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SunCom Informative - Eronious charges for calls we did NOT make - Cellular Service
Cellular Service
29016, SOUTH CAROLINA -- My husband I left a company we really liked to move to SunCom, because we did not require a large minute plan. We do not really use that many minutes, normally about 300-350. This is why we got the 500 minute plan.
Well, we did not look at the bill details, because we pay online, until we noticed a large bill. Our phone was making "phantom" calls as they are termed.
This apparently was a result of our phone getting wet. $500 dollars worth of calls. As we rarely use minutes, we immediately called to dispute. The phone was making phone calls during the business day. We are both teachers, and we definitely do not make calls all day long, and we tried to explain this to SunCom. It would be impossible for us to use our phone all day during school hours (especially since it is left in the car, as we do not get a signal in the building and are not supposed to have our phones in class anyway).
There were also numbers we had never seen before, and to places we have never been or known anyone to live.
The supervisor's response was "turn off your phone until you get another one, and good luck". She told us that the company "did not look to the past, only the present and future, and therefore is unable to address any past billing problems". We have contested this, and finally they said the best we can do is give you $50 for the inconvenience of our not being able to look back at the previous charges.
When a similar incident happened to a Cingular customer, these were credited immediately, and the phone was replaced.
Now we have written several emails and spoken to several individuals on the phone. One "supervisor" told he would return our call and never did. Any time we try to speak with someone, they are unavailable, and those available do not handle the problem directly. We have now canceled our contract with them, costing $200 dollars, which is far better than having to remain with this type of company and "customer service". Customer service refused to compare the outrageous bill to our past minute usage. This would have shown them that we rarely exceed 350 minutes. They were very short with my husband, and one supervisor even hung up on him when he continued to try to work the situation out, saying "there is no more I can do for you today"...click.
We just do not talk that much on the phone as teachers, coaches, and parents of two small children. Who has the time. We just wanted a basic phone, nothing fancy, and a small simple plan. If we had the desire to talk that much, it would have made sense to upgrade to the "unplan" and not deal with extra charges. But logic clearly does not apply with this company.
We are now contacting our local news station and news paper, as well as posting comments. We would hate to see others choose this customer unfriendly company who does not even choose to listen to the problems of its clients. We did not initiate these calls, and yet are being billed a hefty sum of money for them. Beware. We are headed back to Cingular.
Well, we did not look at the bill details, because we pay online, until we noticed a large bill. Our phone was making "phantom" calls as they are termed.
This apparently was a result of our phone getting wet. $500 dollars worth of calls. As we rarely use minutes, we immediately called to dispute. The phone was making phone calls during the business day. We are both teachers, and we definitely do not make calls all day long, and we tried to explain this to SunCom. It would be impossible for us to use our phone all day during school hours (especially since it is left in the car, as we do not get a signal in the building and are not supposed to have our phones in class anyway).
There were also numbers we had never seen before, and to places we have never been or known anyone to live.
The supervisor's response was "turn off your phone until you get another one, and good luck". She told us that the company "did not look to the past, only the present and future, and therefore is unable to address any past billing problems". We have contested this, and finally they said the best we can do is give you $50 for the inconvenience of our not being able to look back at the previous charges.
When a similar incident happened to a Cingular customer, these were credited immediately, and the phone was replaced.
Now we have written several emails and spoken to several individuals on the phone. One "supervisor" told he would return our call and never did. Any time we try to speak with someone, they are unavailable, and those available do not handle the problem directly. We have now canceled our contract with them, costing $200 dollars, which is far better than having to remain with this type of company and "customer service". Customer service refused to compare the outrageous bill to our past minute usage. This would have shown them that we rarely exceed 350 minutes. They were very short with my husband, and one supervisor even hung up on him when he continued to try to work the situation out, saying "there is no more I can do for you today"...click.
We just do not talk that much on the phone as teachers, coaches, and parents of two small children. Who has the time. We just wanted a basic phone, nothing fancy, and a small simple plan. If we had the desire to talk that much, it would have made sense to upgrade to the "unplan" and not deal with extra charges. But logic clearly does not apply with this company.
We are now contacting our local news station and news paper, as well as posting comments. We would hate to see others choose this customer unfriendly company who does not even choose to listen to the problems of its clients. We did not initiate these calls, and yet are being billed a hefty sum of money for them. Beware. We are headed back to Cingular.
Comments:
Posted by imjustasteph on 2007-05-02:
Wow I hope you get it resolved...I'd say contacting newspeople is the way to go. No company wants negative publicity...
Posted by Bonus on 2007-05-03:
Negative publicity does suck, but I can honestly say that I have never dealt with the 'phantom ca;;' issue and I have worked with SunCom for a while now.
It seems very unfortuante that noone would try to help you and my heart does go out to you. If you did speak with one of our SUPs then their hands werer probably tied due to some SOP deal, but you'd still think that there was something that could have been done.
Were you able to get the credit, and just ended the contract for the 200.00 ETF to not have to deal with it in the future, or did you let the 500+ stick and goto collections?
It seems very unfortuante that noone would try to help you and my heart does go out to you. If you did speak with one of our SUPs then their hands werer probably tied due to some SOP deal, but you'd still think that there was something that could have been done.
Were you able to get the credit, and just ended the contract for the 200.00 ETF to not have to deal with it in the future, or did you let the 500+ stick and goto collections?
Posted by sciteacher on 2007-05-04:
We unfortunately got stuck with the $500, which we had to pay, plus the $200. And for teachers, well you know that is not something we can afford. No one would help us, and I hate to go with the neg. publicity, but we really have no other choice. We have contacted the FCC and obtained legal counsel. I have also sent a letter to the CEO of Suncom(triton?). My next step is negative publicity if advised and to report the action to the better business bureau. We have been good customers, and have always had low minutes (if our phone history would have been checked). So, I am trying to do what I must. With two young kids too, that money should be used for their needs, not for a phone bill we should not have to pay. Thanks for responding Bonus!
Posted by Wilsonian on 2007-05-18:
SunCom Stinks! They really DON'T get it.
Posted by TickedoffCris on 2007-09-12:
sciteacher, what was the outcome of your next step? I'm just starting a dispute with this money hungry company and I can use every bit of advice. Feel my pain: I'm stuck in 4 contracts which translates to $800 in early termination fees.
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