ATT UVERSE ATT UVERSE CHARGED DOWN PAYMENT 6 TIMES REFUND PROCESS IMPOSSIBLE! Internet

I called ATT to inquire about ordering internet services for our home. After being told that services were offered in our area but we would be required to pay $100 for the equipment upfront from a debit card, we arranged for a call back and went out to purchase a prepaid debit card. The lady called us back on time, and after multiple attempts at finalizing the order the lady informed us that the problem was that they were unable to accept prepaid debit cards and that we must use a card from our bank. She said that no money had been debited from the prepaid card.

Our next step was to try my husbands debit card from his bank account. Again, after several attempts at finalizing the order, we were informed that there was some type of problem with their system and that we would receive a call back the following day with our order confirmation, and that as of yet no funds had been debited.

For the next two days we did not receive the call back, and finally decided to visit our local store. Here we were informed that in order to have internet services at our home, we must also purchase the tv package as internet only was not available in our area. We informed the employee that we had already attempted to purchase these services through the 1800 number and what had happened. She checked the system and had no record of our account.

A few hours later we received a call from the ATT representative and her supervisor who informed us that the reason they were unable to set up the account was due to the fact that the internet only option was not available in our area as we had originally been told. They asked if we were interested in adding the TV programming and we declined. We were also told that no money had been debited from our account.

The next day we found out that in fact the prepaid card had been debited the $100, plus a second attempt, leaving the balance at -$100. We called the card company to inquire, and they informed us that this was due to a 'hold' and a refund being issued. We then checked our bank account balance and found that several hundred had been debited from our account, plus several hundred more on 'hold'. ATT advised that us to call the prepaid company and cancel the payment, which we did, and received the refund promptly.

My biggest complaint starts here. We were told that it would be necessary to wait 7-10 days for our refund of the money that had been debited from our bank account. We informed them that due to the amount of money debited, this would be nearly impossible for us, and that we did not have to wait for the first refund of the prepaid card. We were told at this point to speak to the bank to see if they could possibly cancel any holds.

My husband spoke to the bank and they informed us that the best course of action would be to report this card as compromised, and they would issue a new card. This also would protect us against overdraft fees from checks coming out of the account while we awaited our refund, and cancel the holds. The bank kept the old card.

While the holds were canceled we did not receive the refunds, minus the very first from the prepaid card. This led to hours on hold with ATT, being transferred, hung up on, told we never had an account, never attempted to open one, or that they had found it but there was no payment information. A representative was finally able to locate the payments, and we were issued a partial refund, minus about $200.

We started the call, hold, transfer, hold, transfer process again, and were told that we would not only need the original card number, but that we would also need to fax in proof from the bank statement that the money had been debited. We sent the fax as instructed, including the call back information, and never received the call back. Finally we called, went through the process til we got to the right person, who told us they had no idea as to what we were talking about.

Finally we decided to let them keep the last $200. Quite frankly, with how much we have ran up the phone bill over this, the $200 isn't worth it anymore. I have lost all faith in ATT, and will never again order services from a company that will lie in order to sell a service, and forget that I existed when I am no longer a potential customer.