Mystery 411 charges showing up on bill - anyone else?

[moondog]

I have noticed that 411 Connect charges have been showing up on my bill for calls that I did not make (I have NEVER made a 411 Connect call). The same thing has happened with my wife's account. The VZW CSR tells me that the charges are valid and that someone elso must be using my phone (not a chance - I'm the only person who uses the phone). I am wondering whether anyone else has had this happen over the past couple of months. Has VZW found a new profit stream?

[daveytree3]

Have you called information?555-1212.That will automatically be billed as a 411 call.

[moondog]

Originally posted by daveytree3
Have you called information?555-1212.That will automatically be billed as a 411 call.

Nope. Never done that either.

And the story gets even more interesting. They just told me that I called 555-1212 for area code 509 (WA state) and made another call one minute later (and tried to justify the charge that way). The problem is that the second call was to a 508 area code number. I did a reverse lookup on that one and discovered that it was to someone I've never heard of in Nantucket, MA.

They still insist that there's no problem on their end.

[Life-Is-Good]

Originally posted by moondog
. . . . They still insist that there's no problem on their end.

I have had several of these charges over the past few months for 411 calls that I did not make. Customer Service reversed those charges but the last time the rep said that she noted my account so that any more of these in the future would NOT be refunded.

Verizon seems to have a problem here and they’re not being very nice about it.

[Jeff Wojo]

perhaps someone else is using your phone? ya never know.....

[Life-Is-Good]

Originally posted by Jeff Wojo
perhaps someone else is using your phone? ya never know.....

Not possible. Especially at the times those 411 calls were supposed to have occurred.

[Airb330]

Originally posted by Life-Is-Good
I have had several of these charges over the past few months for 411 calls that I did not make. Customer Service reversed those charges but the last time the rep said that she noted my account so that any more of these in the future would NOT be refunded.

Verizon seems to have a problem here and they’re not being very nice about it.

Sounds like the CS I get! How can a 800# be charged for 411 anyway? I know Sprint does this and I thought it was shady. I use 1800555TELL and if I get charged for that, there will be hell to pay. It's an ATT service anyway.

[TProphet]

1-800-555-1212 reroutes to 411 in USCC territory, and I was billed for DA on calls I made to this number while roaming. However, I received credit when I explained the situation to CS.

Originally posted by Airb330
Sounds like the CS I get! How can a 800# be charged for 411 anyway? I know Sprint does this and I thought it was shady. I use 1800555TELL and if I get charged for that, there will be hell to pay. It's an ATT service anyway.

[moondog]

Since there is at least one more person out there who is experiencing the same problem as we are, I wonder whether this is very limited in scope or others just haven't noticed it. Check your last 3 or 4 bills - it seems to be a recent thing.

I promised a CS manager at VZW to find out whether there are others who have the same mystery 411 Connect charges showing up.

If it's just a couple of people, I can only imagine that they will blow it off and refuse to credit charges for any further bogus 411 calls (that would pi$$ me off enough to find another provider).

[Blitzed 22]

I have also had these charges. Last month it showed I dialed DA 10 times and this month 3 times. I have called 411 before maybe twice at the most but never 10 times in a month nor yet at all this past month. I called CS and they argue it's a valid charge and when I look at my bill no calls were ever placed after the 411 calls except the one I made to Ohio. I thought it was just me.

[Kunmui]

Could this be the results of outsourcing jobs to call centers outside the U.S. of A. as been reported on CNN last week in a special series. Calls area handled & routed to far away places like India? Calls to 411 are routed automatically to these oversea call centers and the network is billing for these oversea (?) calls? Good for global development & corporate bottom lines but bad for our economy and we the consumers - so much for stimulating the private sector with the tax cuts.

Time to double-check those recent VZW billing statements!

[ixocean]

Originally posted by Blitzed 22
I have also had these charges. Last month it showed I dialed DA 10 times and this month 3 times. I have called 411 before maybe twice at the most but never 10 times in a month nor yet at all this past month. I called CS and they argue it's a valid charge and when I look at my bill no calls were ever placed after the 411 calls except the one I made to Ohio. I thought it was just me.

While the likelihood of a billing error of this type is VERY remote, you make an interesting point that I would like to clarify for everyone. If you have calls that you are POSITIVE are not your calls, AND no one else had access to your phone, then you need to report this to the Fraud Department. Rest assured they will investigate thoroughly, but if in fact the calls are not yours, the charges will be removed.

[moondog]

Originally posted by ixocean
While the likelihood of a billing error of this type is VERY remote, you make an interesting point that I would like to clarify for everyone. If you have calls that you are POSITIVE are not your calls, AND no one else had access to your phone, then you need to report this to the Fraud Department. Rest assured they will investigate thoroughly, but if in fact the calls are not yours, the charges will be removed.

The CS manager I talked to spoke with the fraud dept and came back with the reply that there was nothing wrong, according to them. That doesn't make the charges for calls not made go away.

[ixocean]

Originally posted by moondog
The CS manager I talked to spoke with the fraud dept and came back with the reply that there was nothing wrong, according to them. That doesn't make the charges for calls not made go away.

I can't make judgement on this because only you know whether you made these calls or didn't and or if anyone else had access to your phone. However, if you're confident these calls are not yours I suggest you call back and ask for the call center manager and continue to escalate this until they offer to send in an offline billing research form to bring this to the attention of the folks who review the billing system for errors such as this.

[hofouser]

there's definitely something wrong going on. Just got my second bill.

Consider my profile:
- first time cell user
- phone *never* leaves my side
- *never* use my phone during daytime ( use office / home phone ), unless urgent (~10 peak per month)

and in my second bill, I have been charged:


~ 370 total "Incoming CL" calls.

I am still digging for more info, but being a new cell user and all, wud really appreciate any pointers. Thanks!