cancel line on account due to death
ROCKSEEKERS
Enthusiast - Level 2

I recently spent at least two hours chatting with Verizon rep via my online account regarding removing one of the phone lines on my account due to the death of the user.  Basically the bottom line was that until I drive the almost 2 hours to my nearest corporate Verizon store and provide them with a copy of the death certificate, the monthly billing for said line will continue even though the phone has not been used since November 2018.  It wasn't until the very end of my 2 hour chat that the rep was able to procure authorization to credit my current month's billing for said unused line's service charges but was again reminded that despite this "one time" credit, my account will continue to be charged monthly (almost $100) for Verizon's services.  It seems that Verizon's greed is their #1 priority; they didn't even consider the fact that there has been absolutely no activity on the unused line only that they want their money even after death.  Pathetic and ridiculous policy.  I will no longer brag about Verizon's service up here in the mountain areas any more.

 

Re: cancel line on account due to death
mama23dogs
Legend

Very sorry for your loss.  

I may save you a trip, but not the aggravation.  If the account holder dies the account becomes responsibility of the estate.  

That isn’t your case.  If a user on your account dies, you are the owner of the line and the phone, not the user - that user is not responsible for the bill in any way.  

 To be very frank, there is no benefit to taking the death certificate of someone who has no financial responsibility for the account to Verizon.  You can cancel the line and sell the phone, but you bear the financial obligation to pay off the phone and their portion of the bill.  

 

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Re: cancel line on account due to death
vzw_customer_support
Customer Service Rep

We're so sorry for your loss, ROCKSEEKERS. We want to ensure this process is as simple as possible for you. If the user has an active device payment, a death certificate is required when returning the device to a corporate store location. The phone and the documentation will allow us to remove the device payment from the account so you are no longer responsible for the device payment. We hope this helps clear things up for you. 

 

DanielleR_VZW

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Re: cancel line on account due to death
ROCKSEEKERS
Enthusiast - Level 2

I am replying to mama23dogs Sr. Leader:  You said my thoughts exactly.  So with all that being said...  how do I get Verizon to STOP charging me for monthly service charges on that unused line??!! I understand continuing to make payments on the actual phone itself but to continue charging me $100+ a month for services on a line that has not been used, nor will it be used, since last September/October is causing me financial grief.  I have tried and yet Verizon continues to charge me and then when I cannot afford to pay bill each month because of excessive charges, I get almost turned off, late fees, etc.  HELP PLEASE!!

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Re: cancel line on account due to death
ROCKSEEKERS
Enthusiast - Level 2

THE USER IS NOT ON THE ACCOUNT!!  It is MY ACCOUNT in MY NAME.  I am like $400 in the hole with Verizon.  I have gone into the corporate or whatever store in Santee and they started to give me the same frickin' speech I got online!!  I WANT THE BILLING TO STOP.  I have no problem paying the monthly payment for the actual phone but for Verizon to continue to charge me monthly service charges on a phone that has not, and is not, and will not be used because the person DIED is making me insane.  I am living paycheck to paycheck and I need MY CELL PHONE for my work but since Verizon is charging me for services on a line that hasn't been used since about October 2018 and CONTINUES TO DO SO DESPITE MY 500 attempts to get it to stop I will not be able to keep up these monthly payments and thus lose my cell phone service, home phone service, internet, all which are vital because of where I live and work!!  I AM SO FRUSTRATED I COULD JUST SCREAM.  I walked out of the Santee Verizon because I sat there for close to an hour while the rep went behind closed doors to research my account....  I drove close to 2 hours to get there (traffic permitting) and was getting absolutely NOWHERE with them.  A death certificate can take MONTHS to obtain via their mail request process.  HE WASN'T EVEN ON MY FRICKING ACCOUNT FOR GOD'S SAKE.  I guess I will just contact somebody at corporate headquarters and hopefully they can do something for me because I am sick and tired of customer service wasting my fricking time!!  Also, I don't happen to have the almost $400 to pay off the phone so since I am unable to payoff the phone, I was told that Verizon will continue to charge me the monthly service charges until it is paid off.  SO ON TOP OF NOT BEING ABLE TO PAY MY MONTHLY CELL BILL BECAUSE OF THEIR CHARGING FOR SERVICES ON A LINE THAT ISN'T ACTIVE, I NEED TO COME UP WITH $400 SO THESE EXCESSIVE CHARGES STOP.  HOW IN THE heck AM I SUPPOSED TO COME UP WITH $400 WHEN I CAN'T EVEN AFFORD THE ALMOST $100 A MONTH EXTRA FOR A LINE THAT ISN'T ACTIVE.  And all the reps are so nonchalant and oh I'm sorry to hear about your loss...  what in the heck gives you the right to continue charging after a person dies and WHO ISN'T / WASN'T EVEN LISTED AS AN ACCOUNT HOLDER ON THE ACCOUNT??? 

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Re: cancel line on account due to death
ROCKSEEKERS
Enthusiast - Level 2

I went to two Verizon stores and spent close to an hour at the one which supposedly could handle this problem.  I was ran in circles and made to repeat my situation over and over with the rep disappearing into the back 3 times and each time came back with "you can pay off the device" "and we're sorry we can't be of help" and "Let me research this and last contact was on April 22nd".  I DON'T CARE WHEN LAST CONTACT WAS AND I DO NOT HAVE A PROBLEM CONTINUING TO MAKE THE DEVICE PAYMENT EACH MONTH.  I JUST WANT THE MONTHLY BILLING FOR THAT LINE TO STOP.

The rep indicated that the ONLY way the billing could be stopped is if the device was paid off in full but until  such time I am out of luck (dirt outta luck).  I became so frustrated at the amount of time I had been made to sit out in the front lobby twiddling my thumbs and the same run around being given to me by the rep as all other contact with Verizon I've been getting (plus I had another appointment and live approximately 1.5 hours away) so I got up and left while the rep was once again in the back "researching" this matter.

I do not have the $400 to payoff the device.  I do not want to continue being billed for phone services on a line that hasn't been used since like October or November of last year.  I will continue to make the monthly device payment as I originally agreed to do.  I am the only account holder.  The person to whom I activated the line for is dead and had NOTHING TO DO WITH MY ACCOUNT.

Why is this causing me unnecessary financial and emotional stress???  Why is it that Verizon is so greedy that it will not stop charging me for phone service on a line which I have suspended, attempted to deactivate/remove, spent COUNTLESS hours explaining, trying to get this matter resolved???  All I was doing is a friend a favor by giving him a phone and he dies and now Verizon is making my life miserable.  I live paycheck to paycheck and my phone is required for my work so Verizon has got me by the nerve yet I cannot afford to pay my monthly bill but my work requires that I have a cell phone and on and on and on and on this goes round and round and round in circles with no good reason being given as to why Verizon insists on charging for phone services after a person dies even though that person is not the account holder nor is the account holder attempting to renig on their obligation to pay for the device.  I just can't do one lump payment of $400!!!

IS ANYBODY LISTENING TO ME???

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Re: cancel line on account due to death
boringusername
Master - Level 1

If you are the account owner there is no reason to show a death certificate for another user. You as the account owner are the owners all ALL the lines. Since it's not the main line just cancel it. I'm not sure why this is an issue. Is it because you do not want to pay the device in full or something. I've cancelled lines before. It's easy call customer service and tell them you want to drop the line. You need to stop ranting. if you want to continue to make device payments but have the line not active but still on the account somehow, no that is not going to work. You could have avoided this by cancelling the line outright from the start.

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Re: cancel line on account due to death
vzw_customer_support
Customer Service Rep

ROCKSEEKERS,

 

I'm sorry to hear that this issue with your line being canceled hasn't been resolved yet. I want to bring this issue to a positive result and help restore your faith in us. I have sent you a Private Note and I'll be able to further assist you there. I'm confident we will resolve this matter.

 

JuanD_VZW

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Re: cancel line on account due to death
kenlang
Enthusiast - Level 1

I've been getting the same runaround. After my Mom died, I tried calling Verizon onlne and they referred me to a local store which then referred me to verizon. I sent you guys a letter and also a copy of my Mom's death certificate. I haven't paid the last bill for my late Mom because we're not using the phone an all she gets our SPAM calls on it.  Help!!!!!  -  Ken L for mom Adell L

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Re: cancel line on account due to death
MonthlyLie
Newbie

I am having the same problem. My husband was a user on my account and he passed away before the phone contract was up.  I was told that I could return the phone and would receive credit for it (partial payment)  I have talked with four agents who told me that everything was taken care of.  No they are threatening with collection agency because I’m paying what each of these agents have told me.  If I had known all this I would have kept the phone.  I am so tired of being lied to. One agent told me they could do this when there was death.  No one asked for a death certificate. I have had this service for over 30yrs and have never encountered what seems such an unsolvable problem.  There also does not seem to be any communication between agents.  What can I do to really get this resolved

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