help filing a complaint

[requestingfairness]

I would like to know how to formally file a complaint. We have been Verizon customers for over 20 years and I have been recently scammed by a retail store .I had a brand new phone that we paid $600 for  and it stopped working 1 month after we paid full retail price. We went into the store simply to exchange the phone under warranty and the salesman told us that he could do this and even give us another model. He assured m that he was not changing the plan and there would be no additional costs. What he did without disclosing to me was to put us on the device payment plan after taking my phone. I essentially paid $600 fort he first phone and now am being charged $672 over 24 months. I just wanted to replace the phone under warranty. In addition they made several costly changes to the plan after assuring me he wasn't touching the plan. there are several other devious things this store did that I have since been able to take care of by calling Verizon but I still do not have the main issue resolved. I have spent hours on the phone and all I am told is that they have to reach out to the store for resolution. I would like someone in Verizon to take responsibility of the deceptive practices of this store and compensate what has been essentially stolen from me. My problem is that I trusted these people assuming that since they were part of the large corporation of Verizon they would not stoop to deceptive and unethical practices

[SuzyQ]

HOW AND WHEN CAN I DISPUTE CHARGES?

If you're a Postpay customer, you can dispute your bill within 180 days of receiving it, but unless otherwise provided by law or unless you're disputing charges because your wireless device was lost or stolen, you still have to pay all charges until the dispute is resolved. If you're a Prepaid customer, you can dispute a charge within 180 days of the date the disputed charge was incurred. YOU MAY CALL US TO DISPUTE CHARGES ON YOUR BILL OR ANY SERVICE(S) FOR WHICH YOU WERE BILLED, BUT IF YOU WISH TO PRESERVE YOUR RIGHT TO BRING AN ARBITRATION OR SMALL CLAIMS CASE REGARDING SUCH DISPUTE, YOU MUST WRITE TO US AT THE CUSTOMER SERVICE ADDRESS ON YOUR BILL, OR SEND US A COMPLETED NOTICE OF DISPUTE FORM (AVAILABLE AT VERIZONWIRELESS.COM), WITHIN THE 180–DAY PERIOD MENTIONED ABOVE. IF YOU DO NOT NOTIFY US IN WRITING OF SUCH DISPUTE WITHIN THE 180–DAY PERIOD, YOU WILL HAVE WAIVED YOUR RIGHT TO DISPUTE THE BILL OR SUCH SERVICE(S) AND TO BRING AN ARBITRATION OR SMALL CLAIMS CASE REGARDING ANY SUCH DISPUTE.

You can find the Notice of Dispute form here: http://www.verizonwireless.com/dam/support/pdf/Notice_of_Dispute.pdf

[GME2012]

You should also let Customer Care know you are in the process of filing a formal complaint.  I got a call from a manager in Customer Care who had enough authority to take care of charges I was disputing, when I told them I was formally disputing the charges.

You may also be able to file a claim in Civil Court as opposed to Small Claims.  Their Arbit Clause states otherwise but that is not for them to decide, my take is that if you can go to Small Claims Court why can't you can file in Civil Court with representation.  You can be represented in Arbit through both the BBB and AAA.  Based on my research, the reasons they try to keep this out of Civil Court is that they don't want what happens in the proceedings (Arbit or court) to be public information (ARbit is confidential, court is not) and they want to stop any class actions.

Understand the Arbitration language well and as you dive into this with them.  It's actually written to entice the customer into Arbitration rather then court. One thing that is in the Arbit Clause that is very interesting is that it says they will pay you $5000, if you are awarded more than they offer you, in writing, prior to the Arbitration. 

Don't let them throw you off, keep pushing until you're satisfied.  And regardless of how helpful and optimistic they are in Customer Care, they don't have the authority to resolve your situation.  The formal dispute process is the only thing that will get their attention.  If I had figured this out at the beginning of the process, it wouldn't have dragged out for almost 6 months.

Hope this helps, good luck. 

[requestingfairness]

This helps a great deal. I keep talking to customer care and everytime they express that I was wronged but that it is out of thier hands to give me full compensation and they have to reach out to the store that deceived me in the first place. They promise they will call me back and then never do, so I have discussed this with Latonya, Jazmine, Amber and Mayesha and her supervise Jimini. Currently the last person I talked to said she would file a claim for device payment cancellation that would take these payments off the bill and not cause me to either sign a contract (which increases my bill) or pay the remaining"balance" . This is going to take an undisclosed amount of time. Between my mothers account and my account we pay verizon over $12,000 a year. This debacle is over a phone that I paid $600 for and went in to get a new phone under warranty and instead the salesman put me on a device payment plan for an entirely new phone under the guise of a warranty swap. It seems they would just want to be responsible and take the payments off. I wrote a 4 page letter but I am unsure if and who I should send it to. What do you think? Or should I just go straight to the formal dispute process?

From what I read off the community forum it seems the arbit cases are mediated by Verizon employees. Do you knoew of them ever paying that extra $5000. Also since the issue is really only a $672 issue, won't I spend more taking them to court?

What happened with yuor formal dispute? Did you have to go into arbitrtaion or court or did they finally resolve your issue.

Thank you so much for help. I will definetly keep pushing. I don't like the feeling of being scammed. It eats at you.

-

---

GME2012 <forums@verizonwireless.com> wrote:

=============

GME2012 created the discussion

"help filing a complaint"

To view the discussion, visit: https://community.verizonwireless.com/message/1378100#1378100

[requestingfairness]

The form gives you a choice between mediation and arbitration. It seems like mediation will be better because if you don't like the resolution you can still go to arbitration. Does anyone have experience with one of these options?

-

---

GME2012 <forums@verizonwireless.com> wrote:

=============

GME2012 created the discussion

"help filing a complaint"

To view the discussion, visit: https://community.verizonwireless.com/message/1378100#1378100

[sarbeth1]

To Whom it may concern,

customers since 2009..

First we would like to say this has been one of the worst experiences. We have never been so disrespected and belittled in our lives. All we were trying to accomplish is what we were told to do by Verizion your company. In stead I was told by a Sales person(Brandon)  in the Cypress Tx location, I believe that's his name. There is nothing he could do and negating what I told him. What we were asking and what we were looking at was false and could never happen. He then asked his Manager (Malcom) who was standing near by listing in,if there were a Magical sales that could make are request come true. Through out the experience were several more sarcastic remarks. I upset-tingly asked for him to walk a way before I said something out of my character. I to work in Retail as General Manager, So having upset customers happens, To every problem is a solution. But the way it was handled was unprofessional and rude.We never once disrespected or had a raised voice  to the sales person. Malcolm then stepped in and apologized for his employees behavior. As Malcom was witness to one of the many rude remarks my wife and I had to endure.It should have never come to insulting us. I don't know how your company handles employee misconduct. But this particular employee should not be in a sales environment. Or at least where he has direct contact with customers. If he acted like this to us I'm sure it has happened before. As I'm sure you know most customers don't complain the go home and change providers. we have been loyal customers for 6yrs. We just want what was promised. Im not asking for a free phone or a free month just what was promised.

So we hope this finds the right person. I feel this needs to be addressed by the District Manger and or customer relations. We can start at the beginning, an idea for a Christmas present for are son. Our son has been in and out of the hospital for several weeks and this is what he wanted most for Christmas.(his own cell phone) So she went to Verizon.com to get some ideas. When she discovered on line that if we added a line to are existing account (6yrs)  it actually dropped are payment. To be honest my wife called me at work to tell me the good news. I told her that can't be right..  she said no it was it gave us a add aline discount as well as we have credits because were on the edge program and we also get he employee group discount.  (The Edge) thats a whole other complaint. Any how I told her to call Verizion and make sure. So she did she called and spoke to some one on the phone and stated yes it will drop the price we currently pay. She then asked them to break it down to make sure the plan was not going to change. the sales rep on the phone stated every thing we tried telling the store. By adding the line with are current plans 6gb 3 line pause the new one.. including all fees internet, taxes with everything we currently pay.. she asked the sales person (via Verizion *611) are you sure I have not ordered it yet I just want to make sure before we make the purchase. She then asked  again because we have been burned before by not asking enough questions or having proof(similar thing happened at this same store regarding the Edge program)We were told we could trade in at anytime. So I bought a phone. Needless to say a year later I try that sales person is not there any longer and I'm told I'm SOL.Well back to the subject .If Something were to happen will version honor the price.The answer was yes and said have proof. At that point my wife called me again told me the good news. (still have not ordered it yet.) I said I want to look at it before all said and done. I arrive home we go thru the process and add it to the cart follow it step by step as she had done earlier. You have to pick the gb for the group it then give you a break down of the services as well as the phones. So as we go thru this process as instructed by the *611  when we asked what we could do to ensure not to have any problems. We didn't want to go through this. And if so can they cancel with no cost to me.To have proof just in case we have issues. We like to measure twice cut once. We literally go thru the process several times to ensure what we are seeing is right even though we called and already spoke to a Verizion representative and guaranteed us this was accurate. Well then we proceed to check out every step of the way checking nothing changed. Well as *611 said have proof we took photos of the transaction the break down, each phone the internet the taxes all charges. we took to the calculator and added it up. It was going to be great present as well we got a great discount..

So all that being said we get an email the following day stating different prices. So we hit the *611 Version representative we explain the situation go thru the process. We tell them about adding the line the price dropping.They look at are account... We tell them the break down we also tell them we took pictures. Stated that's even better all you have to do is go to the store show them the pictures explain there was an error. They will have no problem fixing it.

Instead did it not get fixed we were harassed, embraced, belittled in the store.

:To the First salesmen who helped us Im sorry I don't remember his name was very polite greeted us as we walked in. acting like he cared about are problem and was truly kind person.

:To Malcom thank you for your apologies, GM to Gm you handled the situation fantastic, and thank you. even tho we are still having problems now.

I also feel he should apologize for his actions to my wife and I. As well a call from the District Manager. Im sure you have secret shoppes as so I so Im sure they would want to know how there customers are treated.

I sincerely hope we can have this matter resoled.

This is the email I sent to the manager.  he did give us a phone and well as were are trying to get it activated..problems again. customer service is horrible. Not here to help..  and come to find out the rude person in the store was the manager.