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I can *almost* understand this happening with Vonics - whoever that is - but how about good ol' AT&T? My sister-in-law is remarrying and moving in with her soon-to-be-husband. She called the residential service number to have her phone disconnected. Kept getting a recording that the lines were all busy and to try again later. After a week of that, she went on-line and tried to cancel it that way. Nope - the web site is strictly oriented toward moving the residential customer UP to "bundled services". Now she doesn't know how to get the phone disconnected! I told her it sounded like the "Hotel California"...we are programmed to receive!
This makes me wonder how difficult a time I'll have getting my phone service canceled when I move in a couple of years. Right now, my SIL is thinking of just not paying the bill (she pays by check) until they cancel service. She doesn't think the credit damage will be much to worry about.
Try to cancel anything and you get a hard time by Customer Service ..that is WHEN you finally get through. I went through that with Sprint when I wanted to not renew.
I almost missed the date thanks to them not answering or "I can't help you. A manager will have to call you back". Guess they have no manager cause no one ever called me back. Had to dog them down to get my account cancelled.
There is a lesson there as well. I never sign up for automatic payments. I am so afraid of something like you are experiencing happening that I won't do it even for the electric company.
I go with this also. With on line bill paying, no need to give companies access to your money. Nobody takes my money automatically.
Determine how much more you will pay before you decide to change your card to a different number.
Just some clarification, you can stop the automatic debit, however the only way to do that is to block the exact amount. Once they realize the account is blocked in that amount, they'll simply charge you a penny less or a penny more and the charge will go through.
You got good advice, use it.
Unless you're orbiting on the space station, there's no excuse why you can't go to your bank and withdraw sufficient funds to last a week or so.
Quote:
Originally Posted by 70Ford
You could send them a certified letter stating you have contacted an attorney and he has advised you to send them a certifed letter stating that you want your account canceled immediately and all payments returned. You don't actually have to contact an attorney. Just mention that.
I agree here, too. Add to that you've attempted to contact them to cancel the account on (insert dates/times), and that you've filed a complaint with the BBB (on date), and that you want the account canceled retroactive to whatever date you first called.
Quote:
Originally Posted by 70Ford
You could also send them a certified letter threatening to take them to small claims court. In some states, you can just file on line. They would lose more money defending the case than to offer you a refund. If they even show up, that is. In that case, a judgement would be made in your favor and you would get your money back..eventually...maybe.
I disagree here, as it's a little premature for such a threat.
Better would be to include in your certified letter than if you do not receive notice of cancellation within 10 business days of receipt of your certified letter, you will be filing a complaint with your state's attorney general.
Location: Jonquil City (aka Smyrna) Georgia- by Atlanta
16,259 posts, read 24,758,986 times
Reputation: 3587
Quote:
Originally Posted by teatime
Hey all --
I need some advice. I have been trying since the end of April to cancel my account with Vonics and they are flat-out ignoring me. Their service stinks, they have phone outages frequently and I've had to get other phone service. However, they continue to collect the monthly service charge via my debit card! I'm really fed up!
I've asked that my money be returned (since May) and further charges to cease. No response. I filed a complaint with the Better Business Bureau and they reported back to me that the company is no longer at the listed address. Well, they must be SOMEWHERE since they're collecting money!
I called my bank and asked if they could block the Vonics charge; they said no. I would have to cancel my debit card and get a new one with a new number to stop the charges. Great -- that means I'd be without my debit card for a week AND I'd have to call the other companies that use my debit card number for payments.
Can anyone think of another alternative or something I can do? The next Vonics charge is coming up next week and I need to act. However, in the off chance that they finally respond to me and try to refund my money, I hate to cancel my debit card. Getting a check out of them would probably be impossible.
Lesson Number One: Never ever ever use a debit fake Visa/MaterCard to pay a bill or buy a service!!! Use a regular credit card and then you can simply fill out the dispute form and send it in and they will reverse the charges. The debit card will put you through the following hell:
1. Cancel the card
2. Wait 3 weeks for a new one during which time you have no access to your accounts via ATM.
3. Get a police report
4. Fill out 3 forms and get them notarized when you sign them.
I canceled my card today and ordered a new one. That should take care of it. I took out some cash and, if something comes up, I can always write a check until I get my new card.
As I've stated previously, I can't send Vonics a certified letter -- the address they list as their business address doesn't work. When I filed a complaint against them with the BBB, I got an email back saying the BBB couldn't do anything because the business is no longer at that address. I'd be more than happy to send them back their modem thingy but since they don't have a working addres, oh well.
Location: Jonquil City (aka Smyrna) Georgia- by Atlanta
16,259 posts, read 24,758,986 times
Reputation: 3587
Quote:
Originally Posted by teatime
I canceled my card today and ordered a new one. That should take care of it. I took out some cash and, if something comes up, I can always write a check until I get my new card.
As I've stated previously, I can't send Vonics a certified letter -- the address they list as their business address doesn't work. When I filed a complaint against them with the BBB, I got an email back saying the BBB couldn't do anything because the business is no longer at that address. I'd be more than happy to send them back their modem thingy but since they don't have a working addres, oh well.
Many of these criminals do not have a visible address or phone where you can reach them.
I juts canceled by mother in-laws telephone service with ATT and it only took a few minues and they sent a refund check in about ten days on the account over payment.I cancel about five years ago when I moved and same thgn;no problems at all.Very nice customer service everytime I delt with them in fact.
We shut off a land line over a month and a half ago (SW Bell now renamed AT&T) and asked them to send final close out billing.
Still waiting.
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