Cingular Wireless ripoff, poor customer service, theft, rude Anaheim Hills California

I have been an AT&T customer since 1999. I have NEVER had a problem ever untill this merger! I have had nothing but problems with Cingular!

It all started in FEB of this year when I wanted to add my parents to my service. (My dad has an AT&T phone & service too)We wanted to use his phone & phone # & the first rep. said we couldn't do that, but he could give us 2 free phones & an excellent plan.

The 2nd rep. I talked to stated I could do that if I went through a whole lot of steps of having him call & giving me permission to take over his acct. AND many many more steps.

I then agreed to do the family talk plan & add my folks. (Expecting that their phones were free because that's what the rep. told me)

I also wanted a new phone. (In my contract with AT&T I was to get a new phone every year by the way) I wanted the Motorolla camera phone & found it online ONLY for 19.99. (Due to me calling it wasn't available for that BUT SINCE I was a long-time loyal AT&T customer he would give me that phone for 19.99)

So, phones came & the phone I ordered was terrible! Reception was terrible!! The folks phones came along with the bill!!

These phones were supposed to be free!!! NOPE! They charged me & they charged me for an adapter that I never ordered!! So, mom called it and said to send them back! This is ridiculous & you will have nothing but problems!! (Man, moms are always right!!)

I sent the phones back within a week of having them. I kept my old Motorolla AT&T phone and went back to my original plan. I then got a bill for $120 something? I called & spent an hour on the phone & the rep. first told me that they never got the phones!(Of course they didn't!)Then after further looking of course they were found!

She assured me that that account was closed, everything was taken care of, and I owed NOTHING!! I then got a bill gor over $550. I then had to play the hour long phone call again & was told that I owed nothing & everything was taken care of.

So, in the meantime, I have been paying my bill sice then. I had a check bounce in April & was shut-off immediately. Then you of course have to pay more fees to reinstate your service.

A few weeks ago I got a letter from a collection agency by the name of Southwest Credit for $156.63. I spoke to a lady named Melissa who was VERY rude when I tried to explain to her I don't owe this. She stated "well, that's not what Cingular is telling me!"

I emailed Cingular on 6-28-05 concerning issues of why was my rate plan changed? Where's my minutes? Where's my free phone every year? Why is my bill at a collection agency when I don't owe anything?

Their response to me EXACTLY was: We have reviewed your account and see that you have a pending balance of $47.58 on your account. The last payment of $63.45 was made on 6-14-05.

You do not have to make any payments to the collection agency as you have made the payments on time.

As for my minutes, they stated that I was on my original plan of 700 minutes & it has NOT been changed.

Gee, I have everything from the original phone call when I first signed the contract with AT&T for 950 ANYTIME minutes for 29.99 a month with free long distance, unlimted mobile to mobile, free nights & weekends and a free phone every year.

Here, the whole time I have been billed 39.99. (Hummm)Go figure?

I have called about this so many times. 1 rep. told me they would not be honoring that free phone every year.(But you just got done telling me that NOTHING would change due to this merger)

This has been a breech of contract by Cingular wireless I told the next rep. She stated that of course they would honor that but I would have to purchase a Cingular phone.

NO WAY! I wanted nothing to do anymore with this company! She also had no response to her company breeching their contract with me.

Why is it when big companies breech their end of the bargin ot does not matter & they don't have to pay a dime, but if the customer breeches we pay through the a*s!!!

I then of course had to call these rude people again today because my service has been shutt off.

The first reps response at 0600 today was "your service has been cancelled since March." I told her that I have been using my phone how could this be true? She asked for my acct. # & I gave it to her.

She then told me that I had an AT&T account. I thought with the merger that it is now Cingular? Her response was it is but you still have AT&T billing?

What is the deal here? So, she gave me the # to call for AT&T.

The rude man Troy, I talked to stated my service had been cancelled due to a bounced check. How could this be whe the payment was received on 6-14-05, and it bounced 6-30-05?

The payment was made & then after it was made it bounced?

I then at this time am so frustrated & pissed off that I am being treated poorly! I cancelled my service. NO WAY was I waiting till April 2006!!

I told him that AT&T never shut me off. I bounced 1 check with AT&T, made partial payments when times were tough & they carried it over to the next month & NEVER shut me off.

He then proceeded to raise his voice with me & stated he was an employee for 2 years & they ALWAYS have shut people off if their payments were not honored!

I then raised my voice & told him I have been a customer since 1999 & never been shut off or treated this way!

He then proceed to yell a bit more & I told him that I was the @#@#ing customer here & you don't treat me this way!

His response was "No you're not the customer, you just cancelled your service!"

I am planning to file with the BBB, call the Attorney General: Mike Hatch, file with the FCC & whoever else I can. I don't think Cingular should get away with this!

I also was never refunded my $19.99 for sending the phone back.

My plan was changed by Cingular. They also have been overbilling me.

They breeched long ago & now I have to pay? This is sad!

So, now I am out of service. I will be fully researching cell phone companies before I agree to anything!!

I will also be contacting my attorney concerning this to see if there is any legal action I can take.

The attorney fees will be worth it!

Lisa
Moundsview, Minnesota
U.S.A.

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