[Michigan66]

I am hoping someone can help me. I recently received my bill and had $40 in additional data charges. When I called customer service....I was told that the charges are from a third party vendor and they could not do anything about it. It turns out that the charges are from signing up for text of the day subscriptions on our home computer. (Weather, horriscope....etc). I did receive the initial texts and immediately answered back with the stop service text. Verizon gave me three 800 numbers for the vendors to call and I had no luck with all three in getting the charges removed. How can Verizon blindly bill me from a 3rd party without my permission? What, if anything can I do about the $40 in charges? Thank you for your help

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[Super_Mario]

You were not billed with out permission, Premium SMS is a double opt-in service, that you have to agree to 2 times before you receive the service and the charge. It is not a practice I agree with but that is why the double-opt is in place.

[itsthemusic]

Yea, VZW didnt do anything. You subscribed to whatever service it was. It can be anything from one of those stupid facebook quizzes or some commercial for free ringtones. Each one of those things states at the bottom in fine print that each carrier charges differently. Verizon being 9.99 a month.

[Michigan66]

Yea, VZW didnt do anything. You subscribed to whatever service it was. It can be anything from one of those stupid facebook quizzes or some commercial for free ringtones. Each one of those things states at the bottom in fine print that each carrier charges differently. Verizon being 9.99 a month.

I know its a subscription service. I sent the stop reply as soon as I received the initial text message. I did not receive one text message from them. Why would I pay for a service that I didn't receive?

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[jburris020]

I know its a subscription service. I sent the stop reply as soon as I received the initial text message. I did not receive one text message from them. Why would I pay for a service that I didn't receive?

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That is something you would need to take up with that 3rd party vendor as it was not something that originated from VZW. It isn't VZW that is charging you these amounts on their own, they are billed from the certain website and then the charges are passed onto the mobile number that asked for these services.

[itsthemusic]

I know its a subscription service. I sent the stop reply as soon as I received the initial text message. I did not receive one text message from them. Why would I pay for a service that I didn't receive?

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Well why would a company that didnt offer you the subscription have to do something about the charges?

You subscribed to something through the 3rd party vendor, your beef is with them not Verizon.

[Michigan66]

Well why would a company that didnt offer you the subscription have to do something about the charges?

You subscribed to something through the 3rd party vendor, your beef is with them not Verizon.

I realise that my problem is with the third party vendor. Verizon gave me their phone numbers. I didn't get anywhere with them. I an looking to see if anyone has any suggestions that may help me.

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[jburris020]

I realise that my problem is with the third party vendor. Verizon gave me their phone numbers. I didn't get anywhere with them. I an looking to see if anyone has any suggestions that may help me.

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The only suggestion I have for customer's that have the same issue is try to call the company and if that doesn't work, try to google the 1800 number to see if it brings you to a website at all.

[Super_Mario]

I realise that my problem is with the third party vendor. Verizon gave me their phone numbers. I didn't get anywhere with them. I an looking to see if anyone has any suggestions that may help me.

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Its kind of a tricky request. Because some reps are hardcore with "no" because its a double opt-in, I say if you plead your case and you are nice to the rep, I am sure they will consider something.

[travelingfool]

When it happened to me, VZW not only gave me the 800 #, but gave me step by step instructions for each vendor for initiating a text to a specific # with the exact "stop" info in the body of the text. Each vendor is different as to their rules and what they require.

Then, I put a block on premium SMS so they couldn't charge me for another month.

It worked, and I was refunded by both vendors. Had to fax one of them if I recall correctly.

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[FF22]

You might also send a letter to your State Consumer Protection outfit or AG and cc, those companies if you can find an address. Or contact the local paper's or tv's consumer rep.

[FF22]

Yeah, tell them how you signed up for a service and now don't want to pay for it. Better yet, tell them VZW kicks babies.

Hey, you apparently work for them and if you say "verizon kicks babies" who am I to argue.

I was not going after verizon but the third parties who contrived the signup with no way to cancel in a timely fashion. I know the AG in our state does follow up on this type of "locked in" signup. So do one or more of our TV stations.

But if you want to get into it - if verizon has received enough of these types of complaints and says "it ain't us, we have to bill you" then they just may be complicit in these false operations because they are probably getting a cut on the sales.

[Super_Mario]

I don't agree with the services or the billing. But if the OP hasn't tried to get it rectified through vzw and you suggest he file complaints and call the media, that's just to much. I do not condone the kicking of babies though. Neither does anyone else I hope. I guess my sarcastic humor isn't the same when written.

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[vatothe0]

Its funny because several years ago verizon did not support premium text and people complained about Verizon controlling how they use their phones. Now people complain about being charged for it.

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[tech_head]

Don't know if this is solved, but.....
The easy way to terminate these things when the vendor won't is to go to
My Verizon and log in.
Go to "Add/Change Features"
Go to "Usage Controls"
Go to "Add/Remove Blocks"
Click the box to "Block Premium Messaging"
Here is the text from Verizon

"Block Premium Messaging, previously known as Block Premium SMS, will prevent you from purchasing and receiving Premium Messaging on the mobile number selected . Premium Messaging programs are generally messages from a short-code (5 or 6 digits) which include a subscription or per-use fee in addition to any other charges that may apply. All other messaging services (including but not limited to text messaging, picture messaging, Animated Messaging, Premium Animated Messaging, Verizon Wireless online photo album, and text-to-landline) will continue to work as usual and will continue to be billed per your Calling Plan, Messaging Bundle or at the applicable messaging rate plus any additional fees or charges for these services.

Block Premium Messaging will cancel all current Premium Messaging programs at the time the blocking feature is activated. No credits or pro-rating will be applied to the Premium Messaging fees already incurred.

Instead of Block Premium Messaging, consider Content Filters to manage the type of messaging programs your Account Member can view and purchase. Content Filters are offered free of charge."

[cntrydncr223]

i called att and had them deactivate ALL of their websites, so i couldn't "accidently" sign up for something I didn't realize i was signing up for while playing with my new phone.

[ibanez37]

The crappy thing about premium sms subscriptions like this one is the second you're enrolled, you're paying for the entire month of 9.99. No prorations, no immediate cancellations giving your money back. I would add the blocks and agree that the 3rd party services seem to be getting out of hand lately. It seems these are getting added on to senior citizens lines who make 5 mins of calls a month and don't even know what "text" is, let alone how to enroll in something like this.

[cntrydncr223]

or newbies... i agree wholeheartedly.
further, if you don't "notice" it or pay close attention to your bill, you could be buying ring tones and programs you didn't know you bought!

[miller0822]

Just a correction to previous comment. Adding the PSMS block does not end the subscription. The cust must sent "stop" to the short code before adding the block or they will need to call the Vendor 800 #. The PSMS block stops the customer from sending or receiving short codes.

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[tech_head]

If what I got from Verizon isn't accurate about terminating subscriptions, I apologize. I took the text directly from the Verizon site with no paraphrasing.

[miller0822]

not meaning nothing by it tech_head. I work in CS and see this all the time. i always walk a customer thru ending before i add the block because they will be calling back because they are billed again and again and again.

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[gotblackberry]

Adding the block will terminate the subscription.

[Jude526]

This happened to me 3 yrs ago for ringtones and I had unsubscribed. My total was well over 80 bucks and trust me I was shocked and surprised over the bill.
Verizon had given me the phone number and I could not reach the company.
Never an answer or it was always busy.

I live in Arizona and I called one of the troubleshooters with our local TV stations.
They actually were able to help me. They wouldn't drop all the charges but I ended up only having to pay 25.00 worth. It was an expensive lesson learned.

If you contact a troubleshooter, you need to send them all the information including the copy of your statement from Verizon. And also note that you had talked with Verizon and give the dates and times of the conversations if you can.

Good luck

[ibanez37]

not meaning nothing by it tech_head. I work in CS and see this all the time. i always walk a customer thru ending before i add the block because they will be calling back because they are billed again and again and again.

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This is how I was taught too, but like bum said, I've had people call in and had the the subscription terminated after having the block on. The PSMS doesn't come through on the customers end and after so many unsuccessful tries, the PSMS cancels. I've had customers even say they receive a text message saying that the PSMS message was blocked for them and then after about 3 of those in a row, they never saw it again.

[cntrydncr223]

it would be nice if it was an option from the beginning, instead of it being turned on by default.

and you're right. i did text stop (though i didn't figure it out for a while) and called and had them add the block (and then called back to find out why they didn't add the block)