New Cell Phones - Maybe

In mid-January I canceled Hazel's and my cell phone account with Verizon. this was recommended to us by a Verizon rep since we wanted to have cell phones with local area codes. Went to Costco and had a rep handle it there. We opened a new account with new numbers and new phones - they are nice.

I assumed that our old numbers would be discontinued and I'd receive no further billing - that is what the Costco rep told me would happen. Wrong. Since Verizon was automatically debiting my checking account, I received their usual notice that they were going to take more money in a few days - the full amount. Oh oh. So on 2/18 I called Verizon and spoke with two different customer reps and it was presumably handled, my old account was now canceled. I was impressed how quickly and smoothly it was handled, I guess the Costco rep just didn't do it right so all is well. NO.

Checked this morning and discovered they were still going to debit my checking account for my old numbers - and in the full amount. Called the contact number listed on Verizon's website - it says they will take calls 6am to 11 pm Monday thru Sunday. This is Saturday around 7:30 am so no problem. Wrong, get a message about their hours of availability and then dumped back to automated voicemail menus. Apparently that is west coast time and they don't realize they have service in the east.

Waited until after 9 am and this time got a contact. Explained my situation and the rep told me I would just be billed for 4 days of the current cycle up to the day I contacted their customer service on 2/18. I said that was not acceptable since I had expected my account to be canceled in January and not as of 2/18 when I called Verizon. So, writing this while on hold, the Verizon contact is talking to his supervisor.

Well, the supervisor tells the charge will continue to go through in its full amount but next month I am supposed to get a credit. The only problem is the credit only starts from 2/18 (when I called about the problem) to the end of the billing cycle - March 12th.

Thus I am still going to be charged for 5 days of service on numbers which were supposed to have been canceled.