Verizon to refund customers for mistaken data charges

What a line if BS. Verizon is fully capable of having the feature disabled on their end such that accidental use triggers a failure at the handset and no data charge. They fail to do so precisely because many/most who get this charge won't notice.
It is also fully within their capability to figure out on their end who did this "by accident" and proactively reverse the charge. They want to convince users they are serious about brand reputation then they should go figure it out and not wait for the customer to "notice" and complain.

You're 100% correct. We've been billed for data charges every month since we received new phones this past Spring. Even after having "Get It Now" downloads and internet access blocked, I'm still getting charges. And it's not just the $1.99 charge. I'm tired of calling every month to get the charges reversed, now I'm going to write the CEO of the company. I'm sick of it!

I've called every month for what seems forever!!!(2004) I've been hung up on, refused to let me speak with a supervisor, etc. I was told I can't block internet because of certain phones, I was told they could block internet but it would block my pix messages, which I pay for! unlimited! I was told my phone accesses internet, even with the block. I've been refunded many times except for the last month. Some representatives give me different stories when I call, gotta wonder if the have a good training program. I just started filing complaints online and did get a response, "this is the way Verizon is". It really sucks because I like the service and coverage but these bogus (or mistaken) $1.99 charges really have me in an uproar. I keep asking the company if they know of any class action lawsuits against their company for these charges but they will not answer. I find it very hard to believe at this day and age they cannot block data from customers!

I agree with previous posters What a crock of BS Verizon is feeding everyone.I have had these charges for several months on 3 lines.I had to block EVERYTHING but calling and texting to MAYBE stop the data charges!!! I am paying for unlimited text/picture messaging but cant use it because they won't refund me unless I block everything what a bunch of CRAP!!!

And people wonder why prepay is growing.

Consumers are beginning to understand that a low price every month, with your SSN and credit reporting behind it, really means that the consumer is trapped in a "roach motel" of keep paying our low fee forever.

They're even beginning to understand that those nice new phones thrown in every year imply your willingness to continue living in the roach motel.

If you don't like your prepay, you don't pay. Service cut off then and there. Now that billing systems are commodities on the provider side, and on the consumer side (what? you don't have a perpetual calendar on your handset?) people can take control of their billing commitments.

The mobile providers continue to bring consumer ire on themselves. And they'd rather play the game their way than change. The annuity business is so nice if you get the payments and keep the consumers in the dark. Thanks for updating that lesson for us, Verizon!

BLHayes@gmail.com

This started back in Nov 2007 when the NationWide plans, which brought the change to $$ per MB pricing for data (as opposed to the Americas Choice plans which data as charged per air time minute used).

IF VZW was serious, it would have been fixed in the ALMOST TWO YEARS that this has been happening!!

The same thing happened on my 16 year old son's phone to the tune of $972! We wound up having to pay it two monthly installments and he claimed he never used the feature. VZW disabled the mobile web after I called for the third time, but we still got charges made against my son's mobile number for about three months, when I finally had enough and suspended service on the phone. VZW is the biggest ripoff in the whole cell phone world.

Does anyone know what we can do about this? An agency to complain to? My husband has a work cell phone that he had to put in his own name a few months ago. Ever since then these charges keep showing up. They refunded it ONCE, but this month said that they couldn't refund it again. Supposedly they've blocked data usage now, but I don't believe it- I think they said that before. We are stuck, because Verizon is about the only carrier with good reception at his place of employment, where he uses it most.

We have been Verizon customers since the beginning of cell phones, but we are fed up with the data usage charge. I have yelled at my kids over this, and until my own line was charged in a month where I used only 7 minutes on my phone I wasn't certain what was going on with this charge. I know damn well I didn't go on the internet. I hardly even use my phone for voice. I have to say that the 4 times we have received the charges they have been credited back, but it takes time on the phone and I truly resent the insinuation that we are somehow lying about our phone usage. Now, we have twice had the charges occur when everything internet related is blocked on our lines! Just today I was told that this month's $1.99 was for hitting the mystery button (the browser button) and it had to tell us that we have no access. Yup, they claim my daughter touched that dreaded button and because they had to tell her she doesn't have access, it costs $1.99. The local Verizon store did credit back the charge, but they tell me there is no way to prevent this from happening again. Excuse me?? This is your charge, your plan, your $1.99 ticking on my bill! Fix it! You have until the end of my contract to do so!

I just got off the phone with Verizon. They wont refund a payment that they took out of my bank account with out my authorization cause they keep saying i have a bill due. so my Bill is not Due till Dec17 and ive been trying to get my money back since Nov 16th

A class action lawsuit was just filed against Verizon on January 26, 2010 in the United States District Court for the Northern District of New York.