BE AWARE ATT "SECRETLY" UPGRADE YOU PLAN WITHOUT YOUR CONSENT AND CHARGE YOU EXTRA

[thequest2311]

ATT Wireless has been automatically upgrading customer plan with extra charge without customer consent and notification. They "secret" had a pending plan to double our data (my wife and I) without our consent. About 2 months ago, I checked the account and see the pending plan changes. I contacted customer service via chat, complaining about the pending plan I did not make. I had to ask them to remove it because I did not want the plan and I did not change the plan. Yesterday, I checked my account and see there is about $13 extra in my current bill, I viewed the details, my plan was upgraded from 16GB to 32GB. I did not make the change of plan, ATT automatically did that even though I asked to remove it last time, and they did removed last time. I contact customer service and a supervisor told me "AT&T is giving back to all our existing customer who is being loyal with our Mobile Share Advantage plan. AT&T is doubling your data from 16gb to 32gb. For only an increase of $10." and "It seems that this system generated though and we do not have control on rate plan change." This issue need to be raised for everyone who uses ATT to be aware because if they do not check their account and have autopay, they may end up paying extra for thing that they do not authorize like in my case. Let say 100,000 customers have this problem it is equivalent to $1.3 million.

ATT, YOU CANNOT TAKE MORE MONEY FROM CUSTOMERS WITHOUT CONSENT.

I save the script of the chat between me and the supervisor.

[lizdance40 · Accepted solution]

That’s not what they did.  They raised your price.  They could have left it at that.  

And yes, they can raise your bill.  Just like the electric company, and oil, gas, groceries etc.

The notice was on your previous bill.  

Get used to it.  Why do you think all carriers dumped service contracts?   

Verizon raised its legacy unlimited price.  So did ATT.  Now this plan went up.  

You may call loyalty and ask for a Flex plan with data bucket similar to your old plan.   They don’t have to give it to you and won’t have the ability to do so for very long.  

Your increase was $10.  https://www.att.com/esupport/article.html#!/wireless/KM1259100?gsi=eOhydM0

[sandblaster]

And it wasn’t a secret. There was a notice of the price increase on your bill at least once and probably twice prior to the increase. Go back and look at previous bills in the “news you can use” section.

[libshop]

MeToo. $158 to $169. NO NOTICE. Called to see why. They said I now had THREE GB instead of the 1GB wireless I signed up for. I never get close to 1GB - especially with the rollover. Had them change it back, but now my bill is still $5/mo higher. This is deceptive and unscrupulous behavior.

ALSO AT&T - owner of HBO - has hiked its rate to DISH and they is not willing to pay it, so HBO and CINEMAX are gone from my menu. No problem. I substituted other DISH premium programming and will be dropping HBO and CINEMAX totally. They are overpriced already and I wouldn't consider paying a dime more.

I'm selling my AT&T stock. Don't like the way they do business. Wrote in to support the abrogation of the Time Warner-AT&T merger. Shopping for new wireless and internet providers and I'd NEVER consider their TV service. So far as I'm concerned, AT&T has "screwed the pooch" once too often.

[libshop]

Auto pay customers generally do not download or read the entire bill and the email notifications (which I have dating back several years) do NOT mention any change in service or rates. You may claim Caveat Emptor, but AT&T has a duty of disclosure based on the reasonable expectation a customer will receive notice. The emails don't meet that standard.

[lizdance40]

@libshop

You seem to think a business can’t raise prices.  They can, and do, all the time.  

They don’t owe us an explaination.  

Most do so with no notice at all.  The only notice required, is the one given - on your bill in the “New to use” section. 

[MicCheck]

---

@libshop wrote:

Auto pay customers generally do not download or read the entire bill and the email notifications (which I have dating back several years) do NOT mention any change in service or rates. You may claim Caveat Emptor, but AT&T has a duty of disclosure based on the reasonable expectation a customer will receive notice. The emails don't meet that standard.

---

I'd say the bill they send out and you pay every month is (at minimum) "reasonable expectation" that a customers gets the notice. 

[GLIMMERMAN76]

---

@libshop wrote:

Auto pay customers generally do not download or read the entire bill and the email notifications (which I have dating back several years) do NOT mention any change in service or rates. You may claim Caveat Emptor, but AT&T has a duty of disclosure based on the reasonable expectation a customer will receive notice. The emails don't meet that standard.

---

@libshop

NO BUT YOUR PAPERLESS BILL OR BILL DO!

[libshop]

@lizdance40 - You Said: "You seem to think a business can’t raise
prices. They can, and do, all the time. They don’t owe us an
explaination. Most do so with no notice at all.  The only notice
required, is the one given - on your bill in the “New to use” section."

Just reviewed bills for two months prior to the unauthorized change in
my wireless plan. One noted a $3 internet increase. I have no problem
with that. NOTHING was there concerning 'enriching' my wireless to 3GB.
I signed a CONTRACT for 1GB. Unless I explicitly agree, they cannot
change those terms unilaterally - they COULD HAVE offered it to me and I
would have turned it down. I did, in fact, have them change me back to
the 1GB plan and they issued a (partial) refund.

This is NOT about price increases. This is like Wells Fargo opening
customer accounts without their knowledge. Upgrading or making additions
to service without authorization is, in my opinion, a CRIMINAL act. In
fact, I think the FCC should be made aware.

[libshop]

@GLIMMERMAN76  You Wrote "NO BUT YOUR PAPERLESS BILL OR BILL DO!"

No. I'm looking at those bills (June thru August). A $3 internet
increase is noted but NO change in wireless plan. In my opinion,
automatically 'upgrading' is like Wells Fargo opening customer accounts
without consent. I had a contract. They reversed the change and
partially refunded the overcharge, so you can bet they knew it wouldn't
stand up legally.

[libshop]

No. I'm looking at those bills (June thru August). A $3 internet
increase is noted but NO change in wireless plan. In my opinion,
automatically 'upgrading' is like Wells Fargo opening customer accounts
without consent. I had a contract. They reversed the change and
partially refunded the overcharge, so you can bet they knew it wouldn't
stand up legally.

[GLIMMERMAN76]

---

@libshop wrote:
@GLIMMERMAN76  You Wrote "NO BUT YOUR PAPERLESS BILL OR BILL DO!"

No. I'm looking at those bills (June thru August). A $3 internet
increase is noted but NO change in wireless plan. In my opinion,
automatically 'upgrading' is like Wells Fargo opening customer accounts
without consent. I had a contract. They reversed the change and
partially refunded the overcharge, so you can bet they knew it wouldn't
stand up legally.

---

oh it was under new you can use back in march april or may.  And its not like its not on the ATT website for the whole world to see.  https://www.att.com/esupport/article.html#!/wireless/KM1259100?gsi=tNyZw6E.  They may have reversed it but it will change again trust me its been complained about enough.

Also what contract?  Please show me a contract LOL..  Any contract a customer had expired long ago and the current Terms of Service went into effect.

[lizdance40]

@libshop

No.  You did not sign a contract for a service plan.  No such contract for service has been offered for 2 years and 10 months.  (Last contracts issued  1/8/2016)

The only thing you signed was  terms of service  >.  https://www.att.com/legal/terms.wirelessCustomerAgreement-list.html

Read section 1.3.  

and Next agreement to pay for your phone. >   https://www.att.com/esupport/article.html#!/wireless/KM1106686?gsi=bdrbTIE

   No carrier offers service contracts anymore.  Sprint was the last to give them up in early 2017.  

l

[MicCheck]

---

@libshop wrote:


This is NOT about price increases. This is like Wells Fargo opening
customer accounts without their knowledge. Upgrading or making additions
to service without authorization is, in my opinion, a CRIMINAL act. In
fact, I think the FCC should be made aware.

---

This is exactly about price increases. That's what happened. I don't know why AT&T threw in extra data, too. Maybe they thought customers would appreciate a little something to ease the blow of the price increase. Who knows? Whatever the reason, at the end of the day, they wanted you to pay more and so they raised your price. 

[libshop]

if you are familiar with commercial law, the absence of a contract
usually favors the consumer. I've had wireless since long before 2016
and if a contract expires, unless otherwise agreed, terms of service are
extended month to month. I can, by simple continued use after proper
notice, agree by default to updated terms, but contract or no, merchants
can't force you to buy anything you don't order. Default consent does
not apply to upgrades and new products. Those require a positive
opt-in...which is why they reverted my service back to the original
order. Just ask Wells Fargo.

The terms of service you linked was explicit "If you lose your
eligibility for a particular rate plan, we may change your rate plan to
one for which you qualify." The 1GB plan was still offered. AT&T decided
I needed 3GB even though I was only using about 250MB a month. Again, it
isn't a rate issue, they forced a different product on me and now
they're losing a customer and investor.