VERIZON WIRELESS - FRAUDULENT AND DISHONEST

[Finley_A]

I have had very similar experiences in my recent dealings. In the past i have not been the primary name on the acct so i have not had to deal with this, but in the past week I have talked to 5  different reps that have told me 5 conflicting things. As soon as find someone who has service in my building i will take my business elsewhere.

[Hccwong]

I am writing to express my frustration with customer service at one of their store in SF on January 2nd at 3PM.

I went in to upgrade my phone since my two­ year contract was up, and received a lot of misleading and dishonest information. First, I was immensely pressured into additional purchases that I had no interest in. I was also told that a phone case, charger, and screen protector were free and included in my upgrade (which I realized later that I was actually charged for). I even mentioned several times how I didn’t need these items, but their sales associate, kept insisting that they were “included”.

Secondly, he was very unclear about how the phone would be paid off. When I asked if what I left the store paying would be a one­time payment, he ensured me that it was. Later, I see on my online account that we still owed $500 for the device. Since I live across the country, I had to send a family member to the store on January 26th to clear up the mishap, only to be told by the store manager,  that his employee was new at the time, hadn’t been properly trained, and gave us false information. When I signed after my initial transaction, I was told that I was signing for the co­payment for the balance after my two year renewal contract credit (something that I asked to confirm multiple times), and was never told that I was being put on the device payment plan at all. While I can sympathize with starting a new job, it does not excuse misinformation about matters pertaining to money. I left the store thinking I owed nothing, only to realize that I still had to pay off my device monthly – something that could have been cleared up if your employee was trained properly to give the right information.

Lastly, we never received a paper or digital receipt after our transaction on January 2nd. Had we received one at the time, we would have seen that the phone case, charger, and screen protector that were supposedly “free” were itemized. When my family member asked the store manager for a link to provide feedback on our experience, he refused and insisted that we find it ourselves on the site.

My family and I have been loyal Verizon customers for over a decade because of your outstanding and exceptional customer service throughout the years. After this very unpleasant and dishonest experience, I am afraid we will be switching to another carrier after our contracts expire.

[mama23dogs]

Hccwong

The description of events sounds like classic Authorized retailer - meaning this was NOT a Verizon corporate store, despite the sign over the door.  The are "renting" the right to sell Verizon service and merchandise, but also sell their own merchandise by claiming they are free.  Cases, car chargers, Bluetooth speaker, all adding up to $200-$300 billed to the account.  They will claim it will be credited back on the bill, but isnt.  Sound familiar?

THis is a store scam - not Verizon.

2 Year contracts are on the way out.  The rumor is 2 year upgrades will be gone by 2nd quarter of this year.

If you are on an older plan, you still have access to 2 year upgrades, for now.  Older plans are cheaper.  Verizon has 2 options, raise the plan price to meet with current costs, or make you pay for your phone.  Since discounted phone purchases are not included in your agreement with Verizon (or any carrier), they can stop offering the discounted option.   All other carriers have already stopped 2 year contracts. (ATT stopped January 😎

If you are on the More Everything plan, you lose the option of a monthly line discount if you use 2 year contracts.  This may mean you pay more for the phone than retail cost If your plan is 6 GBs or more.  ($25 a month discount x 24 months = $600 on top of the discounted purchase).   If you do the math, that may be $200 more than retail and higher taxes every month too.

If you're on the newest plan - The Verizon Plan, you can only upgrade using device payments.

[Hccwong]

Thank you for your reply.  But this was a Verizon corporate store!

[Ann154]

Hccwong wrote:

Thank you for your reply.  But this was a Verizon corporate store!

What was the address of store?

[mama23dogs]

There are 28 locations in San Fransisco where Verizon has Authorized the retail sale of their product.

Only 3 are genuine Verizon and only 2 are LEED certified.

Which store did you do business with?

[Hccwong]

The one inside the Stonestown shopping mall, I was referred to there by the one located in the Westlake shopping Center due to there was out of stock .

[Hccwong]

Stonestown Galleria

[Ann154]

Was it this one? Verizon Wireless at Stonestown CA

[Hccwong]

Yes, it was .