Being charged for a returned phone. Unreal. How many people here has this happened to?
SLSigafoos
Newbie

Several months ago, I upgraded my device on the "Edge Up" plan at the Saucon Valley, PA, Promenade Shops store. The associate provided me with a package to return my old device. That was on a weekend. When I went to work on Monday, I dropped the device off for shipping and I thought that was that. Several weeks later, I started receiving notices from Verizon that my returned device hadn't been received. I phoned their customer service line and spoke to a representative who sounded very reassuring and told me that often when devices are returned, they aren't always scanned or processed immediately and that it can take a few weeks. He said I would only be contacted again if the device wasn't located in several more weeks. Fast-forward several weeks and I was contacted again. This time, I received e-mails stating that I would be charged for the old device balance because the old device wasn't returned. AGAIN, I phoned Verizon Wireless and spoke with another customer service representative who reassured me that all was fine. He said, and I quote verbatim, "I've seen this sometimes takes months to have mailed-back devices located. Don't worry; I don't see any charges yet on your account reflecting the missing equipment." I let them know at this time that IF any charges were added to my bill, I wouldn't be paying them. It's absolutely unethical, unfair, and horribly misleading to expect a customer to fork over hundreds for a device they've returned. He said he would make a note of this on my account so that the company would know he spoke to me about the billing issue. This past weekend, I received my new bill due July 1, with $222 worth of equipment fees tacked on to it. I immediately rang Verizon AGAIN and told them AGAIN that I would not be paying the charges. They asked me what store supplied the shipping envelope for the phone to be returned to Verizon. I told them AGAIN which store it was, and that the package came from the STORE, not from ME, so therefore I had no way to tell them what address was on the package. I told the representative that I would even DRIVE BACK TO THE STORE MYSELF to ask about the shipping label that was provided to me. She assured me that I wouldn't have to do that. For my piece of mind, I did that today. The person at the store told me that all packages of returned phones through the Edge Up program go to the same location. I reiterated AGAIN that I'M NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR THEIR MISTAKE. I did exactly as they told me. I put the phone in the package and mailed it back. Period. The end.


The real kicker here is that I sent them back not ONE, but TWO devices. When my phone battery failed early this year, I called and asked them for a spare battery. I have the insurance plan on my phone that supposedly covers parts. Verizon did not have a battery available to send me. I told them I would purchase one myself and they said they would reimburse me. Days later, a whole new device showed up at my door. Without even turning it on, removing the safety sticker over the front, or using it for any reason, I MAILED THE BRAND NEW DEVICE BACK TOTALLY UNTOUCHED BY ME. They claimed that they couldn't find that phone, either, when again, IT WAS MAILED IN THEIR PACKAGE. Looking at how many people Verizon is doing this to, how are they continuing to get away with this? This is absolutely unreal. When customers all over the country are telling them that their devices have been properly mailed back and yet Verizon continues to try to charge so many of them, that tells anyone with common sense that the problem lies with Verizon, not with the customer!

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Re: Being charged for a returned phone. Unreal. How many people here has this happened to?
vzw_customer_support
Customer Service Rep

SLSigafoos,

This is a very concerning experience you have had with us. I would like to review your account to begin investigating what is happening. Please reply back to the private message I will be sending you.


ChristopherM_VZW


Follow us on TWITTER @VZWSupport

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!!

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Re: Being charged for a returned phone. Unreal. How many people here has this happened to?
Doscar103
Enthusiast - Level 1

I am having the same problem.   I have spoken with 4 people.   Two days ago the last person promised to have a supervisor call today between 10-12.  Never got a call.    I am speaking with an attorney tomorrow.

Re: Being charged for a returned phone. Unreal. How many people here has this happened to?
smontiero
Enthusiast - Level 1

Ahhh, so it's not just me! I returned a phone two days after I purchased it in June, using the return label from Verizon. It just wasn't what I was looking for. I've not received the credit. Called over and over, and was told the first two times that my phone was in the warehouse in Texas and a credit would be issued.
Then, I get a notice that my account is past due, alas never received the credit. Called again, told the same story. My phone had been located, and was in the warehouse in Texas! They acknowledged that credit/refund was owed to me and to talk to Financial services. The woman in FS told me a credit would be issued within 3 days. They were sorry, such an inconvenience, apologized, etc.
Here I am, over two months later still fighting this. Today they shut my service off because of the past due amount. Which is only the amount they owe my for the refund, bc I won't pay.
I'm about to take my 5 lines of service, $469 a month bill and go elsewhere. What a joke. Run the IMEI of the phone Verizon, and you'll see that these phones you say have never been returned are actually in service with other verizon customers, bc you've resold them.

Maybe the BBB is the place to go next?

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