Cellphone billing scams

[Miulang]

I don't know how many people have Verizon cell service, or if any of the other carriers also offer this "Blinko" service, but if you've ever had weird looking charges for $9.95 monthly, this is how it works. At the bottom of the story is the URL for the Federal Trade Commission.

Below that entry are other entries by the columnist about other things that might also be bugging you. Her Dec. 15 entry describes the trials and tribulations of trying to unlock a cellphone when you change service providers.

Miulang

[Kahalu'u Kid]

Re: Cellphone billing scams

I have Verizon wireless service for my cellular, and I gotta say they suck. I would suggest that if you find ANY questionable charges, then access their records for your phone and double check every number and charge. This is what happened to me: Verizon tried to charge me for ringtones which I never down loaded. Then they tried to charge me for games which I never downloaded. Then they tried to charge me for long distance calls which I never made.

After my old phone broke and I got a new one, the Verizon salesman told me I'd be getting 1-month free internet and free TV and movies. After the second month, I get a bill charging me for the internet, tv and movies. When I called the service center, the lady tells me that it's my responsibility to cancel the service! WTF? How can it be my responsibility when I never even signed up for it? (I guess the salesman also conveniently forgot to tell me that I had to cancel it.)

I am thoroughly convinced that Verizon engages in these unethical business practices knowingly, and on a daily basis. After all, who's gonna stop them? Like I said, if you find any questionable charges, check your records because I believe they're trying to rip everyone off. I DON'T recommend Verizon.

[Miulang]

Re: Cellphone billing scams

I have Verizon wireless service for my cellular, and I gotta say they suck. I would suggest that if you find ANY questionable charges, then access their records for your phone and double check every number and charge. This is what happened to me: Verizon tried to charge me for ringtones which I never down loaded. Then they tried to charge me for games which I never downloaded. Then they tried to charge me for long distance calls which I never made.

After my old phone broke and I got a new one, the Verizon salesman told me I'd be getting 1-month free internet and free TV and movies. After the second month, I get a bill charging me for the internet, tv and movies. When I called the service center, the lady tells me that it's my responsibility to cancel the service! WTF? How can it be my responsibility when I never even signed up for it? (I guess the salesman also conveniently forgot to tell me that I had to cancel it.)

I am thoroughly convinced that Verizon engages in these unethical business practices knowingly, and on a daily basis. After all, who's gonna stop them? Like I said, if you find any questionable charges, check your records because I believe they're trying to rip everyone off. I DON'T recommend Verizon.

I would register a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission. Sometimes it does pay to complain to the right people.

Miulang

[shaveice]

Re: Cellphone billing scams

I don't know how many people have Verizon cell service, or if any of the other carriers also offer this "Blinko" service, but if you've ever had weird looking charges for $9.95 monthly, this is how it works. At the bottom of the story is the URL for the Federal Trade Commission.

Below that entry are other entries by the columnist about other things that might also be bugging you. Her Dec. 15 entry describes the trials and tribulations of trying to unlock a cellphone when you change service providers.

Miulang

i'm generally satisfied with cingular but i had to call them once when i saw a phoney record of a 3 hour call; i'm one of those guys who only uses like 4 hours a month so i know for sure that that record was bogus. they came up with a lame excuse but bottom line they gave me back that time. also, i sometimes get charged for text messages that i never sent. what a pain...

[GeckoGeek]

Re: Cellphone billing scams

the Verizon salesman told me I'd be getting 1-month free internet and free TV and movies. After the second month, I get a bill charging me for the internet, tv and movies. When I called the service center, the lady tells me that it's my responsibility to cancel the service! WTF?

That's not just Verizon and that's not just with cell phones. That's a very common practice. ANYTIME you see someone offer "free" a subscription type service, you can bet money that you'll have to cancel to prevent being shifted to the paid service. And it will be right there in the fine print. Didn't read the fine print? Well, that's lesson #2.

[Kahalu'u Kid]

Re: Cellphone billing scams

That's not just Verizon and that's not just with cell phones. That's a very common practice. ANYTIME you see someone offer "free" a subscription type service, you can bet money that you'll have to cancel to prevent being shifted to the paid service. And it will be right there in the fine print. Didn't read the fine print? Well, that's lesson #2.

There's no fine print, and there's no mention of the cancellation policy in my contract. There is a paragraph that says I am responsible for all services, but I NEVER agreed to this service. I told the salesman I didn't want anything to do with that, and he told me, "Well, you get a free month anyway, so just take it."

[Hellbent]

Re: Cellphone billing scams

i just read an article by a guy who signed up for 20 services and posted his experience trying to cancel them. some, like aol were extremely difficult.
sadly alot of services start as a free trial but put the burden on you to cancel or be automatically be set up for automatic renewal. have you ever tried to find a phone number or email for support on ebay? they intentionally hide it.
i recently tried to have something done to my xbox live accounts, and wasted an hour talking to a badly accented person before i got nowhere.
and lets not forget the EULA's that can only be seen after you open up the package, making it non-returnable.
recently there was a cd put out that forbade you to play the music cd in a dvd player, your car, or a pc. of course this was only viewable after you opened the cd, in the insert.

[GeckoGeek]

Re: Cellphone billing scams

I NEVER agreed to this service. I told the salesman I didn't want anything to do with that, and he told me, "Well, you get a free month anyway, so just take it."

I'll bet the paperwork shows you did sign up for it. Did any of the paperwork talk about the "free" promotion?