Consumer credited over $2000 on International data roaming charges on Verizon Wireless bill
June 17, 2009-- UCAN saved a Verizon Wireless customer almost $3,000. The man travels regularly and has a high-tech phone. He had the nationwide roaming plan for $20 per month and called the company to ask what was available if he wanted to use his phone as a modem in Puerta Vallarta, Mexico. He was advised to purchase the global access card plan for $15 per month. The coverage map on the company website and the CS Rep were both indicators it should have worked. After adding the recommended "Global Data Plan", bills increased to nearly $3,000 for his days in Puerta Vallarta. No one ever mentioned that international roaming charges would not be covered by the plan. UCAN's company executive contact credited the entire amount, explained what the problem was, and further promised credits on taxes, fees and surcharges for this giant charge on the next billing statement.
Communications: Wireless -
Post to Twitter
Like what you see? Go ahead and show your support! UCAN is a truly independent non-profit watchdog organization, dependent on grassroots donations like yours!
Utility Consumers' Action Network - (619) 696-6966
Terms and Conditions
UCAN.org is made available by the Utility Consumers' Action Network to assist you in becoming what you always knew you could be: a consumer ROCK STAR! We take no corporate money, and are beholden only to you, the consumer. As such, the site is here for educational, advocacy, and empowerment purposes, as well to to give you general information and a general understanding of the law. Just remember this site is NOT here to provide specific legal advice. By using this web site you of course understand that there is no attorney-client relationship between you and the Web Site publisher, UCAN. The Web Site should not be used as a substitute for competent legal advice from a licensed professional attorney in your state.
That said, get to digging on the site, inform yourself, speak your mind, and earn Watchdog Bones! This is YOUR site, and we mean it. So comment on any of the content, discuss the latest issues in the forums, file a complaint on a company with the Fraud Squad, and generally cut loose.
See our Terms of Use, Privacy, and Copyright complaint policies as well as our Content Reuse Policy, Some Rights Reserved. Remember, if you have any questions about copyright law or need legal information regarding intellectual property, the internet, or new technologies, visit our affiliate New Media Rights at www.newmediarights.org. If you are in the San Diego region, you can also can apply to use New Media Rights' multimedia studio and equipment for free.
verizon roaming ripoff
We were in the Bahamas for a month this summer. Our son was with his dad in Nassau for a week before we picked him up on our boat. He showed me his phone message saying roaming charges were being incurred. We have 4 phones on the plan. I immediately called Verizon and told them to cut off his data. Upon looking at our account I discussed with the Vrep that we would be here for 3 more weeks. He saw we had 4 phones on the account. AT NO TIME did he say we should purchase any type of international plan for the other phones, and none of those phones used data anyway. Upon arriving in Palm Beach 3 weeks later, Verizon had cut off all phones. We called and Vrep said to buy this $100.00 policy for the next 3 months and she would back date it, if we paid about 500plus of the roaming. A week later, we get a call that we owe 1700. After talking to 4 different people the supervisor said that was incorrect. By the next bill they said we ower 2700! I've talked to no less than 15 people at Verizon, 5 of which said it was all taken care of. I paid the base amount of the monthly bills, but I refuse to pay anymore. I've switched to Atand t, and the ATT rep says the roaming charges aren't credible. I am writing to Verizon general counsel and service. On principle, they can try and collect, but this company is unbelievable.....i am done. any other advice would be greatly appreciated (i must have spent theirty hours by now trying to resolve this!) Thanks in advance.
p.s.
I asked the guy at Verizon if this happens a lot, and he said it does.
So how hard can it be for them to give more effective notice to their customers?
This is happening to me, now
I'm being charged about $1,500 for "roaming charges" in Poland. It was a new phone and I had no idea that the roaming function was turned on. I didn't know what "roaming" was, or how to find it.
The problem was sorted out in Poland, on May 16, when they agreed to charge me $104 to get rid of the $700 tab by "upgrading" my service. Then the phone was frozen today, for me and my kids, and I was told there were new charges for European "roaming." Apparently the "upgrade" was made on May 16, and then taken off for mysterious reasons the same day.
I spent an hour and 40 minutes on the phone. I'm still not sure the problem has been fixed.
He said more charges may be drifting in from Polish servers.
I haven't told Verizon yet that I've halted automatic payments from my bank account. I just don't trust them anymore.
What do I do now?
$2600 Roaming for not roaming.
I am an OTR truck driver. I just checked out my bill and found a nice balance $2725 and some change.
I was told that the charges were legitimate even though my phone showed I was on a Verizon network. I travel through Canada occasionally, and when I do, I set the phone for home only unless I need to make a call. Well about a year and a half ago, I was charged roaming in Illinois. When I asked the representative about this, he said that it does not matter if I have national coverage, if there is a triangle on the phone, then I am roaming. Well, I guess it does not go the other way. I use my phone to tether to my computer. When I do, I make darn sure I have no triangle on the screen. So much for honesty.
Verizon wireless roaming charges in the bahamas
I have been billed $6,400 for data usage while in the Bahamas on a two day trip. I was not notified of any rate or international charges, I didn't use the device but only a few minutes, but verizon says the charges are valid. What kind of service allows this? I was aware that they charge about $20 per Mbite for data while in the Bahamas and I made sure that I only used it for a short time - 10 minutes or less, I'm estimating maybe 2 Mbites and probably less than one Mbite which should be about $40. I've been told by verizon that the mobile wireless devices cannot be cloned or used without the device being in the theirs posession. How could this be even close to correct? I have no idea what to do about this, it looks like there is no recourse.
correction on the dates of incident on $16,055.84 Verizon Bill
I want to correct myself as to the dates of incident. The dates were December 26 -27, 2009. The internet was accessed several times during the 1.5 days in the Bahamas. Sorry for the typo. Please advise if you can! Thank you.
Verizon Roaming Charges
I would like to express my appreciation to UCAN and specifically to Sue Macomber, Phil and the other legal and administrative staff that helped me solve my problem about roaming overcharges by Verizon Wireless. I had been in discussions with Verizon Wireless customer service since April 2, 2009 regarding approximately $2,500.00 of charges for roaming related to a $20.00 a month program Verizon sold to me for global data. I communicated with Verizon customer service for the next 56 days trying to resolve the problem with no success. Verizon personnel that allegedly tried to help solve the problem would often just stop communicating and I had to start over again with new personnel and convince them that the charges were not fair and then have that individual disappear. Finally, Verizon took the stance that the charges were valid, due and payable otherwise I would loose service and my credit would be effected. Of course, during this period I was receiving dunning notices and warning emails as well as frequent telephone calls. I contacted the CPUC and was warned that I probably signed some document that allowed Verizon to charge me these fees, they would check with Verizon but were not hopeful the CPUC could help; you know a contract is a contract.
I contacted UCAN in late May with no other recourse except small claims court. UCAN listened to my story, examined the documents I accumulated to support my position and believed that it was unreasonable for me to be charged the $2500.00 in roaming charges. They took up my complaint against Verizon and they had their legal staff contact Verizon with my documents. Within two weeks after I contacted UCAN, Verizon issued a credit to my account reversing the roaming charges.
This story is not meant to be a condemnation of Verizon. I believed from the start that if I could explain the situation to the right individuals at Verizon they would understand just as in the end they did issue the credit. The problem was that at the Verizon staff level I was communicating with I could not get to the right decision level. The customer service staff would not easily give contact information or identify themselves. I am grateful that UCAN has the right connections and the willingness to help an individual like myself. For that I am a fan and supporter of UCAN forever and I hope someone else can use my experience to solve their utility related problems.
Roaming Charges
Hello. We have the same concern and process we took. The one from Verizon stopped communicating with me too. So, I don't know what to do, please help me.
Thank you and God bless!
Awesome!
Good work! I worked for a major wireless carrier and we have credited bills in the past for much more than that.
$16,055.84 roaming charge - Verizon Wireless
My wife is the end user of a Verizon wireless number with her company via her aircard account utilized within her company laptop computer. Exorbitant international roaming charges were incurred in the amount of $16,055.84, for which my wife's company immediately paid to Verizon without much hesitation, and now holds my wife personally liable for.
Upon information and belief, my wife's company made immediate payment in full to avoid threatened interruption of its Verizon wireless services upon which it relies for its critical medical support functions throughout the continental United States. The $16,055.84 is being reimbursed over a two year period through payroll deductions pursuant to a contract she was forced to sign or otherwise jeopardize her job with the company.
Her company did not subscribe to the international wireless feature, yet the feature automatically engaged when the internet was accessed by my wife while on vacation on December 6 - 27, 2009, in the Bahamas, 20 miles from the coast of Florida, our residence. Despite Verizon's insistence that the Easy Access Manager adequately warns the user of such roaming engagement, the system did not, and even if it did, such messages are a mere 1 to 2 second flash on the screen which would not amount to an adequate warning.
The general counsel for my wife's company has since given us authority to negotiate with Verizon to get my wife's employer credited back, so that we may receive some relief from the required payroll deductions.
We have gone back and forth with Verizon since, to no avail. Verizon says it had to pay the Bahamian telecommunications entities, and therefore pass-through the charges to my wife's employer. My wife's employer's general counsel has since asked Verizon for a discount, that is a reduction credit, in honor of the long term relationship the company has had with Verizon. This has not accomplished anything to-date. My wife's employer is not overly concerned because they are being reimbursed through the payroll deduction.
Verizon's failure to adequately warn or indicate engagement of a roaming function created a windfall to Verizon Wireless, or perhaps to applicable international entities, which is a disincentive to warn or provide notice to the customer of such potential exorbitant charges in the first place. What can we do for such an outrageous injustice in light of the circumstances? Please help. Thank you.
Post new comment