VM deactivated my account without warning a few days ago and I have yet to get my service restored. Here's the timeline. I hope it's not too wordy, and I hope you'll all read it with great interest.
26 June: Paid monthly 25$ plan via Paypal -- I had previously been paying via debit card and decided to set up automatic payment via Paypal for convenience
30 June: Tried to make a call, but got forwarded to VM customer service. They said my payment had been returned so I'd need to make a new payment to restore service. No biggie. I was driving home from work so I told them I'd call back when I arrived at home to resolve the issue.
I checked my Paypal account, and sure enough, they'd returned the payment. Turns out they'd inexplicably attempted to pull funds from a bank account I haven't used in a year. I thought I'd already removed it. So it was a legitimate return.
After this I called VM back to make a payment. They said I'd need to contact my bank (Paypal) to have them reissue payment, or I could go buy a Top-up card and pay that way. (FYI my online account had been deactivated at this point, and my MEID was returning a "we don't recognize that number" message, so my only option was to handle this by phone). Fine. I had to visit four stores in order to find the (evidently) very last VM card available in my town. Not to mention I was carting my 8 month old daughter around with me.
Back home, I called VM again with my Top-up card.
This time, they said my account had been referred to their FRAUD department and provided me an email address where I could send the Top-up pin. Okay, fine, I did that. They said call back in an hour and we'll take care of you.
I waited 90 minutes (generous, no?), then called back.
"Okay, so you've sent the email. Hold while I check your account." [Hold Music] "Oh, the fraud department is closed for the evening. So is finance. You'll have to call back in the morning."
I argued momentarily on the basis of what I'd been told earlier, but got nowhere.
01 July: I called back an hour after they opened. From this point forward, assume on every call that I have to explain the whole situation to them again. Also, assume that I am told I'll need to contact Paypal (or Paple, as they like to pronounce it). And, also assume that I am told I'll need to email my information to their fraud department.
I'm told that it will be 24 to 72 hours, but I can rest assured that my service will definitely be restored by 03 July at the very latest.
I know now that it was pointless, but I called back several times throughout the day on the first and second of July. Same story every time. We just have to wait to hear back from fraud, or finance, depending who you ask. I'm also told that neither department has phones, or that maybe they do, but we just don't know for sure.
03 July: Okay, finally, 72 hours deadline is today. I call back.
"Oh, I don't see any notes here on your account regarding reactivation. We'll just have to wait to hear back... I don't have any control over this, I'm sorry."
I asked to speak to someone who has control.
A supervisor now tells me that it's a 3 to 5 day wait, and sometimes it's 3 to 10 days. We just have to wait while they investigate the account.
"There's nothing to investigate!" I said, "You have my money! I sent a Top-up card! Turn my phone back on now!"
More apologies.
"I don't want an apology, I want you to explain why I've been assured for the past 3 days that my service would be restored TODAY at the LATEST, and now you're telling me it could be another 7 days!"
"Actually, sir, the investigation was just opened yesterday, so it could be another 9 days."
A number of additional words were spoken, all fruitless. This morning, 05 July, I'm still waiting.
So, to recap:
Returned payment. Service terminated. Absolutely no notification from VM to attempt resolution. Account forwarded to fraud department. Neither fraud nor finance has phones. Customer service refers to me as a "valued customer" and says they "understand my frustration." I'm possibly without a phone for 10 days.
Anyone had this happen? Words of wisdom? Time to bail on VM?
26 June: Paid monthly 25$ plan via Paypal -- I had previously been paying via debit card and decided to set up automatic payment via Paypal for convenience
30 June: Tried to make a call, but got forwarded to VM customer service. They said my payment had been returned so I'd need to make a new payment to restore service. No biggie. I was driving home from work so I told them I'd call back when I arrived at home to resolve the issue.
I checked my Paypal account, and sure enough, they'd returned the payment. Turns out they'd inexplicably attempted to pull funds from a bank account I haven't used in a year. I thought I'd already removed it. So it was a legitimate return.
After this I called VM back to make a payment. They said I'd need to contact my bank (Paypal) to have them reissue payment, or I could go buy a Top-up card and pay that way. (FYI my online account had been deactivated at this point, and my MEID was returning a "we don't recognize that number" message, so my only option was to handle this by phone). Fine. I had to visit four stores in order to find the (evidently) very last VM card available in my town. Not to mention I was carting my 8 month old daughter around with me.
Back home, I called VM again with my Top-up card.
This time, they said my account had been referred to their FRAUD department and provided me an email address where I could send the Top-up pin. Okay, fine, I did that. They said call back in an hour and we'll take care of you.
I waited 90 minutes (generous, no?), then called back.
"Okay, so you've sent the email. Hold while I check your account." [Hold Music] "Oh, the fraud department is closed for the evening. So is finance. You'll have to call back in the morning."
I argued momentarily on the basis of what I'd been told earlier, but got nowhere.
01 July: I called back an hour after they opened. From this point forward, assume on every call that I have to explain the whole situation to them again. Also, assume that I am told I'll need to contact Paypal (or Paple, as they like to pronounce it). And, also assume that I am told I'll need to email my information to their fraud department.
I'm told that it will be 24 to 72 hours, but I can rest assured that my service will definitely be restored by 03 July at the very latest.
I know now that it was pointless, but I called back several times throughout the day on the first and second of July. Same story every time. We just have to wait to hear back from fraud, or finance, depending who you ask. I'm also told that neither department has phones, or that maybe they do, but we just don't know for sure.
03 July: Okay, finally, 72 hours deadline is today. I call back.
"Oh, I don't see any notes here on your account regarding reactivation. We'll just have to wait to hear back... I don't have any control over this, I'm sorry."
I asked to speak to someone who has control.
A supervisor now tells me that it's a 3 to 5 day wait, and sometimes it's 3 to 10 days. We just have to wait while they investigate the account.
"There's nothing to investigate!" I said, "You have my money! I sent a Top-up card! Turn my phone back on now!"
More apologies.
"I don't want an apology, I want you to explain why I've been assured for the past 3 days that my service would be restored TODAY at the LATEST, and now you're telling me it could be another 7 days!"
"Actually, sir, the investigation was just opened yesterday, so it could be another 9 days."
A number of additional words were spoken, all fruitless. This morning, 05 July, I'm still waiting.
So, to recap:
Returned payment. Service terminated. Absolutely no notification from VM to attempt resolution. Account forwarded to fraud department. Neither fraud nor finance has phones. Customer service refers to me as a "valued customer" and says they "understand my frustration." I'm possibly without a phone for 10 days.
Anyone had this happen? Words of wisdom? Time to bail on VM?
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