Posted on 06/10/2026 8:36:30 PM PDT by Ex gun maker.
I very rarely post here, it seems I am not PC enough in the particular flavor of this site. But I don't know of a better venue to make this observation. Large companies have crafted "Systems" that they no longer have control over. They are utterly unable to do what should be simple and routine task as "The system" will NOT ALLOW them. I am going to be specific to the case I have been fighting for what is now months. But I am sure that it is not unique, corporate business tend to adopt similar models and technology.
Several months ago I was fast talked into buying a new iPhone at Walmart during a "Black Friday" event. The saleswoman lied from beginning to end, the monthly rate was misstated, the purchase cost, the term that the phone would be "Locked" to Verizon, virtually everything. I refuse to pay for a device I returned, or service that I never received.
I have tried to resolve the billing dispute for months. Typically I get transferred several times, then put on hold for hours before the connection is lost. Then I have to start again.
Yesterday I attempted to deal with this at a Verizon corporate store, over two hours while the employee was also put on repeated holds. At the end of the day I was assured that Verizon would call me today and this would finally be resolved. I was called back, five times, with a lengthy hold each time. I know, get to the point already!
OK, here is where I learned that this is never going to be resolved satisfactorily. "The system won't allow it". Verizon has now tried to remove the charge from multiple angles. Each time "The system" refuses. Verizon has no manual entry, they have no override, they have NO CONTROL over what is supposed to be their own system. They are literally unable to enter a command and have it carried out.
Now file this along with the fairly recent reports of an AI lying to keep itself from being deleted for upgrade.
I'm not a computer nerd, all I know to do is to try to never utilize AI, and avoid companies that do rely on it. Those data centers driving up our electric rates are NOT for our benefit, and if the companies building them cannot control them they should not be built at all. Sorry if this comes off as a rant, I expect tin-foil hat and trolling eye emoji's. But if a few of you actually think about it I hope I have made a point that gets you to pay attention.
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Yeah what a wast of time, you lost all credibility when you said ‘ijphone’ (Yes I meant to spell it that way.)
If you paid with a credit card, contact your card issuer and dispute the charge. Ditto, if you used PayPal.
Either one will likely contact Verizon on your behalf.
It worked for me on two different occasions.
AT&T is just the same. I've been trying for a month... probably 30-40 hours in total, trying to get a new cellular data modem activated. (because the old one is physically broken due to stupid design ...microswitches requiring a long, hard press while only supported by their tiny surface mount solder pads.)
It isn't just AI computers acting like Skynet... It is people creating corporate rules and physical systems without logic.
Someday in the not too distant future it will be impossible to deal with a human at all.
Let me clarify.
Verizon has not gotten a dime from me.
They do not have my bank information.
They have sent several bills, and recently sent this to collection.
They will never see a penny of my money, they cannot take from my social security. (NRS 21.090(1) (y).
They cannot threaten my “Credit rating” that I already burned down to escape the 28% interest trap.
At 71 and getting more cancer screening next week, they have no leverage over me, none.
But there is a principle here, beyond the scam sale.
Corporations are not inherently evil, but those who embrace this sort of abandonment of their integrity, internal control, and policies to “The system” are not worthy of patronage.
Dad passed and resolving all of the auto payments meant me impersonating a 94 year old man. It worked though hard to do over the phone with a straight face ;-)
I was given a Verison phone which had to be unlocked so I could use it on my Consumer Cellular account. The original owner had to unlock it by calling Varison. No unlock happened. I have a useless Samsung Galaxy phone. I wish Congress would pass a law stopping this lock action.
Yep.
Setting up a clean transition seems to be a tough slog….
My real point is not that Verizon are crooked and incompetent.
It is that they have voluntarily ceded control of their own company to an immoveable “System” in the name of profit.
I see this spreading, I don’t see it ending well for anyone.
Software can be made to do pretty much anything.
Software can be modified.
Claims to to contrary are Total BS.
There is no shortage of peeps being screwed by alleged impenetrable curtains.
Samsung phones run on Google Android OS. They all become useless eventually as Samsung only updates the phone to adapt to the latest Android version while the phone is still being marketed. As soon as they issue enough new phones, they stop supporting the old ones.
Your mistake is thinking of the phone as something that has enduring value. It doesn’t. It is like a hotel room for a week in terms of the price. If you stay in a hotel for a week and pay 1250 dollars, you do not have the room afterwards. Same with a phone. You pay 1250 dollars for the phone, you get to use it for 5 years then toss it and get another. If you are smart you get a new phone every 4 years and trade your old one for a credit on a newer model.
Tracfone.
Verizon is the
WORST of the
WORST of the
WORST
I quit them 23-24 years ago
Then they bought TracFone which I have
Sigh 😔😔😔
[Someday in the not too distant future it will be
impossible to deal with a human at all]
Oh, you met a couple of my ex-girlfriends...🤕🤕🤕
I don’t like this forced obsolescence racket.
Your situation had nothing to do with AI or skynet
Lawyer and or FTC complaint
No, it’s very different. Computers add a whole new element to the human only customer service experience.
This used to be the case but you can’t even get a human on the phone to say this to. It’s all text, xhat, etc. and those are all AI. You can’t resolve anything anymore.
Its pretty much all companies now. Good luck finding one with integrity
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