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Report: ESBI - Verizon

Category: Telephone Answering Services

ESBI - Verizon Charged for services not ordered, refused to pay, now in collections!! Nationwide

*Consumer Comment ..I got crammed by ESBI also'

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ESBI - Verizon

Phone:
Fax:

billview.com/esbi/
Nationwide,
U.S.A.

Submitted: 9/29/2005 9:52:29 AM

Modified: 11/17/2008 8:56:20 AM

Julie

Nokesville, Virginia

Ripoff Report Verified Safe

Back in August of 2004, I noticed a charge for $14.95 on my Verizon home phone bill. Since I never ordered voice mail, I called Verizon assuming this would be a quick correction.

However, they informed that since the charges were through a 3rd party service provider, I had to contact them (ESBI) and request that they (ESBI) issue a credit to Verizon in order for my Verizon account to be credited.

When I called ESBI, they informed me that a typographical error had been made and even gave me the street address of who supposedly had ordered the voice mail service.

However, even though ESBI was admitting error, they refused to credit me until I faxed them a copy of my Verizon bills (you mean they can't tell in their own system that they applied these charges to my account??!!).

I thought this was ludicrous, so I contacted Verizon and demanded that they erase those charges and informed them of the details of my conversation with ESBI. I was not a customer of ESBI; I was a customer of Verizon, so I demanded Verizon to resolve the issue.

Well, they didn't, and unfortunately, I had lost one of the Verizon bills so was unable to follow up and fax my bills to ESBI. I didn't bother faxing the one bill I did have because I am very busy!!!!

Long story, short, I am now in collections for $30.80, which represent the 2 months of bogus voice mail charges because I refused to pay it since I didn't owe it.

If you go to ESBI's website, they don't even have a phone number! You have to email them for questions and wait 2-3 business days for a response. GOOD LUCK!

Julie
Nokesville, Virginia
U.S.A.

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Updates & Rebuttals:

Updates & Rebuttals

Earth to whiner............... Daniel [4/9/2006 12:04:33 PM]
Verizon IS responsible J [8/26/2006 2:59:32 PM]
Heads Up On Cramming/Scamming S.n. [8/27/2006 7:07:34 AM]
ESBI - Still at it Virginian [8/29/2007 1:01:48 PM]
Victims Ken [4/29/2008 4:59:44 AM]
I got crammed by ESBI also' Popcorn [11/17/2008 8:52:50 AM]

Submitted: 4/9/2006 12:04:33 PM

Modified: 4/9/2006 12:04:33 PM

Daniel

Indianapolis, Indiana
U.S.A.

Earth to whiner...............

YOUR BEEF IS WITH ESBI, NOT VERIZON!!!!! It always amazes me how customers find new and imaginative ways to blame local carriers for 3rd party charges. If you have a dispute with ESBI, and they fail to resolve the issue, report them negatively - not Verizon. It is not Verizon's job to resolve YOUR third-party billing issues.

Submitted: 8/26/2006 2:59:32 PM

Modified: 8/26/2006 2:59:32 PM

J

Somewhere USA, Other
U.S.A.

Verizon IS responsible

My mother, a senior citizen, is a victim of this phone bill cramming scam by ESBI/Billing Concepts. I had to help her decipher her bill to identify the fraudulent charges. She feared that if she canceled the fraudulent account or didn't pay the bogus charges, Verizon would cancel her phone service. How many seniors are victimized in this way!?!

If your account is with Verizon, your dispute is with Verizon. They have a responsibility to inform you when and why third party charges have been added to your bill, and a responsibility to resolve disputes concerning charges on THIER BILL to you that are outright fraud. The fact is, all the scammer needs is your phone number. Verizon allows them to include charges on your bill with no other information or proof that you ordered the third party service. It's disgusting!

Submitted: 8/27/2006 7:07:34 AM

Modified: 8/27/2006 7:07:34 AM

S.n.

Bucyrus, Kansas
U.S.A.

Heads Up On Cramming/Scamming

Everyone here who has been ripped off due to 'cramming' on phone bills, should make copies of their bills, write down their conversations with their phone service AND the crammer service, send it all to your Attorney General's office AND the Attorney General's office where your service provider and the crammer are located.

Submitted: 8/29/2007 1:01:48 PM

Modified: 8/29/2007 3:19:05 PM

Virginian

Lynchburg, Virginia
U.S.A.

ESBI - Still at it

ESBI is still at their game. I had an unauthorized charge on my recent Embarq bill. Apparently anyone can use any phone number without verification on the internet and have charges applied to someone else's phone bill by ESBI/billview.

I called ESBI and they offered to issue a refund. However, I told them that I did not want a refund, I wanted the charges removed from my phone bill. I did not initiate business with them nor did I want to do business with them. They canceled the account but would not issue a refund through the phone company.

I called Embarq and they were very nice and willing to cancel the charges, issue a credit and process a charge back against ESBI. I told them they should not be doing business with a company that does not verify the accounts they are billing against.

I THOUGHT this type of thing had been taken care of by the Federal anti-slamming laws. My telephone account is locked except for changes made by me but apparently any third party can still cram charges on your phone bills.

While the phone companies seem to be in the middle of this they do have the right to refuse to do business with other companies that do not meet their requirements for accuracy and honest billing. The phone companies profit on this business and DO have a responsibility to the consumer.

Submitted: 4/29/2008 4:59:44 AM

Modified: 4/29/2008 7:33:49 AM

Ken

Mancelona, Michigan
U.S.A.

Victims

Yes I agree that in most cases Verizon should not be blamed for this. Look at it this way, Verizon probably gets hundreds of call each week about ESBI cramming customer phone bills. I called and they said 'we can put a block on them' hmmmmmmm now if they can block it for me and they are VERY AWARE that these people are known crammers. Well, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to fill in the rest of the blanks. Verizon can prevent this but chooses not to, unless you ask.

Verizon should not allow these crammers to end up on your bill period. You see, it comes down to.... your provider should protect you! Some companies have a theory, if you don't find an issue or complain about a problem then No Worries, more money for them! If you do find the problem, they will be happy to return your money.

Verizon, only you can stop the madness. Do your customers a favor and offer this cramming protection for free. These changes MUST be authorized by the person and not some ninny on the Internet. Your trust will be strong with your customers unlike the trust some of us feel with you now.

Remember Verizon, your faith is our future.

Submitted: 11/17/2008 8:52:50 AM

Modified: 11/17/2008 8:56:20 AM

Popcorn

Rockville, Minnesota
U.S.A.

I got crammed by ESBI also'

I just got my latest Verizon phone bill over the weekend and had a mysterious charge for voicemail service from ESBI. I never signed up for it. When I googled the firm, I found a lot of complaints, including ones previously submitted to ripoffreport.com.

I can't believe these people can get away with this. As far as I'm concerned, it's fraud.