A couple of weeks ago I told you that I took my internet provider business from Comcast to Verizon hoping for better prices and service. I had my first hiccup with Verizon this week: the second bill arrived and it included charges for items that I did not order and never used.
The items that they were charging me $14.99 for were Verizon Security and Backup Bundle 5GB and Verizon Games on Demand Unlimited. I don’t know how Verizon thought it could place these items on my account without me asking for them. The good news is that the customer service representative did take those items off my account and credited my account on the current bill.
I’ve always heard that it is important to review bills for extraneous charges and this was the first time that I’ve noticed such a trick on my own bill. Let me know in the comments if you’ve been over charged by your internet service provider.
Wow, I was just in the store today and they said I was not getting the cheapest price on my FIOS, so I needed to give them my email address to verify my new pricing. I now go into my email, and they said to activate the Security and Backup Bundle 5GB . Crazy!! HE NEVER said anything about that at all. I am a very technical person, and would have known if he said that to me. This is insane…….
Rene, this is exactly what *should not happen*. How can they do this to you (and me and I’m sure many others)? Good luck getting them off your bill.
As I said, the CSR told me those items wouldn’t be charged but the bill never changed. I ended up calling them a few weeks ago and was told that they only reversed the second month of the service. I get to pay for the first month because I had those services for a whole month. Nothing I said would convince this guy that 1. I DID NOT order that service. 2. I canceled the service on the web site within days of the service starting up.
Watch out when you start your Verizon service because they are charging for services you don’t want and don’t ask for!
I just took over my 90 yr old father’s checkbook and bills. LO and BEHOLD Verizon started charging my father $7.99 for Verizon Security and Backup Bundle in Feb ’08. This bundle is for SMALL BUSINESSES not for 90 yr olds!! Verizon owes me for 10 mos of services that were not requested. Good thing there’s a Verizon employee in the family. This is going to be investigated for sure!!!
Additional services charges were also on my bill, without my consent: Security and Backup Bundle/5GB @ $8.99, Starz Play @ $5.99 and Games on Demand @ $14.99. Also about 2 months ago there was an additional $19.99 charge on my bill (don’t remember what it was for). I called and had it taken off and given a credit on the following bill but I’m getting a little fed up with checking every month to see what they may be charging me for without my consent. You have to wonder how many people they are doing this to and how many don’t realize the extra fees they are paying. It is a very money hungry organization.
After one year of service and with no warning, Verizon increased the price up my phone/DSL package. When I called, they switched it to a plan that was more than what I had paid the previous year and then told me that I was being signed up for “Verizon Unlimited Games + Starz(R) Play Pak”. I told the CSR that I was not interested and his reply was that I should log on to my account to unsubscribe.
I told him that that was unacceptable and that he needed to remove it from my account right then. He left for a few minutes and when he came back, he told me it had been taken care of. That was about 40 minutes of my life I’ll never get back.
So, now my next bill comes, and, sure enough, there are $16 (plus all kinds of taxes, presumably) worth of “Verizon Unlimited Games + Starz(R) Play Pak” charges. Their customer service keeps old-fashioned bankers’ hours, so I still haven’t been able to talk to them.
This is really slimey, loathesome behavior that must be affecting a huge number of people (something like this also apparently appeared on my parents’ phone bill out of nowhere months ago, but they didn’t notice it). Maybe I’ll try to complain to the FCC.
Kate if you find a good place to complain to the FCC about this, please let us know. This seems like cheating and lying to me and it needs to stop.
I just signed my mom up for Verizon and sure enough, they added this extra Security and Backup Bundle/5GB for $8.99 on her second bill without her consent. I’ll be calling the customer service rep to get it removed from the bill but I wish there was more I could do so that no one else gets swindled like this.
Yeah, and that backup would be a wonderful idea, too, except that it is useless at 5Gigabytes. My computer has 71 GB, and it’s only average. I don’t know what security they provide, but I’ll bet it’s just as flimsy.
I found a charge for Security and Backup Bundle/5GB on my Verizon bill. We recently changed our Verizon bundle package but we did not order the security & backup bundle. I called the CSR & they tried to tell us we ordered it & it was 30 days free then they started billing, but we did not order it, they removed the charge & gave us credit for it but I am sure they automatically charge others for the same feature & people probably don’t check each item on their bill every month & just pay it. $8.99 a month for 5GB of storage is outrageous.
Yup, happened to me too. An extra $16 for “Verizon Unlimited Games + Starz(R) Play Pak.” Verizon is disgusting. Is someone finds an FCC person to talk to please let me know.
File your complaints at the FCC. I did. Here is the link:
http://esupport.fcc.gov/complaints.htm
I just noticed this charge of $16 on my bills as well. What’s funny is that the article is from November 2007 and they’re still pulling this crap.
Verizon is BT, I found Verizon Unlimited Games + Starz(R) Play Pak charged suddenly showing in my account. What’s shit company, I have to call every month for un-expected charge!
I just got my bill (Feb 2010) and this charge appeared as well:
Verizon unlimited Games + Starz(R) Play Pak : 20.98
Gaming Starz Play Bundle Discount: -4.98
I’ve had FiOS for over two years now and they start pulling this sh*t?
I called, was on hold for less than a minute, it took the CSR less than five minutes to remove the charges, issue a credit and cancel the service.
Annoying as hell, not to mention trying to figure out partial-month charges, the dates they’re charged for (say, for a promo that ended after 90 days or a cancelled premium channel). I have a feeling they get away with a lot of extra charges.
Yep, Starz/Games Pack and the security package… the same thing happened to me. My theory was that the Verizon rep. in India or the Phillipines signed me up for the commission even though I said no. It wouldn’t surprise me. I can just picture some guy in India using broken English and saying “I thought he said yes!” Sadly though, I don’t even think Verizon’s current management either knows about it or is policing the problem. Heck, though, the higher-ups are outsourcing American jobs to a bunch of people in India who patronize and lie so they can be lazy and suck on the capitalist teet rather than do their jobs, so it’s wouldn’t be surprising to find out the middle management probably doesn’t have common sense enough to pay much attention to bill discrepancies…
It just irritates me… I signed up for DLS on about the 12th of Jan and they told me my service ready date was the 19th, when I called because it wasn’t working and someone else told me it had been the 18th. Nothing worked, so they said they would send out a technician to examine the lines, and nobody showed up… ever. I set aside an entire day to watch for a technician, and they’d not even give a courtesy call that they wouldn’t be able to make it or explain why they didn’t show. I ‘d call that evening after the time window during which they were supposed to arrive was over, and they’d tell me some fluff excuse with an Indian accent like “there wush too high a wurrk load.” The one time I spoke to a technician he said it was kinda far out and he would be there the next day (still didn’t show).
I finally got connected when I MOVED on Feb 10th to a new apt, but it looks like they’re trying to charge me for the 20+ days I didn’t even have service. Someone told me I’d have 30 days of free service credited to my account but all I’m seeing is a charge for $35 and a bunch of confusing added on charges for services I didn’t sign up for… After this is all said and done, they will hopefully give me some free days so I don’t have to sit and do math for 2 hours just to figure out why their bill is retardedly confusing…
It happens again after I called them last time. This is shit. Verizon should go to bankruptcy, rob us money for no reason!
This has happened for the past THREE MONTHS. Every time I call and get a credit and they ASSURE me the service has been removed from my account. And every month I get the credit, but the service is STILL THERE. Originally it was the Starz Play and Security and Backup services. Finally it’s JUST the security and backup package. HOW HARD IS IT TO REMOVE THE SERVICES I’VE ASKED THREE MONTHS IN A ROW TO REMOVE!?!?
It actually is quite a work to do. When I moved locations, I have transferred my service with Verizon FiOS to my new address, and when it was time to be reconnected, they had the wrong address and I had to reschedule 3 times. So, for the inconvenience, they gave me 3 months free of HBO/Cinemax, before it even expired, I called to have it removed off my account. They took it off, and it was still showing up for 2-3 more months. I have to call 4 more times just to make sure that it’s removed. Luckily, when it was finally removed, the reimbursed all the charges. And now, I work for Verizon FiOS CSR/Billing, and I’ve gotten plenty of cases like this and I’ve made sure that I removed them. The thing is, sometimes it could take immediately, or even 2 months to finally have the remove order processed. I would always make sure that the customers are getting what they really deserve simply for the reason that I’m also a customer and I understand where they’re coming from. If you have any questions, feel free to email me. I’ll always be glad to input and help. :)
I was wondering why my bills were so much. Everytime I went online to check my bill it said the bill site was down and I had to come back. I talked to csr and requested paper bills to restart. Well when they sent the bill they just sent the overview that gave bill amount and acct #, etc. Well I was finally able to log in I found a charge for Verizon Unlimited Games + Starz(R) Play Pak for $20.99 . I have to wait until monday to find out b/c they are closed. My bill was combined phone and internet and to be $65.00 sadly to say $115 is the cheapest I’ve seen.
call 1.866.500.2365 retention services!!!! i was being charged 4.99 for games 5.99 for starz and 8.99 for the security and backup FOR OVER A YEAR!!!! After 4 calls to the retarded customer service department i came across this number online and within 10 minutes i had all of the charges $200 taken off of my account.
I have two months now of trying to get rid of Verizon’s Unlimited Games and Starz Play Pak. They claimed to have removed it last month, partially did so, and then recharged us this month in full for last month and added another charge for this month! We will continue to report here if this comes back again.
I am providing input on Verizon. A disabled friend started High Speed Internet in February 2010, at a price of 69.99. However, since his service started, his bill statements include, Security & Backup Bundle; Unlimited Games & Starz Play Pak; Verizon Freedom Essentials; Internet Bundles; fluctuating initial internet service plans from month to month (where the price changes), and much more. His initial requested services was only for High Speed Internet at $69.99. However, his billing for each month has been between $101.36 – 287.64.
Can anyone provide myself with some advise in resolving these unrequested services with Verizon, who do seem to be scamming people all across the U.S.?
Thanks
I work as a CSR for Verizon FiOS, and I apologize on behalf of the CS dept. Unless your friend ordered phone as well with the HSI, he should not be getting charged for Verizon Freedom Essentials; especially if he did not request for long distance. Second, if your friend still has the service now, I suggest he updates, or rebundle. Because our HSI prices right now are only 29.99 – 44.99, depending on the speed. And if he just has HSI, he also should not be getting charged for taxes. And lastly, to have miscellaneous charges permanently off the bills, I suggest he makes, or go on his Verizon Online account, go over the extra products, and click none for wherever you see it. I’d be glad to help for further questions :]
My firm is conducting an investigation in Virginia, D.C., and Maryland into Verizon’s practice of adding unauthorized charges to phone bills, especially Starz, Games on Demand, Security and Backup Bundle, and Protection Pak Enhanced. Feel free to contact me at: investigation@websterbook.com
Verizon added Starz Play on my account back in Aug 2009 and I just noticed it due to the fact that I have auto pay. I called and they would only give me a credit for the last sixty days. That’s B.S.. I am going to file a complaint with the FCC..
Verizon added Verizon Unlimited Games + Starz(R) Play Pak ($20.98) and Security and Backup Bundle/50 GB ($10) to my account in Oct 2010 without any discussion or request. After spending hours in the evenings on hold waiting for a Service Rep I called from work during the day and waited 25 minutes. The Verizon Rep said that my records showed that I ordered the services via phone… this is totally false. After holding for a Supervisor for 30 minutes I was told that “I had ordered the service while correcting another error on my bill”. After disputing this and asking that the record be corrected the Supervisor told me that they would not correct the record and terminated the call (hung up on me).
Just had the same thing happen with Starz Play, I was able to get all five months that it had been on my account removed. You just need to get the right person on the phone. I was told initially they could only take off 2 months, then it was 4 months and then she finally agree to all 5 months.
If someone would be willing to provide details as to these practices and their own experience with trying to get them reversed, I would appreciate it.
Same thing happened to me. It turns out I’ve been paying $20.98 for the past YEAR for Unlimited Games + Starz(R) Play Pak. In the beginning I was apparently getting a $4.98 discount on it (for about 4 months according to my bills). I never signed up for this service. It’s possible I signed up for a trial period and then canceled. It’s been so long I don’t remember. I DO remember calling customer service and asking them to cancel it though. They said they did, so I didn’t bother checking my bills after that. Boy was that stupid.
I’ve been struggling with this for a year. They remove the charge from my bill after I complain about it, but then after a month or so it’s back on the bill again. This is criminal. Please let me know if anyone tries to organizes action against Verizon.
John: I am organizing an action. Please feel free to email me at investigation@websterbook.com.
Steve Webster
@ Steve Webster. Are you still organizing an action?
Becky: I am. Feel free to email offline.
Steve Webster
I was viewing my Verizon bill trying to figure out why it was an additional 20 + dollars and realized it was due to a charge for Unlimited Games and Starz(R) Play Pak. What in the world is this???? No one in my home ordered this! It was very disturbing!
They have added the Starz/Game package twice and now I just got the security/backup bundle. It took over an hour on hold and I still have not received a “call from a supervisor” in 48 hours. I have file two complaints with the FCC in the last 3 months for this. I actually canceled Verizon over 5 years ago for the exact same practice and went to Cox. I was giving Verizon another chance due to wanting Fios but I guess I am going back to Cox again.
We switched from Comcast to Verizon on March 3, last year. The charges for “Security and Backup Bundle/25 GB” and “Unlimited Games + Starz (R) Play Pak” appeared on our bill dated April 2, with the dates of service for those “bundles” being March 17 – April 16. We called Verizon and had them cancelled… or so we thought. Apparently, the cancellation never happened. But, because we pay our bills directly through our bank online, we rarely open paper bills. Today though, my wife said, “I’m getting tired of Verizon changing their prices all the time. This month we owed $145 and next month we owe $200.”
Come to find out, Verizon never did cancel the “bundles” and instead applied a discount for a few months to offset the price a little… I perceive this to be a way to throw their customers off guard, to make them think the extra charges have been removed from their account. Over time, our Verizon bill went up to about $170 per month. Then, this month’s bill was significantly lower at only $145. We paid it like always, figuring Verizon must know what they’re doing.
Our April bill is doubling up on the “bundles” charging us $60. Now, wait a minute; I thought we cancelled those at the very beginning. I went back into our bills, noticed the discounts, noticed how the discounts kind of tapered off, and then noticed that the “bundles” continued – not being added for the March bill, and being added again in April for dates of service being 1/17-2/16 and 2/17-3/16.
I utilized Verizon’s Live Chat service online to find out what is going on. They had me provide account information (even though I gave them the account number, my name and phone number when contacting them) and verified that they knew what the question was, then after a short delay said, “we don’t have that information. You need to call…” Seriously? That’s the help you offer?
I think we’ll go back to Comcast. At least they removed extra “bundles” when we asked them to instead of trying to cover them up with discounts, only to drop the discounts a few months later hoping the customer is as dumb as us. Screw you Verizon. We don’t do business with pricks like you.
Add me to the list of disgruntled Verizon customers. I just found out they added the Security and Backup Bundle/25 GB for $8.99 + tax to my monthly bill a while back. When I asked Verizon what it was they said “oh, that’s McAfee antivirus, you know for your computer.” When I asked who authorized adding that to my bill, she said “we can refund 3 months back.” I plan to file a complaint with the attorney general’s office.
Shame on me for not reviewing the bill every single month though. I will need to schedule time to do that now. But I’m sure there are a lot of novice computer users who get scammed by this. It’s amazing what these corporate giants can get away with.
I too just found out that Verizon was charging me $8.99/m for this Security n Backup bundle for last 10 months without my knoweldge (I’ve Auto-pay option without any paper-bill setup, being lazy I never chacked my e-bills). So I searched on the internet and come to this site and I’m apalled to see people are complaining about it since 2008 and Verizon is still doing it.
I had the same problem and spent 30 minutes on Verizon chat getting this corrected. I repeatedly asked for an explanation of how they could do this and got no response.
Sheesh, the Verizon bill is in my wifes name. Just received a bill for $ 0.06
Is that stupid or what? I was going to call Verizon just about that until I noticed the Security and Backup Bundle itemized on the bill. I never agreed to that! My wife never questions these things. Verizon agreed to roll the $ 0.06 into the next billing cycle and to credit the account for the current month for the (ahem) Security and Backup Bundle as well as to remove it from my service plan. Its sad when consumers have to watch these guys like a hawk. Always remember caveat emptor !!!
On my latest statement (payment due August 6, 2011) I have an unexpected $10 charge for Security and Backup Bundle/50 GB. I will contact Verizon’s customer service get this removed – most likely wasting an hour or more to do so. IMHO, adding charges such as this should be illegal.
@Rosco Same. I called to get the whole thing straightened out and spoke to a perfect cretin who told me that I had been subscribed to the service for a long time. Later, he finally admitted that it had been complimentary because I was a ‘valued customer’, and I now had to pay for the service. Dimwit. Cancelled the charge and had it credited to my account.
Wow so they added free the service to your existing plan without your consent and then switched it over to the paid service without telling you? That’s just not right.
My 7/29/11 Verizon bill had same unauthorized charging/billing for Verizon Broadband Essentials (Security and Backup Bundles) w/3 months free, etc. and Verizon Broadband Extras (Unlimited Games and Starz(R) Play Pak Jun 22-Jul21 for $20.98 minus discount (???) of $4.98. Neither service was requested. I note complaints have been going on since 2007!!!! and nothing has changed. I also am filing a complaint w/FCC…..very easy to do. Stand up and be heard! http://esupport.fcc.gov/complaints.htm
i just checked my bank account.. verizon just took $252.50 out of my account unauthorized!! i dont even HAVE Verizon service!!!! im PISSSSSED!!
I have been trying to find a way to remove Starz Play from my bill. I called once and the agent said they could not find it! I did not order this Internet feature and want it removed immediately. I resent being charged $5.99 a month for something I did not ask for and do not want.
My 90 yr old grandmother was suddenly charge $5.99 per month for call forwarding . She has never ordered it and doesn’t even know what it is. I spent 1/2 on the phone having the charge credited. They are stealing from the public.
Hello all, I have also had this problem. It is absolutely illegal and all of your payments should be refunded. If they are not (and even if they are) I suggest everyone files a complaint with the FCC via the following link:
https://esupport.fcc.gov/ccmsforms/form2000.action?form_type=2000B
This is a very sketchy business practice and Verizon should be ashamed of practicing it. These complaints are what led to them refunding unauthorized cell phone charges one year ago. Please be vocal about this for all those that cannot.
Verizon placed unaurthorized charges on my bill as well. I made several calls to remove AND put my numerous requests in WRITING! Still no luck. I have forwarded all my documentation to my State Attorney General’s Office to file formal complaint. I was also told if consumer DOES NOT put request in writing, Verizon has no legal resposibility to remove charges. Its your word against theirs. Telephone calls to Customer Service are worthless in any dispute or court of law. It’s mandatory all billing disputes be in writing and sent within the legal time frame of 30-60 days upon receipt. Read the back portion of Verizon bills and act accordingly. Document everything and keep detailed records of dates, times, names of CS reps u spoke to and their employee ID #. If they tell you they dont have # they are lying! Document everything they said and ask what EXACT date the credit will appear on your statement. They wont tell you of course. They will play dumb just to shut you up and get rid of you. Credit will NEVER be issued to your account. Document everything! Keep copies of all written correspondence and PROOF you sent it. Send RETURN RECEIPT REQUESTED! DO NOT DISPUTE CHARGES ONLINE! You won’t have a leg to stand on. Your Attorney General’s Office will ask for all docs so be prepared to provide WRITTEN docs. They will investigate and Verizon MUST answer. FTC only gathers your info. and logs all complaints to look for a “pattern” of abuse. Not a waste of time but AG will take action. Deceptive billing practices is a blatant violation of the Fair Credit and Billing Act. Good Luck!
Still going on Jan 25 2012
Doug: If you would like to speak about this, I am available.
Steve Webster
Just opened my bill and saw where Verizon added a 75 MB Value Pack on 12/29/11. Yes, I was in the Verizon store that day inquiring only about a possible new phone…which I decided against getting…the Verizon Employee “noticed” that I was paying $59.99/mo for my current Mobile Broadband service and offered me the information that I could now receive it for about $10 cheaper with the same 5 GB that I already had. So I agreed – heck, why not get it cheaper and keep the same amout of coverage. That was it, nothing more to it, and I left. Then today when I open my bill, I see where this Value Pack mess had been added! WTH?? Can’t wait to explode on him tomorrow when I go back down there!!
Chris, let us know what they tell you when you go back to the store to investigate!
They are still at it! I too have automatic bill pay, so I don’t bother to review my bills. Today I did and wondered about this $10 charge for some “security and backup bundle.” Then I went back in my account history to find that I’ve been charged this since the summer. I called to complain and the service rep. took off the charges going back three months. I asked why this “service” was added to my bill. He kept saying, “it was added” on such and such a date until I told him to STOP IT, since he wasn’t even saying WHO added it. I filed a complaint with the FCC. I do remember running their installation disk for a new DSL router they had sent me last summer. During the installation, it mentioned something about some service like this, so I aborted the installation and decided to configure it manually. Well, apparently they got me anyway. Even funnier? I haven’t even used that computer in months.
The Security and Backup bundle is actually not being added by a representative, it’s being automatically added by a computer. Either when you signed up for Verizon Online, and you made a couple of clicks, there will be some things there that you would click and they would just be automatically added. Especially if you have internet with Verizon, it automatically adds it. I’m a Verizon representative, and when I issue any kind of installation, the system would give us to choice on whether to add some kind of virus protection, some reps just go through that page and click nothing, when some click none for every single one of them. And when they just pass that page, the computer would assume that you would be interested in that certain product.
been hit with the $10 security bundle fee for the past 9 months ($90) for mcafee that i already have on my computer. wife pays bills and never looked at the charges. i can imagine the amount of money verizon makes off of people who do not look at their bill. asked for a $90 credit, they said that they could not credit me for services that i already received. i never asked for the services in the first place.
I am another Verizon customer who this has happened to. After seeing the complaints here, I filed one with the FCC and finally did get some action from Verizon. They say now they will be crediting me about $170 that I’ve paid over the last year (after FOUR attempts by me to get the Security and Backup Bundle cancelled.) We’ll see if I ever see the money, but at least I feel like someone is finally listening. Good luck to those of you who are filing a lawsuit!