I believe that Tidbits is correct in that this can be done for 3 months at a time.

Additionally, I also believe that this can be done only 2, possibly 3 times max before you revert back to normal.

Finally, any charges which had already been incurred DO NOT get frozen and would have to be paid. THIS may be why Verizon says you owe them the $75 and it seems as if you are over 2 months late in paying them which would explain why they are sending you to collections. If you do not pay, the may cancel your account completely, charge you an ETF and you would lose the number associated with that account.

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Re: Verizon Taking me to Collections
sexual_diviant
Enthusiast - Level 2

No surprize there huh? add me Ill except and I'll message you the info 

.

Katlyn

Personal email info deleted to comply with VZW ToS<

Message was edited by: Verizon Moderator

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Re: Verizon Taking me to Collections
SydneyK
Master - Level 3

As other posters have already stated, suspended billing is only for a few months. Has someone in the billing department tried to work with you on a payment plan? It's worth talking to someone in billing about payment arrangements if you haven't already. I'm sure they don't want to send it to collections if they can get something.

If it comes down to it, you can cancel the account and pay the early termination fee (for basic phones it's $175 minus $5 for every month of the contract you've fulfilled; for smartphones it's $350 minus $10/month).

If you are canceling service and are concerned about losing your phone number, you could port it to Google Voice first. It costs $20 but it may be worth it if keeping your number is important to you. It must be ported first, then that will cancel your Verizon account. This way, you can then set up GV to forward your calls to whatever phones you'll be using while your cell service is not active.

Most importantly, I hope you're soon back on your feet financially.

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Re: Verizon Taking me to Collections
karkaan21
Newbie

I had similar situation excpet that I shipped a device back to Verizon through the US post office by regular mail.They never received the device. The Post offcie had no clue what happened to the device. Now Verizon is asking me to gough $650 or they will put me on collection. I repeatedly told them That the device was mailed out & I have nothing to do with it... 20 calls & nothing but frustation... 

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Re: Verizon Taking me to Collections
budone
Legend

Simply, the $75 is what was due at the time you suspended your account. So that is correct.

2nd you can suspend twice in a year for 3 months each, that is the limit.

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