Consumer Cellular Billing/Invoicing for services I never had or used. Tigard Oregon

I too had the exact thing happen to me. I'll tell you how this happens with Consumer Cellular (CC). They switch you automatically within 7 days regardless of your statements, requests or preferences. Once they email you, you had better respond quickly to cancel. I advised them I don't check email and to contact me at the best number PRIOR to the switch, which was my current cellular number with Verizon. Well, they called my home number. WRONG. I never answer the home number. So, CC proceeded to switch me even though I didn't have the phone. Let me repeat that. I did NOT have the phone and there's proof. Their response, "So, we shipped it and if you didn't get it within 7 days due to holiday mailing, we don't control outside sources." Are they kidding? Nope.

My story too gets better. When I inquired about voicemail, as Verizon's voicemail can be accessed from a different phone number, they said, "Yes, you can access voicemail once you set it up on the phone." Let me repeat, I don't have the phone. However, it's going to voicemail. CC's response to that, "We don't understand how that is occurring." Okay, so where is my Verizon Wireless voicemail then? CC's response, "You will have to contact Verizon, but it may be gone." What? Gone forever? So sorry, they don't know for sure.

It gets even better. Because they took everything, including my number and account from Verizon, Verizon Wireless doesn't recognize me as a customer. No detailed billing, no  email, no phone service, no texts, nothing. Okay, so how do I get any of them back? CC doesn't know and doesn't care. It's my problem to figure out with Verizon Wireless. In all probability, they're gone forever. I kept the voicemails of my deceased mother and others that were important to me. I asked why this wasn't disclosed to me BEFORE I switched? Their response, "We can't account for everything in every situation." What? It seems pretty stratightforward to me. If texts aren't stored on a Sim card, they're gone. If you don't have a Sim card and texts aren't sent to email in advance, they're useless. If voicemails aren't recorded elsewhere, they're gone. If you need them back on the phone, you had better make the preparations to re-record them in advance.

What's worse is that the phone is activated by CC and there's nothing you can do about it if you haven't cancelled before the 7 days expire from the date of shipment. Don't know when it shipped, too bad. Didn't see or get the notification by email or phone, too bad. Their attitude is deplorable. Oh, they will take the phone back as long as it's unopened. I have no idea what restocking fees or other add-ons are at this point. What's more important to me is the loss of treasured voicemails, important voicemails with phone numbers or items to follow up on at a given time. I can't call Verizon Wireless at 611. CC states I should be able to do so. I told them multiple times it doesn't work. I got the standard response, "We don't understand why that is happening."

I spent over an hour and over a half-hour waiting for a representative on the phone and via online chat, respectively. When I initially called, I put my phone number in for a callback, so I didn't have to wait. That should have been my first clue, as it only took them 18 hours to call back. CC claims they're busy due to the holidays. When I claim I didn't get my phone timely due to the holidays, CC's attitude is indifference.

Moreover, and while I can't call anybody, people think they are able to reach me by leaving voicemails. Of couse, if they leave a voicemail, I should be able to retrieve it, right? Of course, no such luck without the phone. More misinformation was CC's statement the post office will redeliver. No they won't for an Adult Signature requirement. You must be there to sign, and in lieu of that, you must pick up the package at the post office. Don't have public transportation or a way to get to the post office? Once again, CC's attitude is too bad and it's not their problem.

When this service is primarily marketed to older people over the age of 50 and AARP members, I think this company should be ashamed. Younger people know all about new devices and services, whereas older people may not. These things should be thoroughly explained and not some vague disclaimer of "it's automatic." That means nothing to most of us. We have no idea how these things work or what repercussins there may be. As with anything I guess, buyer beware. Ask questions and never assume because a company markets to your generation, they have your best interests at heart.

The cost of all this in time, effort, losses, inability to take or make calls, texts, email or more is immeasurable. When I inquired what CC intended to do about that, you guessed it, nothing. CC cut service in the middle of the day. I had service in the morning but no service in the afternoon. I also asked about that and was told I should be grateful it didn't happen sooner. CC's reasoning is because if I count the first day right after the night I spoke to them around 10 pm, it was actually more than 7 days. Yup, there's a good idea for a company to react to a new customer, admonish them and try to make them look foolish, but above all else, make sure you emphasize as a company you are in the right and for the new customer not to have any positive expectations for resolustions. I repeat, great company to start a relationship with. I'm kidding.

Sorry if there are typographical errors. I could not locate spell check on this. Like I said, I'm older and not the most device literate.