This company is charging me for services I never ordered and then wants me to pay for it first and then they will credit my account. I am now "delinquent" the exact amount they overcharged me. We first received their services in June of 2009 and have billing problems since. We were told to give the cable installer 168 - which we did. We were told that was for the first months service - because it was supposed to be free installation. We started noticing we were always " behind" so when we called about this they couldnt figure out why? We listed each payment we have made and this but were always behind. They finally told us after several calls - oh that first check was for installation. We let this go, but we cancelled some premium services in September of 2009, because the bill ended up being much higher than was quoted. This seems to be a reoccurence for several people - I am assuming this is company policy. We were supposed to get some of these premiums with a bundle package ( we have phone, internet and cable ) but I couldnt remember how much but I would have never agreed to over 200 a month which is what our bill was monthly. So we cut the premium services down. The October bill was correct, the November was correct. However, the bill that came out in January was incorrect. It "re charged" us for those premium services that we cut out, plus a partial month for those services in November. We never asked to add these back to our plans.
So I pay the normal bill amount, not thinking. I then called later about these charges. I was told I have to pay for those services ( which we did not order ) first, and then they will credit my account next statement. Because I did not pay for those services which I did not order I have a "delinquency" on my accouunt for the exact amount they should be credited my account with. So they want me to pay for these first, then they will give it back later. This is a scam. According to what the superviser Derrell , last name 2006 ( or that is what he told me when I asked for last name , I am assuming it is an employee number or something - probably just lies ) he said there is no way to credit my account until next month. He verified that I have to pay for their mistake first and then be credited. This is fraud, plain and simple and could potentially be quite a money making scheme. They could charge their customers ( and their is alot of customers) 50 dollars more a month, make them pay for that first, deposit that money into a hight interest account and make some quick cash. The supervisor said it would all pan out in the end. Yeah sure, after you scammed your customers to make a quick buck. And what if you the consumer doesnt catch it? Well they can either keep charging you or "forget" to credit you the next month. Well you better pay it or they will cut your services off. So this is their policy, and of course according to the supervisor there is no way to fix it. Really, I think they must think I am stupid or something.
First, they misrepresented their "deal". I was to have free installation, and that the money I paid the installer was for the first month and was later told differently. The amount of my services was different that what I was told. Then I was charged for services I cancelled 2 months before and must pay for them to get a credit later. I am printing out my statements and going to the attorney generals office. I am pretty sure I am not the only one. Their statement are so darn confusing with charges / than a credit/ than charges / than a credit, I am sure many people have mistook their bill and just paid the amount , thinking they were just lied to over the quote. I truly believe this was intentional mistake to get some fast capital onto its books and earn a little interest in the meantime. I am in the process of searching for another provider, and hope they dont cut my services for having a delinquent amount which is the exact same number they overcharged me to begin with. But I really am going to refuse to pay for something I did not order. I should have been more vigilant, and I am obviously guilty in believing that companies today still have some sort of ethics about them. I guess I was wrong.
