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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Data centers are for processing mass surveillance of the population. AI, which I use a lot of, will be the overseer. I suspect that someone has an AGI already spun up and “they” want to give it space to roam.
Stargate. Altman, Ellison, Son.
* Trump’s first Day in Office this term.
* A. I. Global Centralization.
Possibly first controlling food distribution.
That sounds more like cheap membrane switches than micro switches.
HERE’S YOUR SOLUTION:
Whatever credit card is tied to this Verizon account...
REPORT IT LOST OR STOLEN
It’ll be locked. Every payment tied to it will hit a brick wall. And you then have the control to reestablish payments to ONLY the vendors you choose which may be NONE of you elect to pay month by month.
The same goes for weather control and removing CO2 from the atmosphere. It will be done and plant life will suffer.
Your first mistake was going to Walmart.
time to put you back to work
I had a similar problem with Spectrum a month ago. They improperly shut off my internet for a half a day but could not issue a compensating credit. (I wanted $100). Eventually they gave me a new account at $40 less than what I was paying for two years, being a credit of $960 to solve the problem. I said OK.
Try getting your 401(k) money when the employer who handled it, but you no longer work for, goes out of business and turns it over to Empower. Going on almost a year so far with those bastards and all they can do is follow a script about getting approval from the employer’s HR for a distribution (except there’s no gd employer anymore!). I’m now working with the US Dept of Labor to intervene and get something accomplished. Next stop will be a 401(k) attorney.
This is all happening with medicare, medical, and credit card outfits. Screw the seniors. Coming from all three sides.
Medical swipes c/c says copay at $50. After you leave takes another $500 on c/c. Insurance pays too. Money never returned to patient.
Hours spent on phone with no resolution.
Learning to pay only cash
I have dealt with Verizon. I doubt your situation has anything to do with AI. It has to do with the corporate bigwigs at Verizon. They have intentionally devoted billions of dollars to advertising and three dollars to customer service. They don’t want issues resolved. They want the process to be painful, so you’ll give up and keep paying them money.
But, it doesn’t make sense... if they suck so bad, why don’t you just go to another carrier? Because you know the other carriers are just as awful. I spent a week trying to resolve an issue with them, which should have taken 10 minutes. I hope I never have to deal with them again.
I tried to cancel my Apple TV subscription. Same deal. Talked to a gentlemen from India, after spending 90 minutes trying to get to a human. He told me repeatedly the system would not allow me to cancel, that I had to do it through the app (which I had tried and failed, which was why I was calling him!). Finally, he relented and said he cancelled my service. I was suspicious, and made sure I checked my credit card statement, and lo and behold, he had cancelled the service. I guess their policy is verbally deny cancellation three times, but if the customer persists, relent on the fourth attempt.
“ It isn’t just AI computers acting like Skynet... It is people creating corporate rules and physical systems without logic.”
Yup!
…and I will add, designing human discretion out of the system, not allowing breakpoints to interrupt or check the automated process.
In the effort to eliminate human error and mitigate risk, we have created the biggest error possible, a closed loop that cannot be interrupted.
The latest thing is merchants that won’t take electronic payments (ETF). Only check by mail, or you give up your bank account numbers for monthly deduction.
Of course the check is always “late” with a $40 late fee.
I currently have a zero interest 36 month deal on a bed. The default interest rate is 40%, which starts one day after one check gets “lost” or is “late”. The only alternative is they get to debit my checking account.
It will be quick.
We could be fighting for the human race before we know it.
Why do humans try to extinct ourselves whenever we get a chance?
My wife went to a kiosk for her provider and was told she was entitled to a “free” hotspot. Of course, there was a monthly charge for it. When she called, they asked about the “tablet”. They likely gave her the hotspot but charged her for a tablet but never gave her the tablet.
I told her it was her fault for going to a kiosk. Stupid tax has to be paid.
Try a banker. I have a Financial Advisor and he could get blood from a turnip.
“Verizon is the worst company on the planet “
Optimum might be worse. When I tried to “cut the cable” saving $150 a month, they repeatedly read a list of promotions like installing fiber optic, different combinations of cable channels for a lower price etc., and I kept saying “no cable TV, nothing, zero.” They drone on and on for 15 minutes, then they say you called the wrong number so they transfer you to another creep who starts the whole process again. That person is called a “retention agent” and they get a bonus if they convince you not to cancel. I said “what if I just don’t pay you anymore” and they said “well then we will report you to Experian and ruin your credit history” - but I am trying to cut off my service!!. The retention agent then connects me to a “loyalty agent” who tries a third time to convince me not to cancel. I start telling them I will sue them, etc. after 1 hour and 15 minutes I got it done. Always start the conversation with “I am recording this conversation”. There have been class actions against companies who make it difficult to cancel - mention to the agent that what they are doing is illegal and could subject them to legal action - Adobe vs FTC is one precedent.
I get your annoyance - but I don’t see how this has any relationship to AI or a “Skynet” moment. What this sounds like is either a *deliberate* mechanism by Verizon to make like difficult for people wanting to drop them, or, incompetence in system design.
I’d just block any payments to them, let them chase you.
Open an account solely for that purpose.
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