HELP! 30 day "risk-free" trial, not so risk free. :(

hanikai · ‎08-13-2008

Hi, I recently decided to try AT&T's "risk-free" trial for a PC internet card.

I am very careful with this sort of thing, so before I ordered with the sales rep, I double and triple checked that I would be able return the device and cancel the service if I was not happy before the trial ran out. so... here we go.

1. I called in the first week of July 2008 to order the USB device, asked when the trial would begin. I was told the trial begins when the device is activated and used for the first time.

2. July 10th I recieved the device.

3. July 12th I activated the device and started using it.

4. August 10th I cancelled the service and was told that I owe $162.20 I ended up having to fight them on the phone for about an hour, after which the rep told me that he's very sorry, and I actually owe nothing, and he was going to send me out a package in which I needed to put the device (prepaid package) and then everything would be final. No payments due. I was very satisfied with the outcome, obviously, but still a little annoyed with having to have fight with them for it.

5. 2 days later I get an email saying that I owe $162.20. I call them up again, thinking that an error was made and the email was sent to me by mistake. Not so lucky... I end up having to go through the whole fight again after which they said that I only owe $104 or something instead. I told that the issue was resolved a few days earlier, but apparently they don't communicate with one another (ironic, given that this is a communication company) So at the end of it, they say I still owe over a hundred dollars at the end of a "risk free" trial.

I would really appreciate any suggestions or help with this.. has anyone had a similar experience? I am currently awaiting a call back from an AT&T supervisor. They said I should hear from the within 72 hours. Im pretty sure Im going to have another fight on my hands when they call... so stressful and sooo not worth the hassle. I was all set to get the Iphone G3 in a month when my sprint contract expires, but after seeing the way they have dealt with this issue, I am extremely hesitant to have any dealings with them in the future. Of course if this all pans out correctly, I may still consider it, otherwise I will settle for the Samsung Instinct on Sprint.

thank you all

- Harry Hansen

Jldnr77 · ‎12-03-2005

The "risk free" part of the trial is that you can cancel within 30 days without being locked into a contract. You would still owe any charges for usage, activation fees, taxes, etc for the time you actually used the service. Basically, you don't get 30 days free, but as stated you get 30 days RISK free...the ability to change your mind without penalty within the first 30 days. And no, paying for your usage isn't a penalty.

hanikai · ‎08-13-2008

I used it about 3 times.. are you telling me that it costs over $160 in "usage fees" for 3 usages over 1 month?

Jldnr77 · ‎12-03-2005

Your service is billed as a MONTHLY charge. You agree to pay a certain cost PER month. The amount that you use it, unless maybe your lack of usage is due to coverage issues or device defect is not something that's taken into consideration.

For instance....the only service that I pay a monthly bill on where the bill is based on USAGE rather than being a "flat rate" or "per month" charge is my electric bill. Also water and sewer bills are based on usage, but since I live in an apartment I don't have to worry about those.

Very few services of ANY kind are actually billed on a usage basis rather than a flat rate.

hanikai · ‎08-13-2008

So $160 for the month would be acceptable for you? Oh, and what about the fact that I was told SEVERAL times by the sales rep that it would cost me nothing if I decided not to use it after 30 days?

Do you work for AT&T? It seems like you do.

Message Edited by hanikai on 08-13-2008 04:08:09 PM

DWC1 · ‎12-23-2002

At the most you should owe $60 for one months laptop connect service assuming that is what you subscribed to plus the $36 activation fee and any taxes. I can't imagine that your final bill should be more that $120 depending on your tax rate. AT&T bills one month in advance so you will need to make sure they credit any fees for the subsequent month and only charge you for the month that you were a customer. Also I don't hold a lot of faith in supervisors calling back. If you don't hear from then in 24 hours call back again. You really need to see a copy of your itemized bill so that you know what the charges are for.

Message Edited by DWC1 on 08-13-2008 04:51:37 PM

Jldnr77 · ‎12-03-2005

$160? Nope, never said I did. I do believe $104 would be just tho. ($60 monthly service + $36 activation fee = $96. Not unreasonable to assume your taxes would be at least $8)

And why is it that because I have knowledge of how things work, I automatically have to be employed in that industry? I have been a cell phone customer for 10 years now, with various companies, altho I am currently happy as an AT&T customer. I am also an avid lover of technology, and a disposal for useful (and useless) information. Also if you hang around this forum, and Howardforums, it's kinda hard to NOT learn how cell phone companies work. As the old saying goes, information is power.

So....just because you read "30 days RISK free trial" as "30 day risk FREE trial" and didn't do any further research isn't a reason to make any further unfounded assumptions.

hanikai wrote:
So $160 for the month would be acceptable for you? Oh, and what about the fact that I was told SEVERAL times by the sales rep that it would cost me nothing if I decided not to use it after 30 days?

Do you work for AT&T? It seems like you do.

Message Edited by hanikai on 08-13-2008 04:08:09 PM

Message Edited by Jldnr77 on 08-13-2008 05:58:17 PM

hanikai · ‎08-13-2008

I do appreciate what you are saying, however, the guy at sales that I spoke to specifically said that I would be able to cancel before 30 days and owe ABSOLUTELY NOTHING. I double and triple checked with him. Are you sure? No hidden fees? So if I quit within the 30 days, it will be as if I never had it in the first place? blah blah.

I dont know why I would research it any further after having being told that by the rep. Obviously he wanted to make the sale by lying, or he didnt have his facts right. Either way, I become the victim.

Zandora · ‎01-13-2008

hanikai wrote:
I do appreciate what you are saying, however, the guy at sales that I spoke to specifically said that I would be able to cancel before 30 days and owe ABSOLUTELY NOTHING. I double and triple checked with him. Are you sure? No hidden fees? So if I quit within the 30 days, it will be as if I never had it in the first place? blah blah.

I dont know why I would research it any further after having being told that by the rep. Obviously he wanted to make the sale by lying, or he didnt have his facts right. Either way, I become the victim.

When something sounds too good to be true, it usually is...So, when that happens, *get it in writing* and make sure the rep signs his full name. (Ask him to print it too, to make sure it's legible). You might even want to ask for a company ID (depends on how paranoid you are

.

If the rep is making false claims on behalf of the company, and you have it in writing, the company has to honor it.

If you don't get it in writing, then it becomes he said/she said thing or "s/he misunderstood..." so you become the victim. There is no proof other than the contract that you signed for the service.

So, if you did not have anything in writing from the rep, then whatever written contract you signed is the binding document. Did you read it? Do the charges that are being billed align with what was written in the contract? If yes, then you owe the money stated. If not, then you may want to register a complaint against AT&T with the Better Business Bureau for deceptive business practices.

However, remember that if you have a contract that you signed to get service and it outlines the charges that are being billed to you, DO NOT bother to file a BBB complaint. Whatever's written in the contract is what you are bound by.

Message Edited by csp_gp on 08-14-2008 04:36:50 AM

DWC1 · ‎12-23-2002

csp_gp wrote:

However, remember that if you have a contract that you signed to get service and it outlines the charges that are being billed to you, DO NOT bother to file a BBB complaint. Whatever's written in the contract is what you are bound by.

However the BBB can argue a case on your behalf if your request is resonable. WWW.BBB.ORG . It sounds like you have been billed too much and at least some of that needs to be corrected.

Message Edited by DWC1 on 08-14-2008 05:09:26 AM

Jldnr77 · ‎12-03-2005

He probably hasn't been billed too much per say....it's just that the system probably automatically charged him for the month going forward as well (which is what usually happens), so there should be no problem getting those extra charges adjusted if he cancels within 30 days.

DWC1 wrote:

csp_gp wrote:

However, remember that if you have a contract that you signed to get service and it outlines the charges that are being billed to you, DO NOT bother to file a BBB complaint. Whatever's written in the contract is what you are bound by.

However the BBB can argue a case on your behalf if your request is resonable. WWW.BBB.ORG . It sounds like you have been billed too much and at least some of that needs to be corrected.

Message Edited by DWC1 on 08-14-2008 05:09:26 AM

hanikai · ‎08-13-2008

hey everyone, thanks for your replys. Just wanted to let you know, I called again and spoke to a VERY nice rep, Maia {Personal content removed}, who fixed everything for me. She cancelled all the fees, and she was not even a manager or supervisor. Just a great customer service rep.

- Harry

Message Edited by mod.moose on 08-16-2008 01:10:05 PM

Zandora · ‎01-13-2008

That's great! Glad it all worked out for you!

RonNatalie · ‎02-10-2004

BBB is a complete waste of time. Go the WWW.FCC.GOV and dig around on that page for the "FILE A COMPLAINT." It will take a few months but your message will get routed to someone HIGH UP in the phone company who can listen and act on your issue. I had exactly the same issue with SPRINT and resolved it that way (and problems with my landline Verizon service).

Zandora · ‎01-13-2008

RonNatalie wrote:
BBB is a complete waste of time. Go the WWW.FCC.GOV and dig around on that page for the "FILE A COMPLAINT." It will take a few months but your message will get routed to someone HIGH UP in the phone company who can listen and act on your issue. I had exactly the same issue with SPRINT and resolved it that way (and problems with my landline Verizon service).

Perhaps it is with wireless companies?

Back about 20 years ago, when I had a problem with a car dealership not refunding my deposit for a car (because the salesman kept avoiding me when I brought my mechanic to inspect the car)...The BBB complaint got my refund a week or so after I filed the complaint. So, all I can say is that filing a complaint with the BBB worked for me.

DWC1 · ‎12-23-2002

RonNatalie wrote:
BBB is a complete waste of time.

I have to disagree. I had a complicated tax complaint related to roaming charges that at&t could not answer to my satisfaction. The BBB esclated the issue for me and it got fixed.