Verizon Wireless Refuses to Divulge Numbers of Incoming Calls but Charges our Account for Those "Alleged" Calls, Grossly Overbills Bellevue Washington

'recently telemarketers got the right to call cell phones.' This is correct only for phones which are listed in a directory, similar to white/yellow pages for landlines. However, the owner of the cell phone has to request to be listed. This would be an advantage for businesses who wish to have their cell phone numbers available to others who have access to this directory. The Do Not Call Registry is for landlines only. So don't worry that a telemarketer can call you on your cell--unless you've requested to be listed. BTW, there is a charge for the listing.

Dear M,

I switched to the FamilyShare plan in March 2004. At some later point, Verizon began offering unlimited IN calling for free, although I was paying $10 per month per line for unlimited IN calling. They also began offering a second line for $9.99 per month, instead of the $20 monthly I was paying. I was aware that I could obtain the "new" benefits, but only if I were willing to extend my contract, which I was not.

The people who have responded before to my initial posting tend to accuse me of trying to "get out of paying my phone bill" by claiming I did not receive the disputed incoming calls. Au contraire. When my phone bill suddenly began to escalate into the hundreds of dollars per month due to "overages," I began logging my phone calls daily and comparing the logs to the bills I was receiving. And sometimes that wasn't even necessary---some of the incoming calls I was being charged for were in the middle of the night, or during a time when I was in a meeting with my phone shut off or not on my person, etc. This eventually led me to address the situation directly with Verizon who, as I've said before, told me that I could not be given the phone numbers of incoming calls without a subpoena. And yes, I am aware that starting in October Verizon started disclosing incoming numbers on the bill.

Regarding getting my phone replaced, no, I was NOT trying to get Verizon to do something that should have been handled by Asurion. The phone, an expensive model which I hadn't had very long, began to malfunction. It was not dropped, run over, stolen, flushed down a toilet, or any of the things that Asurion would cover. It was a defective phone which I had an extended warranty on and Verizon, NOT Asurion, was responsible for replacing it. Unlike many people out there, I have never once in the ten years that I've had a cell phone, ever lost it, dropped it, had it stolen, driven over it, any of those things.

You made more than one incorrect assumption in your posting.

Mary, when exactly did you switch over to the Family Share Plan? The reason why I want to know is because I have the same exact plan you have, but only less minutes (I only have 500 minutes vs. your 800).

The Family share plan INCLUDES unlimited "IN" calling (which IS the mobile-to-mobile, meaning unlimted to other VERIZON customers only, NOT to any mobile phone number) because the other number that is "in the family" is a Verizon customer.

As for the insurance on the phones, the representative at the store was correct, regardless of how rude they were to you. You MUST pay Asurion in order to replace the phone since it is NOT Verizon who insures the phone. What you were wanting to do was for Verizon to replace the phone. That's like paying your car payment to a car company and you pay Geico for insurance...then fussing at the car dealership to replace your car when an accident happens. Neither the representative at the store, nor Verizon were walking all over you....you just didn't want to call the insurance company yourself to file the claim for the phone.

Furthermore, Asurion's rate HAS INCREASED by $1.00 on most wireless carriers due to the increasing cost of cell phones and the frequent of replacement phones by customers.

As for the roaming calls, have you reprogrammed your phone at least ONCE per month (*228 SEND)? It updates your roaming capabilities. If you don't regularly reprogram your phone, you may be charged roaming charges you don't have to be charged.

As for Verizon NOT showing incoming calls, they don't have to. As Brandy said, they JUST began doing that about two months ago or so. As for them charging for incoming calls, they CAN do so. Minutes are used whether calls are incoming or outgoing on cell phones. On landline numbers, it's different because of Long-Distance companies...whoever calls is using THEIR Long-Distance company.

I would call Verizon's customer service line (611 from your Verizon phone) to see exactly WHAT your Family share plan includes.

Hope what i said explains some things.

Many of the complaints are about overcharges and lack of call detail to determine if incoming calls were actually accurate.
We need to fight double charging. With landline phones I NEVER get a charge for a call that I receive.
That practice by cellular providers is absurd. If you call forward your calls to your cellular phone so as to not miss an important call, you are liable for all incoming calls. Also, recently telemarketers got the right to call cell phones. You must call the DO NOT CALL REGISTRY and include all cell phones for this to be illegal.
I don't understand why people are not outraged by these practices and don't complain to their State Legislatures and to Congress.
Are we only worried about the baseball players using steroids?
Let's get together and make sure that bank robbery and phone theft get proper hearings in Congress.

Are you aware that as of Oct 10 th Verizon is no showing incoming call detail? As long as the number isn't restricted you can see it. Then people who refuse to accept that they made all those calls have no more excuses! But I am sure for someone who refuses to believe OUTGOING calls were made from their phn will still find some way to thing they are getting ripped off.. By the way.. Current pricing offers 1400 minutes for 89.99 for 2 lines and has unlimited mobile to mobile (which you are still foolishly paying 10.00 for). maybe you should look at getting a plan that will fit your needs.. You do realize when you are on a family share plan you SHARE the peak minutes, you don't EACH get 800 minutes.. But I am sure you have called and been advised of this new plan but refused becuase you didn't want to extend your contract.. Thats ok though..keep paying $500 a month, More money for their employee bonus!!!!

Have been with sprint for 5 or 6 years. Every time we get new phones they try like hell to talk us into going into going with one of their new, "better" plans. Better for whom. 4000 minutes, 360 daytime, 7-7, 3600, nighttime and weekends, 7pm to 7 am. But they keep telling us we'd get "free" nighttime and weekends. The only deal is the nights/weekends start at 8 or 9 pm. In all those years we've only gone over by a couple of minutes for a dollar or two. Stick with what you know and what works for you.

they are not required by law to give you the numbers to incoming calls. and the fact is very true that they require a subpena to give you them.

If you ever had landline, you would notice that they do not show incoming calls.

I wonder if your wife is making more calls or are you talking to each other more? You may want to get mobile to mobile calls and that should help.

I still wonder why the consumer refuses to accept that he made the calls?

I still think you should change your plan to add mobile to mobile and that should reduce your calling charges.