:( :(

[asfastpitch2009]

So, i posted last night about all the problems i was having with my droid x. first the screen going black, phone shutting off, ect.

I call verizon, they get me over to the point where they were going to send me a new phone. The lady seemed very sketchy to me, but anyway.. she asked for my debit card number, and i asked why and she proceeded to tell me that 300$ will be taken out of my account until i send back the old phone after i receive the new one, keep in mind i won't receive the new one til 2nd week of august, so i tell her there is no way i can do that. first of all i don't have 300 in my checking out. then she tells me to use a friends credit card! i was like mam i'm sorry but i'm sure they don't want 300 missing from there account for 2-3 weeks until i get the new phone and send out the old one. so then she began listing all the things i can do as far as check my minutes/ data. ok, i know this stuff, really? I just want to know what everyone thinks about this. oh, i also asked why it can't be charged to my bill an she told me she can not do that.

 

[AFAngryWarrior]

I've never agreed with it, but if you order your phone online or via customer service the only way they can send you a new one is to process another order for the price you paid originally, then refund your original order when they receive the broken phone back to the warehouse. What I have been able to do for some people, so you may want to call again, is call the customers local store to see if they will allow an even exchange. A good rep should call the store, speak to the manager and ask to do an even exchange. Verizon is afraid people are going to have 2 phones then cancel and not pay the bill but its silly. They sould just give you 10 days to return the broken phone or then charge you for the second phone, but I'm not in charge.

You can also escalate to a supervisor who can ZERO out the total of the phone and followup with the account to chargeback if necessary but they usually only do that for accounts open more than a year in good standing. If your VZW account hasnt been open more than 6 months or you were late on a payment in the past 6 months they may take away your ability to charge to the account.

 

[JubbaTheHutt]

I know this sounds dumb, but are you sure you contacted VZW Customer Service!?

All kidding aside, I'd suggest calling back and speaking to a supervisor. There's no reason they shouldn't be able to charge it to your account (when I was having my replacement setup, that was the first suggestion by the CSR).

 

[tdse]

I just want to know what everyone thinks about this. oh, i also asked why it can't be charged to my bill an she told me she can not do that.

Honestly, I've never heard of them doing anything other than charging to your Verizon account. I ordered a replacement X on the 19th, and it was automatically charged to my VZW account.

 

[esn]

Verizon never charges me for a replacement but my friend who has been disconnected several times this year they told him customers with poor payment history must pay the $300.00 to get a replacement.

 

[asfastpitch2009]

Honestly, I've never heard of them doing anything other than charging to your Verizon account. I ordered a replacement X on the 19th, and it was automatically charged to my VZW account.

I'm going to try the local store when they get them in. if they can't do a return then i'll be calling back. Also, as soon as they received your phone they took it off your bill, correct?

 

[badchevy]

I just went in a couple days ago to a VZW Corp store with a few problems, they ordered me a new phone and told me to make sure I return the problem phone as I would be charged for it if I didn't return it. I have always found it is best to go in the stores and talk face to face so if they tell me something off the wall I can stop them in their tracks and set them straight.

 

[serenade84]

Can you send the broken phone in first, then they can send you the new one?

I also agree that it sounds like you are in bad standings with your account and they need a deposit to exchange phones...

 

[badchevy]

Can you send the broken phone in first, then they can send you the new one?

The store gave me that option at first till I laughed at them and that is when they told me to just make sure i returned the defective phone.

 

[lamoglinsgal]

Honestly, I've never heard of them doing anything other than charging to your Verizon account. I ordered a replacement X on the 19th, and it was automatically charged to my VZW account.

I just ordered my replacement last night and was told it would be charged to my account until they received the old one. I totally get that. But billing your credit/debit card? CRAZY!

 

[asfastpitch2009]

I actually just signed up a contract with verizon when i got this phone, paid a deposit fee of 400 dollars plus 199, all together it ended up being 611 dollars to start out! so i mean, i really don't have the money to be charging 300 on my card.

 

[jbhumph]

Wow that's a lot to have to deposit....bad credit??

 

[asfastpitch2009]

Wow that's a lot to have to deposit....bad credit??

No credit at all, lol i'm 19. i must have some type of good credit tho, i just got a car loan.

 

[thecrock0984]

Yea some places do that with no credit. And some places are willing to do car loans and such. Just depends. Happens.

 

[Old Man]

I actually just signed up a contract with verizon when i got this phone, paid a deposit fee of 400 dollars plus 199, all together it ended up being 611 dollars to start out! so i mean, i really don't have the money to be charging 300 on my card.

I understand your perspective, but your having no history with Verizon and apparently a limited credit history in general is also likely the very reason they may want some greater form of security.

Maybe you can arrange the timing so that you can get the replacement phone at the start of a billing period and then return the original one and get the charge credited before the end of that billing period.

 

[jbhumph]

Yeah, that'd be my guess as to why. That sucks

 

[tdse]

I'm going to try the local store when they get them in. if they can't do a return then i'll be calling back. Also, as soon as they received your phone they took it off your bill, correct?

Well, I haven't sent the old one back yet (replacement not due here until tomorrow), but I had this happen once in the past, and yes, they removed the charge pretty quickly. When you ship the defective phone back, you will get a tracking # from Fed Ex, so you will know when VZW has received the old phone back.