Saturday, July 12, 2014

My conversation with Jeremy at Verizon late at night.

Call center employee on Live chat

Call center employee on Live chat
Live Chat Window
Click to Reload Chat
Chat Subject:Twitter
Your Question:Took so long the chat timed out.
A Verizon Representative will be with you shortly. Thank you.
Agent Jeramy has joined. (00:42:07)
Jeramy : Chat ID for this session is 07121467080. (00:42:07)
Jeramy(00:42:23): Hello, Sorry about the delay and time out.
Serpardum(00:42:35): np
Jeramy(00:44:10): I have the account pulled you. You said you were charged twice?
Serpardum(00:44:24): yes. On 4/1 and 4/2
Serpardum(00:44:40): maybe 2nd and 3rd. I made a manual payment. Then the system took one out.
Serpardum(00:45:01): it was in the month of April
Serpardum(00:45:58): heh, I can't get into my account right now, you have it locked out. That's fine.
Serpardum(00:47:13): According to my screen shot: 4/1 and 4/2nd were payments made.
Jeramy(00:47:18): Sorry about that. I'm checking the bill now.
Serpardum(00:48:57): anti-timeout
Jeramy(00:49:37): I see the bill for 4/16 looking to see if i can see the payment for it
Jeramy(00:51:08): i see on the two charges. but i also see return check adjustment on 4/24
Serpardum(00:51:14): The full story is in 3 different screens. Payment/Adjustment History shows both payments and a 56.89 debit. The bill from 4/16 I believe shows the (face) reversal on 4/13
Serpardum(00:51:21): *fake
Serpardum(00:51:32): You deducted the amount twice.
Serpardum(00:51:39): But I only got the money back once.
Serpardum(00:52:19): The only time I got the money back was when I reversed the charge on my credit card. I never received a check.
Jeramy(00:52:24): so the double payment happened twice?
Serpardum(00:52:35): The double payment happened once.
Serpardum(00:52:42): I paid on 4/1 and 4/2
Serpardum(00:52:46): (you got paid)
Serpardum(00:53:08): on 4/3 you claim to have sent me a check, I never got it (guy in financial said it went to the credit card)
Serpardum(00:53:28): On the 18th my credit card company put the money back on my credit card.
Serpardum(00:53:34): So, I got the money back once.
Serpardum(00:53:45): You claim I got the second payment back twice.
Serpardum(00:54:10): You claim you sent me a check (4/3) and then you see the reversal from teh credit card company on 4/... 16? 18 I think
Serpardum(00:54:32): It's your computer system, you guys should be able to figure it out.
Serpardum(00:55:40): You've seen my credit card statement on my blog right? it shows the money coming back once.
Jeramy(00:58:39): Understood. I'm compliling the notes now. In the moring we can escalate this with our Financial service department.
Serpardum(00:58:39): It's fairly simple. The reversal on 4/3 your bill shows never happened.
Serpardum(00:58:53): It's not on my credit card, it's not a check I've received.
Jeramy(00:59:08): You said you've discuss this with the billing correct?
Serpardum(00:59:18): I've discussed this with everyone.
Serpardum(00:59:27): Until I'm blue in the face.
Serpardum(01:00:11): I was supposed to receive a callback from financial today but I was outside waiting for UPS all day (9 hours) so I missed the call back.
Serpardum(01:00:37): But I honestly am sick and tired of calling and being put on hold and calling. I give up. Either this gets fixed, or I close my account and screw the balance.
Jeramy(01:02:08): Understood. We'll get this escalated for you. What is the best number to contact you at, in case we need to connect you over to verify any bank info?
Serpardum(01:02:21): My cell phone. <redacted>
Jeramy(01:03:02): Thank you. Adding to the notes now.
Serpardum(01:03:07): Thank you.
Jeramy(01:03:48): Will you be available in the morning? We'll be reaching out to Financial Services as soon as we can.
Serpardum(01:03:56): Yes, I will
Serpardum(01:04:10): I might be sleeping so call a few times pelase.
Serpardum(01:04:21): My wife will be here so she can wake me up
Jeramy(01:04:32): understood.
Serpardum(01:06:31): I have a suggestion for you. Have a computer programmer look at it for you. they'll be able to figure it out. This is probably a computer issue with the "refund" on 4/3 being processed wrong
Serpardum(01:07:05): And most likely the credit card was canceled when they tried to refund the money.
Jeramy(01:07:25): It might have been trying to charge and return. The card is canceled now?
Serpardum(01:07:27): But the co
Serpardum(01:07:59): That credit card number has been canceled since 4/3, yes. But I'm still using the same credit card account which shows all activities on all my cards (new and old)
Jeramy(01:09:20): Alright.
Serpardum(01:09:28): As soon as the person at Verizon told me I wouldn't get the money back for 2 weeks I canceled the card and filed an unauthorized transaction with my credit card company.
Jeramy(01:09:43): Oh i see.
Serpardum(01:09:54): to file that unauthorized transaction I had to cancel the credit card number.
Serpardum(01:10:31): I got the money back on my new credit card on 4/18 from my credit card company after they reversed the transaction (or do whatever it is they do)
Serpardum(01:11:32): I see I made a payment to netflix on 4/4, so the card was still active then. It was cancled on the 4th or later then.
Jeramy(01:11:53): So there was 3 payments? one was to pay bill, 2 were taken. And out of the two taken only one was returned?
Serpardum(01:12:27): 2 payments were made in the month of april. I made a manual payment by credit card on 4/1
Serpardum(01:12:33): On 4/2 your system took out another payment.
Serpardum(01:12:42): The second payment was in error.
Serpardum(01:13:00): The second payment was the one I filed an unauthorized transaction on
Serpardum(01:13:21): The credit card company gave me back on money on my new credit card on 4/18
Serpardum(01:13:39): The only times in the month of april money changed hands was 4/1, 4/2 and 4/18
Serpardum(01:14:00): And each time it was for the same amount, 58.whatever. ON 4/18 I got the money BACK.
Serpardum(01:14:23): For some unknown reason, your system seems to think I got the money back twice, when I didn't.
Serpardum(01:15:16): Look at my credit card statement and try to reconcile it with your records.
Serpardum(01:15:56): https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_NPZ-qBbfz6sledoLs9vnxT5Nn8xz9Ti4hy0ljEOsVBei9wF_m7lYm6W4qUyy7osehoFpqTljErUYkuoF7TI4h9VQQ2Q4V4CXCyShCfvI-azEq2g_5aayZWdlK36-hjy_CurnByybjtd-/s1600/CreditCardStatement.png
Serpardum(01:16:05): Not sure if that link will work for you
Serpardum(01:17:22): This might be a better link for you: http://i.imgur.com/nVciJWM.png
Jeramy(01:18:20): Oh ok. it did. So when you got the money back in you card, it got taken back from Verizon due to error of thinking we refunded twice. So you don't have the money at the moment.
Serpardum(01:18:20): 2 payments to Verizon on 4/3. 1 "Credit pvc" on 4/18.
Serpardum(01:18:42): I bought food with it. What are you asking?
Jeramy(01:20:37): No i mean, the amount was taken out after you were given it back.
Serpardum(01:20:59): No.
Serpardum(01:21:06): I was given it back on my credit card on 4/18
Serpardum(01:21:18): That was the only time I got my erroneous payment back
Serpardum(01:21:24): It is on that statement
Serpardum(01:21:50): The *only* time I received the erroneous payment back was on 4/18. No other time.
Serpardum(01:22:05): I paid 56.89 twice and got back 56.89 once.
Serpardum(01:22:13): So you people got your 56.89 for the month of april.
Serpardum(01:22:24): But you are saying I still owe it.
Serpardum(01:23:00): There is no other information other than the statement. I never received a check or cash. Only the 1 refund on my credit card on 4/18 which you can see.
Jeramy(01:23:10): So you payed twice. got refunded the second payment, but we have it logged that you didn't pay, that the payment was refunded?
Serpardum(01:23:34): I really have no clue what your system thinks happen.
Serpardum(01:23:49): From talking to people it seems VErizon thought they paid me back when they didnt
Serpardum(01:24:03): You have on your records that I was refunded (4/3). That never happend.
Jeramy(01:24:08): Understandable, but you're being told to pay for that month still?
Serpardum(01:24:11): I had to take the money back via my creditcard.
Serpardum(01:24:18): Yes. With late charges.
Serpardum(01:24:34): I have paid *every* month on time
Serpardum(01:24:44): My bill this month is for $116
Serpardum(01:25:00): "New charges" is 59 (or so) with 2.50 of it being late fees.
Serpardum(01:25:23): The only money I actually owe is the new charges *without any late fees.
Serpardum(01:25:30): Do you have my payment history up?
Serpardum(01:25:42): Look at it. 7 payments in 6 months.
Serpardum(01:25:50): One was returned because it was in error.
Jeramy(01:26:05): I see all april. correct
Serpardum(01:26:09): And Verizon is claiming I still owe for april.
Serpardum(01:26:16): Look at my entire payment history
Serpardum(01:26:27): You will see I have not missed a single payment
Jeramy(01:26:37): I was just making sure i got the details correct.
Jeramy(01:27:24): We'll be sure to let financial services know to review the payments and see that we only refunded you once, that the onther charged payed the bill
Serpardum(01:27:39): Thank you.
Jeramy(01:28:39): Not a problem.
Serpardum(01:28:43): Are we done/
<missed the end where we thanked each other>

Friday, July 11, 2014

Verizon DSL/Telephone - 1/5 - Biling error - Wrong service.

Part 1: Wrong service.

Back in January I had to get rid of my cable (was in someone else's name) so I see Verizon FIOS on TV.  I go on the web, put in my pertinent information, Congratulations!  I have high speed Internet available.  Great, so I do all the paperwork to get it ordered and wait for the modem in the mail.

The modem never comes.  I call them back, oh, they bring the modem when they install now, new policy change.  Fine.

Next day the technician comes, with a DSL model.  Um, wait, I ordered FIOS, not DSL.  Oh, well, the apartment owners never paid to get fiber installed in the building, only DSL was available.  At this point it is too late to order any new internet service for the month as my Cable Internet is going to get disconnected in a few days.  So to have Internet for the month, I had to go with DSL as it was there.  And I'm paying $40/month for it.  And have to pay $20/month for telephone. For less than 1mbps Internet.

Part 2: Billing error
I sign up for automatic billing to be taken off my credit card around March.  My bill is about $58/month for crappy Internet and a phone I don't want, need, nor care for.

March 30th or so I get a notice on my phone.  Verizon just tried to take a payment, but I had no balance, since it's a prepaid card and I get paid on the 3rd being on disability.  I wait until I get my money on the 2nd (sometimes it comes early) and put in a payment.

I then go into the automatic payment system and try to figure out what is going on.  I see my bill is due on the 7th.  I reenter the automatic payment information and see no change.  I call them on the phone and explain that I don't get my check until the 3rd since I'm on disability.  They transfered me to someone in IT who adjusted my due date until the 16th so the auto payments would be taken out on the 7th, in time for me to get my check. This is a good thing, +1 for Americans with Disabilities Act compliance.

The next day I get a message on my phone.  Verizon has just taken out a payment.  They now have 2 payments.  The one I manually paid on the 2nd, and the auto payment they just took out on the 3rd.

I call them.  I explain that they just took out two payments. The customer service representative tells me they will send me a check, I'll get it in 2 weeks (I later find this info was wrong, will explain later).

I get mad since I now have no money on my credit card, not even for food.  I go on-line to my credit card company and put in for an unauthorized payment.  I have to cancel the credit card to do this, but I don't have much money on it anyway (around $5).

On the 18th my credit card company puts the $58 back on my account.  I soon get a new credit card to replace the old one.

Okay, 15 days of starving, but I've gotten my money back.  No harm, no foul, right?  Nope.

Mays bill is for twice the amount as normal.  I call them, they say I only owe the new bill amount, and I make the payment manually (no way am I going automatic with these guys again).

Next month (this month) I get a bill for $116.53.

This is despite the fact that I have paid my bill every month on time, and one month they took out an extra payment.  To add insult to injury this is a charge on my bill: Late payment charge 2.50.

So, I call 611 again, this time late at night.  I talk to someone, they agree that I've paid every month.  They agree that I only got credited once on my credit card.  But we have a debit that cancels it out.  I tried to talk to someone who understands that 1+1-1 = 1 and not 0, but that didn't happen that night.

I called last night at 4:30.  Talk to person in payments, wrong department.  They transfer me to changes in service.  I explain to them, wrong department.  They send me to some financial.  I explain it to them, wrong department, you need the people who send money.  They transfer me, I'm on hold and.. fast busy signal.  I look at the time 5:04.  They hung up on me after 5:00.

I called today. Talked to someone in the correct department after only one transfer (yay!)  They claim they credited my credit card on the 3rd and that I had it reversed on the 18th.

Here is my credit card statement.  It shows 2 payments on the 3rd to Verizon and one reversal on the 18th.


What possibly happened:

When the gentleman on the phone told me they were going to send me a check in two weeks he was wrong, they were going to credit my credit card.  If this is true and he told me that, then I wouldn't have canceled the card.

It seems that because the card was canceled, when Verizon made the payment on my credit card it didn't go through, since it was canceled.  But Verizon for whatever reason didn't recognize this and still thinks they gave me the money.

In conclusion:
I count 5 mistakes here.
1. They gave me DSL when I wanted Fiber Optic.
2. They billed me on the 30/31st when my bill wasn't due until the 7th.
3. They took out an extra payment after I already paid them.
4. They incorrectly told me they were going to send me a check.
5. They did not recognize when the refund didn't go through.

To date: It is July 11th 2014.  I still have a bill for $116 when I only owe $57.

I am not going to send Verizon another penny until they resolve they resolve this. I have already gotten Charter High Speed Internet (50mbps for $40/month.  No phone required).  My wife wants to switch my phone server to life line, since I'm on SSDI and she's on SSI.   However, if Verizon does not fix this, I will simply tell them to cancel my service (before or after switching the number I'm not sure) and forget about them, throwing away any bill I get from them.

UPS - 1/5 stars - A day late and 9 hours waiting - Updated

My wife had her computer repaired under extended warranty by sending it through UPS.  We've been waiting for it, my landlady gives me a post it note from UPS stating they tried to deliver it yesterday (Thursday)  but weren't able to and would attempt again today (Friday).  I go on their website and contact customer support.


Right, UPS doesn't call you when the driver gets here.  So I go outside at 11:00 am and start waiting.  FedEx comes by.  I ask the driver, will you call someone if they request it?  He responds, Yes, I called this number yesterday (on his package) and it was disconnected, so I had to come back today.

So this is not the shipping industry, this is UPS.

At 3:45 I see the UPS truck on the other corner.  Soon I think.  It drives toward me, and then turns right to go up north.  It stops about 1 block from the corner in the middle of the street and makes another delivery.  I take a picture of it as it drives away, turning down another street.

I take another picture of the truck on Ocean Blvd, 3 blocks south of my corner.  It goes away.  I take another picture of it later on 1st street, 2 blocks from my house, it drives away.

At 5:00 my wife is home from volunteering, the UPS truck is driving north toward my corner, but it's in the right hand lane, it would have to be in the left turn lane to deliver to me.  I wave my UPS delivery failure notice (also known as, we don't care about your time) and yell, "Deliver my package!"  The UPS driver ignores me.  I yell again, "Deliver my package!"  The UPS driver growls at me and drives on north once again passing my corner.

The package was delivered at 8:04 or thereabouts.  That means I waited outside from 11:00 am to 8:04 pm.  9 hours.  If you looke at the InfoNotice there is a spot for the driver to mark estimated time of delievery and they are in roughly 3 hours chunks (10:30 - 2:00 being the longest at 3 1/2 hours).  If the driver had marked one of those like I'm guessing he was supposed to I wouldn't of had to wait outside all day.  If he would of marked the one "After 5:00" I would of finished my phone calls with Verizon and went outside at 5:00 and only waited 3 hours.  3 hours is reasonable.  9 is not.


Where UPS failed:
1. They do not have the callers call the recipient for deliveries upon request. (FedEx does so it's possible and doable).
2. The driver never marked an Estimated Time.  I can presume this was the driver's error.  I do not know UPS policy although the driver who actually delivered it today was not the driver who failed to deliver it yesterday.
3. On my calls to UPS they could not contact the driver to find out the status of the delivery.  They had no clue.  The only information they had was it was on the truck.