Verizon Telephone Co. Verizon canceled our international service without our authorization and charged $5 per minute Dallas, Texas

I want to complain about the local telephone company, Verizon, of canceling our

international service without our authorization, which resulted in charging us $478.80 (not including tax) on two international calls that we made on Aug. 22 that totaled 72 minutes, or about $5 per minute.

For the last two years we have been using a company named Asian American  Association (1-888-888-888-1) as our international carrier that offers 5 cents per minute and direct dial (no need to use any access code) without any problem. However, for about two or three days in late August, Verizon canceled our international service without our authorization.

The trouble began on Aug. 12.

1.     On Aug. 12 evening, we received a call from Verizon that offered to upgrade our internet service in a package that includes local/US/Canada calls and internet service, but when we receive the order confirmation by email, we found the package has an additional fee of $120 that the person from Verizon did not mention. In the same email, Verizon said it would send a technician to install the new service on Aug 21, when the new service would start.

2.     On Aug. 13 morning, my wife called Verizon to cancel the order, the Verizon customer representative said I can help you with it and after a while, It is done. We thought that the order was canceled without any problem.  But what happened later indicates that Verizon did not cancel the order as it promised us. (Aug. 21 is the date the new service was to start).

3.     On Aug. 23, a Verizon representative called us to say that a $478.80 were to be charged to our phone bill on two international calls made on Aug. 22 since we didnt have an international carrier.

4.     On Aug. 24, we immediately called Verizon to explain that our international service had been canceled without our authorization, and we asked the service to be restored. A lady who called herself Malla told us not to worry about this, and that the telephone bills for Aug. 22 would be taken care of. 

5.     However, on Oct. 1, we received a bill from Verizon that we are charged $478 on the two calls made on Aug. 22.

6.     We have since tried to resolve the dispute with Verizon without success. We have refused to pay the charges on the international calls.

Asian American Association told us that it received notice from Verizon that our service was canceled around Aug 21 but restored around Aug. 25. Verizon is denying that they did it. But the email from Verizon indicated that it sent a technician to install the new service on Aug 21st.  I believe this was the day we lost our international carrier.