Verizon Messaging (paging) Ripoff Can't or won't correct bill even after several calls Nationwide

In April of 2004 I switched my nationwide 2-way paging service to Verizon Messaging, which is the paging arm of Verzion Wireless. I wasn't unhappy with other plan, but Verizon offered a better rate plan. My old pager wouldn't work on Verizons system, so I bought one for $99.

In August of 2004 the pager started going nuts... would constantly cycle itself on and off, and was basically unusable. I called Verizon, and had them ship me a new one (for another $99). I also added the "pager protection plan" to my account for $3/month. Since I had bought the first (now defective) pager, I didn't have to return it...it was mine. I eventually threw it out.

In October of 2004, the second pager I had started to have occasional problems with the screen... it would go blank or have lines through it, etc. Figuring that I had the pager protection plan on this one, I would call and have them send me a FREE replacment (that is how the other company does it, & how I thought Verizon did it, too). The rep told me that the plan didn't cover that. It only covered if the pager was completely dead, or if it was lost or stolen. If I wanted another pager, it was going to cost me $49, and I was going to have to send my bad one back. Worse yet, if their technicians were able to fix the one I sent back, I would then be charged the full amount (another $49) for the replacement pager. Feeling that this was a load of crap, I told the rep to NOT send me another pager.

Thrity minutes later I get an e-mail that a new pager was being shipped to me! I called customer service (a REAL misnomer) back, and talked to another rep. I told that rep that I told the first rep that I did NOT want a new pager, but she sent one anyway. In the meantime, the pager in my possession was now turned off (not receiving pages). She said that the pager had already left, but she would reactivate the pager I already had, and when the one I didn't want showed up to just refuse the package with FedEx. So far so good (except that the first rep was an idiot).

A couple of days later the "replacement" pager arrived, but when no one was home. I called FedEx, and told them I wanted to refuse the package. They took some info, and said they'd have someone come by and pickup the package, which they did a few hours later. So far, still so good.

With this whole thing leaving a bad taste in my mouth, along with some earlier problems with system outages, I decided to cancel my Verizon Messaging account and switch back to the original company (I still owned a pager from the other company). I had just a few weeks before mailed Verizon a payment for the following 3 months, and figured that with the early cancel fee, I would be even with what I owed and what I had already paid. The rep I talked to when I cancelled the account confirmed this.

In November I got a bill from Verizon. On this latest bill, I'm still being billed for the new pager (plus shipping) that I had shipped back a month before. They say that I now owe them $20.83. I started making phone calls, and so far have called them 4 times and talked to 4 different people and have 2 "reference" numbers. Every person I talk to promises to get back to me, but no one does, and the charges for the pager have not been removed. They seem to be getting confused with the pager I exchanged in August, and the one I didn't want in October. I can't seem to get anywhere with these people, and from what I've read about them, I'm worried that they'll next try to get a collection agency on me for charges for something I never wanted.

Customer service in the paging industry isn't very good, but these folks are the very worst. Don't buy a pager or service from Verizon!

B
Colorado Springs, Colorado
U.S.A.