Prepaid Phone Balance Issues
iowapack
Newbie

My Verizon phone is on autopay - the payments have been taken.   Verizon removed my balance of over $500 in May and after numerous phone calls and chats the balance has not been reinstated.  This is not acceptable.  What can I do to get this resolved?

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Re: Prepaid Phone Balance Issues
RossRunner2
Enthusiast - Level 2

You have experienced Verizon’s prepaid scam. Let me explain what happened to your account by using my case as an example: I am a long-term prepaid customer. During the past 12 months, I accumulated over three months’ worth of advanced payments in the account when I discovered my account had been suspended due to insufficient funds. What happened to the three months of advanced payments in my account? Answer, Verizon’s terminology, the funds were forfeited, lost, dropped or deleted because I did not make a payment within their undisclosed time frame.  Here is what is really going on behind the scenes; Verizon has programmed their software to sweep or steal your prepaid funds from your account if a payment is not made within a specific time frame only known by Verizon employees. This contradicts their published prepaid terms and conditions posted on their website which clearly state: "At time of renewal, if funds are available, account will be renewed for another month." However, the reality is the entire credit balance is swept or stolen out of your account, causing the account to become suspended because it shows a zero balance. You have 60 days to make a minimum monthly payment which reactivates your account, or you can decide not to make any more payments, at which time your account is cancelled. In both scenarios, your previous credit balance funds are not returned to your account unless you take further action.

Solution; file a complaint online with the FCC and your state's SCC. This will get you a response from Verizon’s Executive Relations. Despite the fancy title, they are just a baby step above the front-line customer service representatives. They will attempt to mislead you but will eventually, “as a courtesy”, return your funds back to your account once you make an additional payment unless it has been cancelled. It a bit like extortion.  Do yourself a big favor and only communicate by email so everything is in writing. They are not to be trusted.

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