Cell One ripoff deceptive practices Duluth Minnesota

In the month of May 2002 I decided to trade my land phone for a cell phone. Being at the time it was a cheaper way to go. I lived in a small town in Minnesota and the choices for services.

Were not that great. I was told Cell One was one of the best companies around, so, in May of that year I went to Cell One of Virginia Mn. I told them what I needed to meet my needs which was fine and dandy while I lived in the area. I had no problems till I moved to Illinois.

My contract with Cell One was for a year which ended in May 2003. I called Cell One in around January to cancel my contract and was talked into cutting my minutes at the same price I was paying for up there and they would not charge me roaming charges. So I said okay being the end of the contract was coming to a close.

Well, the contract ended. I kept my phone on for a few months after. I let them disconnect it thinking that I would get a final bill in the mail for the unpaid usage. Now I am faced with going into collections and ruining my credit that I am in the process of rebuilding. Because they did not recieve a letter of cancellation from me. I am forced to pay three months of usage I did not use.

On August 31 my daughter recieved a call from Cell One which I never gave them her number. I asked how that got that number and was told they were calling around from my phone usage to people whom I called to find me. I gave them my current phone number when I moved into the Chicagoland area. They had a 715 area code as my phone number which is in Wisconsin. I never lived there as I told the rep at Cell One.

I was told that it was in my contact that had expired in May that even though my phone was disconneted I am still liable for charges until they get a written notice from me which I sent in August and was confirmed by Cell One but I am still responsable for charge for 30 days after the notice. So, I went from a 45 dollar bill now to pay 200 dollars.

When I activated my phone with Cell One I wasn't told by the sales person of the letter fact. But was told it was to be only charged 20 dollars. A month if I did not complete my agreement with them for the months remaining in the contract. It would of been cheaper just to pay them the sixty dollars to end my contract in January like I intended.I did not read my contract fully as I learned a lesson there.

How can a company charge a customer for a product if its not in use? Its unfair that Cell One contract or not should be able to still bill a customer for a product that is not in use. They should be more clear on the contents of their contract.

I would not reccomend Cell One to anyone I find their business practice a rip off if you don't read their contract completely, and don't go on the word of their sales people. They are not well informed to their own contract. My only question is, if you continue not to pay the bill and send a written notice does that mean ten years from now you will own them over five thousand dollars, what then?

Lori
chicago, Illinois
U.S.A.