Credit Help

3-2-2005 | concerned

[cainin04]

I need some advice. I recently recived a cell phone bill for over $500. I have good credit and have never had to despute a bill.

I talked to Verizon and explained that I did not realize I had went over on my minutes and that I would pay the normal price that it costs to cover the amount of minutes I used--that total would be $79.99. They refused; they said that they do not have a retroactive policy and that I would HAVE to pay the bill.

Basically, I am not paying a $500 cell phone bill. That is unreasonable and insane. But I also don't want to hurt my credit. What should I do?

If you can lead me in the right direction on how I should go about this, please post.

[RockinRight]

Pay it and watch next time.

I had this happen and there wasn't a damn thing that they would do for me.

You might see if Verizon would let you pay it over several months.

[Rokke]

You signed the contract. Now you have to live by it. Buyer beware. If you don't live up to your end you should expect to be labeled a credit risk.

[hattend]

Ask to talk to a supervisor if the person talking to you won't help. They should work with you to lower the charge. ATT does.

If that doesn't work, pay the bill and whatever is left on your contract and then go to another cell provider. Tell Verizon why.

You signed a contract saying you would pay extra for minutes over your monthly minutes. Five Hundred bucks sounds like you exceeded by quite a bit.

[pelikan]

I agree with RockinRight (post 2); but if you are not planning on paying, at least for a while, you should notify the credit bureaus in writing that you have a dispute with Verizon.

[the invisib1e hand]

good luck. i've had a dispute with verizon for over 2 years for a bill that came in at over a grand. they were supposed to have changed my rate plan to add way more minutes but, when the bill came, someone else there said, "we have no record of this...". pretty typical cellphone provider crap, actually.

there's a website I found while in the thick of it that people post such things to, and you'd be surprised at how much scamming these companies do to their customers. if you google for a while you might find it.

[queenkathy]

Pay the bill and then check out other cell phone companies that meet your calling patterns. Then when your contract is up, fire Verizon and tell them why.

[the invisib1e hand]

Ask to talk to a supervisor if the person talking to you won't help.

yes, that will get you passed to the moron in the cubicle next to the one you just talked to.

[tfecw]

well ignoring the bill is a bad idea. I've been sent to collections a couple of times (both times for honest mistakes, hospital assumed i had the University insurance, but I had waved it cause I was an army brat. Same hospital did it twice)

It honestly makes you feel like scum when people call you up and are like why haven't you paid your bill ect ect ect. And it will damage your credit. Companies protect themselves with fine print and all sorts of other things to insure that you pay the bill.

Taking them to court to get out of the bill would be a better way (if you really think you have a case) Ignoring the bill would be bad. Unless you used a fake name and SSN to sign up for the plan, then it's no big deal :)

[hattend]

yes, that will get you passed to the moron in the cubicle next to the one you just talked to.

Probably

[cainin04]

I talked to a supervisor and they would not help. I know that ATT will help people out, but Verizon is apparently unreasonable.

What happened was I have been using my cell to talk to a person that I thought was in the "IN NETWORK" but apparently they aren't and so I was getting charged for those minutes.

Should I talk to the credit bureau or what?

I just don't think it is good policy to send someone a $500 cell phone bill. That is a weekly pay check, that is a house payment!

I must say, I bought the Verizon service because Clark Howard had said good things about them, but they have terrible customer service.

[cainin04]

thanks. Your case really sucks.

[Vicki]

We always ask to talk to a supervisor. If you don't like what they have to say ask for their supervisor. Always tell them that you want to settle with them.

Offer them half. Keep telling them that it was a mistake and that you want to continue to be their customer because of their good service. So good, in fact, that you have told many people.

I have found persistence pays off. Good Luck.

[hattend]

As somone said before, see if you can pay like $50 a month and then use the phone only when absolutely necessary.

Then dump Verizon first chance you can. And tell them why.

[ikka]

I suggest you write them a letter. Talking on the phone just gets you connected to people who work in a call center and probably do not even work for Verizon but for the call center that Verizon hires.

[tfecw]

hmm so basically you thought someone was in network but they weren't.

that doesn't seem like a verizon scam to me. I don't think they are unreasonable at all actually. If your friend told you he was in network I'd say your beef is with that person.

also where is your mortgage only 500 a month? I feel a move coming on.

[cainin04]

yeah, I tried that, and it did not work. I talked for over 30 minutes and it never really went anywhere. I was pretty nice at first and then tried getting tough, niether worked.

This company sucks and I will either end my agreement now! or I will end it in September.

I just don't think I should have to pay this high of a bill.

[cainin04]

I live in Georgia, and yeah, when I said it was a house payment--I meant on like a 70k house!

[cainin04]

I guess my question is really this...will it hurt my credit if I just refuse to pay this bill? And will it help to talk to the credit card people?

I am in my mid 20s and I have never had to deal with anything like this before, so I just don't know what I should do at this point. My credit is great and I have never had any problems such as this before.

[ambrose]

70k??? This is what $385,000 will buy you in Los Angeles:

http://bob-taylor.com/6511shortway.htm