Verizon Trying to Screw Me

[cl1953]

Just got my verizon land line bill. Surprise!!!!. My son made calls to his girlfriend traveling in Spain. For whatever reason, he thought he could call her cell phone and there would be no charge. Verizon thought differently. They charged about $3.00 per minute. The bill is close to $1000. I know, I should beat him senselessly, especially when I told him not to call.

I would have got a phone card. The verizon internt'l plan I could have is $4 a month and about $.10/minute.

We are negotiating and they have come down to about half. I want to hold out and pay a fair rate of about $.30/minute. We are claiming that we never authorized long distance calls to be allowed.

Any suggestions for leverage or negotiating points? I realize they have the resources, but someone out there must know where the donkey pictures are hidden.

[bio-smear]

Did he call a phone number that has a domestic area code? AFAIK, my "America's Choice" plan doesn't allow international calls at all by default.

nevermind...just noticed you specified "land line"

[IslandSnow]

I know where the donkey pictures are hidden.

I'll tell you where they are for $1000.

[IslandSnow]

And your right, you should beat him senselessly, then make him pay the bill.

[Tippster]

There is absolutely no reason whatsoever to have Verizon as your Long Distance Provider. If they are by default -- you didn't pick anyone else -- then it's your own fault.

I guess they're charging you around $1.50/minute. even at that rate he talked to her for 700 minutes! That's over 10 hours!

EDIT:

Hold on - I just went to the Verizon website - their normal charge to spain is $0.15/minute. They do have on their website a link that says many countries charge a premium for calls to wireless phones (ie Cellphones) and that Spain's is $0.20 -- whatever that means. So at worst it's a $0.35/minute charge. To get to $1k dollars your kid had to talk for nearly 3000 minutes. That's 50 hours!

[cl1953]

Tippster you are correct on the published rates. That only applies to the programs. Since we do not have a program they charged $103.95 for 27 min, 138.60 for 36 min. I guess that is closer to $4 a min.

WTF, the calls do not cost any more. It's like a fuck you stupid charge.

I need a verizon hit squad.

[Tippster]

Wait - you're mad at them for not keeping your son from calling his Girlfriend? How is this Verizon's fault?

[cl1953]

Wait - you're mad at them for not keeping your son from calling his Girlfriend? How is this Verizon's fault?

I'm not saying it is their fault. The fault lies with my usually level headed son. I am just looking to find a way not to pay the onerous rate assessed. Since my son will be paying the charge I am trying to reduce it as much as possible.

[hutash]

Wait, they gave you close to $500 off because your son did something stupid, and you are saying Verison is ripping you off? I am not one to defend a phone company, but sac up and make you son pay it, then beat the snot out of him. They way I see it is you are trying to screw Verison, not that they don't deserve it on general principle.

[dirtybryan]

Well, from my experience, tell them you wanted to upgrade your service and they didn't. I signed up for the wireless NA plan, or at least thought I did. I got my bill a month later for like $1800. Needless to say the guys at the store never changed it over, but to Verizon's credit they did fix things. I know this is a landline so it may be different.

[Cliff Huckable]

I'm not saying it is their fault. The fault lies with my usually level headed son. I am just looking to find a way not to pay the onerous rate assessed. Since my son will be paying the charge I am trying to reduce it as much as possible.

How old is your son? If he's older than 15 or 16 you should leave the charge as it is. And charge him a Ticketron-like convenience fee of 20%.

I'm no defender of big business, but it's really hard to see how you can possibly blame Verizon for this.