VERIZON is a punk!

[DwithShotmail]

I had an account with verizon. Got backed up on bills and you know the usual. If you dont pay your phone bill on time they will double your bill for the next month bla bla bla.. Well anywayz my phone got cut off. I payed the whole amount 2 weeks later and waited 3 days to check and see if they recieved payment. I spoke with a Rep and they tell me they recieved my money..At this point GREAT . Then I request to have my service turned back on. This rep tells me I need to pay for 2 accounts that I had in "95 & "97!!!!...I slapped a challenging question asking the rep why tell me about 2 accounts that I had in NY that is about 7 years old. I was never told this when I moved from NY to MD 3yrs ago when I got my first phone in MD so why mention it now. The rep told me about their system upgrad bla bla bla...The rep also told me about my old accounts being sent to a collection agency..lol...I asked him why would they wait over 7 years to send me to a collection agency..He hesitated..Anywayz...I told them they have their full payment of which I owe and I like to have them put this info in writing...about a week and a half days later I recieved a letter from a CA stating I owe the same amount that I already paid. I noticed they set the date back 30 days on the letter they typed and also on the envelope that was sent to make it look like I paid VERIZON the money and ignored the CA letter..VERY SLICK...I USED TO WORK FOR A COMPANY THAT TAUGHT ME HOW TO MANIPULATE THE POSTAGE DATE ON LETTERS I USED TO SEND OUT WHEN I FORGOT.. My next move is to send DV letter. I see they are upset that I paid them my MD phone account(in full)...ditched my NY phone account (which is not even on my credit report PASS 7 YRS)..and did business with another telephone company

[Been_Ponzied]

oh at first I thought YOU were Suzy!!

Cell phone and other phone companies are the worst. It sounds like those old bills are probably way past the SOL. Have you checked on what the SOL is in your state?

If you can prove they are forging stuff, sue them. Or in the very least, send it to your local Attorney General attached to a complaint form, and make an easy online complaint to the FTC (although that won't get you anywhere, but at least it's on file that they are frauds).

[Robert Nashville/Savannah]

Unless the law is different in NY, the fact that the debts (if real) are past the SOL (if they are) doesn't mean that Verizon must reconnect your service...if you really owe them money on old accounts, they have the right to demand payment and refuse further service if you don't pay even if they didn't mention it when you first got your newer service.

Such a situation isn't that unusual especially for what is essentially a utility...try to get a land-line with the phone company or your electric turned on with old accounts that have balances.