Today I logged in to my Verizon account to check my billing. I was immediately confronted by a full screen notice asking me to accept new TOS, Terms Of Service for the services I added. “But I didn’t add any new services”, I thought to myself. Then a light bulb went off in my brain! On Thursday, 1/13/2022, I chatted with Verizon regarding a FIOS outage. The Verizon representative on the chat ran diagnostics and verified that an onsite visit was required. Before scheduling the onsite, the Verizon representative insisted that my Fios Quantum Gateway Router needed to be replaced, and sent me a new Fios Router. My objections were clearly stated in the chat transcript. I knew the Fios Quantum Gateway Router was not the problem. I even question why Verizon was replacing my equipment before the Verizon technician’s visit, scheduled for the next day. But despite my objections, Verizon sent the router anyway.
But that’s not all Verizon did. Prior to contacting Verizon about my outage my monthly bill was $117.71. After Verizon decided to send me the unnecessary Fios Router, my monthly bill has risen to $121.36.
A loose definition of what the Verizon representative did is called “up selling”. A more accurate definition could be “cramming”.
Cramming is the practice of placing unauthorized, misleading or deceptive charges on a consumer’s bill. Cramming can also occur if a local or long distance company, or another type of service provider, does not clearly or accurately describe all of the relevant charges when marketing a service.
In the midst of our Verizon FIOS Internet outage, while we were struggling with the anxiety and anguish of mounting losses due to a Verizon outage caused by Verizon themselves, Verizon took advantage of our situation to sell us a new Fios Router that we never needed.
Today I stopped by my neighborhood UPS store to return the Verizon Fios Router. The UPS employee placed a receipt in my hands, held my hand very tightly, and said, “Hold on to this with your life”. It was almost like an act of desperation. I wonder what UPS knew?
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Same thing happened to me a few days ago. I ordered NBA league pass for a one time fee of $99 and I was sent an email two days later that my router was in its way. When I checked the bill it went up $19. Unbelievable scam