Verizon is committing Fraud.

[JILGRO16]

I believe Verizon is committing fraud and overcharging
customers who use data.  I had been paying data overages, and chalked it
up to having teens, until I looked at the detailed data.  NOPE.  We
were on Wi-Fi most all of that time, so all these months I have been foolishly
just paying it believing it had to be correct, and even increased our data,
paying more on top of the overage charge.  I chatted with one guy on
customer service, he wouldn't help, asked for his supervisor, I told him I
would like the detail for the past year, not just 90 days I can get off the
website and he told me it isn't possible. I told him I know that legally they
have to keep records and I want it emailed, he said they can't email it.
I said I wanted it mailed, and he said there isn't anything to mail.  I
told him I wasn't attacking him personally but I want to research this and I am
going to ask Verizon credit me back the overages I have been paying for when I
was on Wi-Fi and shouldn't have been. He told me that Wi-Fi isn't
always accurate and that I shouldn't expect a credit now or any time in the
future. He told me their records are 100% correct.  That's funny, isn't
anything in life 100%? I asked to talk to his supervisor and he told me no
one else was there besides him to talk to me.  I told him I would involve
my lawyer, place complaints with the BBB, and the attorney general’s office and
he says, " oh wow, let’s be professional"  really?
professional?  I told him I wasn't attacking him, and I wasn't swearing
and I was plenty professional.   I will be leaving Verizon soon, and
I will be consulting my attorney and notifying all appropriate agencies
including the FTC if need be.  I don't have Wi-Fi assist on and I
don't have the settings on my phone on that drain data. I am not looking for
anything free, I just want what I overpaid back, and that isn't too much to ask
for. It isn't right what they are doing, and I will make sure I tell
everyone I know about Verizon's data fraud and the horrible customer service
I've experienced.

[vzw_customer_support]

We want to ensure that your data usage is correct, JILGRO16. I can assure you the data usage that you are seeing cannot be added unless it has been used on the device. I have sent a private message in order to personally assist with your account. I look forward to your reply, thank you.

LaurenC_VZW

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[JONDOW77]

I have to agree that Verizon knows there are problems with some customer's data usage, but will not correct it. I have had similar issues over the past two years and have changed my plans accordingly (up each time). I am currently on their XXL plan.

I pay for my parents wireless service. They live in a very rural area of the country where Verizon is really the only option. They also do not have broadband service, so for internet access I pay to have a modem that pulls from cellular data.

The problem I experienced was that strange data spikes would occur on my parents wireless modem at odd times of the day and night. I might add, my parents are 76 and 83. Most of the time they don't even have their computer or tablet on.

Last year, I was on the phone with Verizon customer service for quite some time trying to solve the mysterious spikes. After assuring him that I was familiar with technology and how computers and tablets can pull data, he still went through all the steps of tracking my mom's Samsung tablet and computer. We looked up data usage on those units and came up with nothing like the spikes I was seeing. In the end, he admitted that he did not know where the data was coming from.

Now, I'm getting new alerts saying I'm going over data again. And again, looking over usage I'm seeing strange spikes at my parents home. Spikes that occur at 6:40 in the morning for over a GB at a time.

I truly do believe Verizon knows there is a problem. Too many customers complained about it last year. I read that thousands of complaints of overage flooded into consumer protection bureaus. No clue what happened there.

I have worked in the wireless industry for over 16 years. The wireless company I started working for in the beginning was actually bought by Verizon. I hate talking to their customer service because I get the "oh suuuure you work in the wireless industry" attitude. And no, asking for escalation does not help at all. My parents and my sister (who also experienced something similar) swear that Verizon is doing it on purpose to make customers raise their rate plan. After months of arguing with them that it's not the case, with all of the feedback online that I've seen, I think I'm beginning to agree.

And no, I'm not going to change to the unlimited plan. At this point, it's a matter of trying to find other options for my parents internet access via wireless data.

[sprmankalel]

I have never had a problem with unexplained data usage. Not when my account had 7 lines at one time sharing data or since I have now gone to a single line.

[vzw_customer_support]

I know how important it is to manage your data usage JONDOW77. We truly value your long time loyalty and don't want to lose you.

Just to be clear, is your concern with the data usage on the HotSpot device? Do you have other devices connected to your parent's HotSpot?

JohnB_VZW

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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!!

[JONDOW77]

Yes it's the hotspot/modem that is seeing the extreme usage.

They have a computer and a tablet that uses the connection. They do not

download movies or music although my niece sometimes does, but she has her

own data that is on a different account. Past reviews have shown large data

use outside of the time my niece is at parents home.

On Jun 28, 2017 7:31 AM, "vzw_customer_support" <forums@verizonwireless.com>

[sprmankalel]

The computer may have automatic updates enabled. This will use the data as an internet connection is required to get the updates. Also, just because the device is turned off doesn't mean data can't be reported. You cannot take the time that usage shows online as the time it was used. That is the time the usage was reported to VZW through the tower. The actual usage could be 8+ hours before the time it shows.

[beancter]

I am having an issue where something is logging into (or verizon is polling my phone) every 6 hours to the minute.  then every day or two, that exact time changes and continues every 6 hours for a day or two.  I have contacted customer service at least a half dozen times and finally have a technical support higher level person looking at it, but I urge EVERYONE to look at your data details and see if it's showing up at exactly every 6 hour intervals.  I don't see why we should be paying for that data if it's something verizon is doing.

Most of the charges are small amounts of data, but every once in a while the data connection is left open and I am paying for data that is being used when I'm not using it.

And you CAN have data charges when your data is turned off -- the one phone was turned off and in my purse ( while my daughter was in surgery) and it registered data usage.

Verizon needs to either stop doing what it's doing to waste out data, or figure out what the problem it.....and I encourage anyone else who is having this issue to write or call verizon -- they need to hear from all of us!