Is this retroactive? $300 trade-in credit requires being active 3 billing cycles or face $300 fine

badkitties

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prior to last week, Verizon's $300 trade-in page doesn't list this restriction.(either during the trade-in process or at the anywhere in the user agreements or device payment installment agreements... online and in-store)

now there's a new sentence that says anyone getting the $300 trade-in credit must maintain the line for 3 billing cycles, or there will be a $300 fine per line.

Is this retroactive to customers who received $300 trade-in credits prior to this new rule? (all the way back to September, I think)
 
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Mooncatt

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Do tell. I think something like that would be illegal, or close to it. They can't just negatively change the terms of an agreement after the deal has been made without your agreement. Care to fill us in?
 

badkitties

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I haven't seen this change anywhere, can you provide the direct link from Verizon on this?

see pic below....

this is from yesterday. back in September and October,
the $300 trade-in did not say anything about keeping
the line active for 3 billing cycles or fact $300 fine. :(

Copy of Verizon trade-in 3 billing cycles.jpg
 

badkitties

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Do tell. I think something like that would be illegal, or close to it. They can't just negatively change the terms of an agreement after the deal has been made without your agreement. Care to fill us in?

two different Verizon reps told me the rule was always there, as far back as end of August 2015, but just not listed on the trade-in page. they said the added the restriction in August because too many people were taking advantage of the trade-in promo and then cancelling the lines.

it kind of made sense... because when I tried to removed a couple of those lines in October, the first VZW reps were never able to do it and their computer kept popping up with messages that said something like "customer signed up for device payment plan and received trade-in promotion within the last 90 days..."

They did eventually get tier 2 techs to override that restriction and cancel those lines and charged the entire remaining device payment plan balance to my account. in hindsight, I hope that didn't trigger of a future charge back of the $300 trade-in credit. keeping my fingers crossed. I'm sure I can fight it because I kept screenshots of everything I did on Verizon's website.
 

Mooncatt

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So are you not paying off the phones before trying to cancel? Every other person I've seen doing this has paid off the phone before canceling and I hadn't seen them post about any problems. It sounds like you're trying to cancel the line before paying off the phone.

Either way, I think consumer protection laws would prevent them from saying things like "Oh, the rule was always there, we just didn't have it written anywhere for you to see."
 

badkitties

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So are you not paying off the phones before trying to cancel? Every other person I've seen doing this has paid off the phone before canceling and I hadn't seen them post about any problems. It sounds like you're trying to cancel the line before paying off the phone.

Either way, I think consumer protection laws would prevent them from saying things like "Oh, the rule was always there, we just didn't have it written anywhere for you to see."

it depends... I sometimes pay off the remaining balance on the Device Payment Plan on Verizon's website.(which had 23 or 22 payments left) The Verizon supervisor made it sound like that had nothing to do with keeping the line active for 3 billing cycle, which is technically correct. I guess I can play it safe by putting a basic phone on the line and just pay the $9.99 access fee for 3 billing cycles.(avoiding the $30 data plan fee for 3 months)
 

Mooncatt

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Thankfully I screen shot my estimation result showing there is no three month stipulation like yours. So if they want to say anything, I've got ammo to fight it.
 

badkitties

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Thankfully I screen shot my estimation result showing there is no three month stipulation like yours. So if they want to say anything, I've got ammo to fight it.

same here... :) Not to defend Verizon, but they should have included the 3-month requirement in the very beginning. It made no financial sense not to. :) I suppose it's not as bad as Best Buy's price mistake several months ago. They sold $200 gift cards for $15. I bought 10. Yes, I know... I'm a bad person for taking advantage of a big corporation like Best Buy :( I actually ordered 17. But the last 7 got cancelled when Best Buy realized this problem.
http://consumerist.com/2015/07/16/c...st-buy-gift-cards-for-15-after-pricing-error/
1341183791079611205.jpg
 

Mooncatt

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I have heard of cases where companies are protected in some extreme cases of price errors. Basically something like a "too good to be true" type clause, where it's obvious there was a pricing error like what you used. I've heard of similar stories from airlines where something like that happens and they aren't forced to honor the pricing mistake.
 

dpham00

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I have heard of cases where companies are protected in some extreme cases of price errors. Basically something like a "too good to be true" type clause, where it's obvious there was a pricing error like what you used. I've heard of similar stories from airlines where something like that happens and they aren't forced to honor the pricing mistake.

Companies can cancel due to mis price but once a product is in the consumers hand, then they can't charge more for it later without the consumer's approval.
 

trucksmoveamerica#AC

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same here... :) Not to defend Verizon, but they should have included the 3-month requirement in the very beginning. It made no financial sense not to. :) I suppose it's not as bad as Best Buy's price mistake several months ago. They sold $200 gift cards for $15. I bought 10. Yes, I know... I'm a bad person for taking advantage of a big corporation like Best Buy :( I actually ordered 17. But the last 7 got cancelled when Best Buy realized this problem.
http://consumerist.com/2015/07/16/c...st-buy-gift-cards-for-15-after-pricing-error/
View attachment 207523
Bad person, not. You paid what they asked. Why can't I ever get those deals. LOL
 

badkitties

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Bad person, not. You paid what they asked. Why can't I ever get those deals. LOL

Yes, you CAN. Just browse Slickdeals more often. (although it's a double-edged sword... you either save a TON of money or spend a TON of money on crap you dont' need. :D :D :D )

In fact, my browser's home page is set to Slickdeals hot deals section. (phone, home PC and even office PC)
 

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