Verizon threatening to blacklist my phone

[tremlock]

As a fellow Baylor Grad, yes I have done many things that are just the right thing to do. The OP stated that they weren't even willing to send a prepaid shipping label for him. At that point, I would have completed my time with them. Verizon is horrible... If they aren't even willing to meet you halfway, why should you go out of your way and pay by time, shipping, and handling just in the hopes you will get a refund for shipping.

I agree don't try to make money off of the device, but either give it away for free, or throw it out. But if they wont prepay for shipping with home pickup, they obviously do not want the phone back.

At no point did he say they were unwilling to ship a box and label. He said they didn't offer to send one. They also didn't offer to sell him an iPhone in the first place, he chose to buy one, yes ONE. There's 2 way to go. Be an @sshole, $hitty person, or do the right thing and return it. Don't complain that they are threatening to blacklist "your free extra phone"

 

[cube]

I get that. In that case I would just go set it on the counter at a Verizon store and walk out, they'll figure it out

But to Verizon's credit, the OP said they were not actually asking for the phone to be returned.

 

[tremlock]

Have some of you never done something just because it is the right or a nice thing to do?

Yes it would be nice if they compensated the OP, but some of you sound like it's all about keeping score.

this is the problem with the world. Even thinking someone should be compensated for this. How unbelievable.

 

[Tinmania]

Verizon still has not offered to send me a box or prepaid label. They stated they would repay me for shipping costs if I wanted to send it back. At no point did they ask for it back either.

I don't believe for one second they didn't offer to have it picked up and then blacklisted it out of nowhere.

It is clear from the first message you told them you wouldn't return it and that is why they blacklisted it.



Mike

 

[Gathomblipoob]

 

[tremlock]

But to Verizon's credit, the OP said they were not actually asking for the phone to be returned.

wording, he was told they would blacklist the phone if he didn't return it. Does it seriously need to be spelled out for people, really? Do they actually need to say, "um, excuse me sir, would you kindly return the device that you didn't pay for?"

 

[JT2002TJ]

At no point did he say they were unwilling to ship a box and label. He said they didn't offer to send one. They also didn't offer to sell him an iPhone in the first place, he chose to buy one, yes ONE. There's 2 way to go. Be an @sshole, $hitty person, or do the right thing and return it. Don't complain that they are threatening to blacklist "your free extra phone"

Please see Post # 23 in this thread (by the OP):

Verizon still has not offered to send me a box or prepaid label. They stated they would repay me for shipping costs if I wanted to send it back. At no point did they ask for it back either.

 

[cube]

this is the problem with the world. Even thinking someone should be compensated for this. How unbelievable.

They would not need to be compensated unless return is demanded.

 

[tremlock]

Please see:

At which point the OP should have said please send me the proper return box. I highly doubt they would have refused

 

[JT2002TJ]

At which point the OP should have said please send me the proper return box. I highly doubt they would have refuse.

Have you ever been on the phone with Verizon Customer Service? I'm actually impressed that the OP actually tried to call them to let them know... I have spent 2 hours on hold with them in the past... Not worth my time for them to respond with "we will reimburse you for shipping"

 

[tremlock]

Have you ever been on the phone with Verizon Customer Service? I'm actually impressed that the OP actually tried to call them to let them know... I have spent 2 hours on hold with them in the past... Not worth my time for them to respond with "we will reimburse you for shipping"

yes i have, many times. but what customer service doesn't have wait times. I'm not claiming they have the best service at all, don't get me wrong. If he doesn't want to go through the effort, get rid of the phone, place it right in the trash. I think logging into Macrumors and creating a post takes a lot more effort than returning the phone.

 

[itsray]

if they're not offering you a label and box i would say f it and have them blacklist it if they want to. this is what most likely what will happen if you pay for it to be sent back. they'll say oh 'we'll credit your account' instead of refunding your credit card. which i would refuse.

 

[cube]

I will say returning the phone is the right thing to do for environmental reasons. But Verizon is responsible that this does not represent an excessive burden to the customer.

 

[Floris]

I order a iPhone 7 plus, they mistakenly sent me two phones. According to FTC guidelines I can legally keep the extra phone without them billing me for it. Now Verizon is saying yea technically you can keep it but we will blacklist the phone so it will be useless. Any thoughts?

Sounds like it's time to say "ok sorry, i understand", and then on their site order a dual sim with argument "for my ipad"
(whispers: change provider)

 

[daflake]

Because it is also the right thing for Verizon to pay for the time the customer has to waste due to their mistake.

By that thought, every one of my users should pay me for wasting my time at work. They can and will send him a prepaid mailer and all he would have to do is call UPS for a pickup. Simple....

 

[itsray]

he/she made the mistake of calling verizon and saying 'FTC guidelines say....'. should of just waited for them to contact you. the way he/she handled it makes he/she seem like an ass.

 

[JT2002TJ]

By that thought, every one of my users should pay me for wasting my time at work. They can and will send him a prepaid mailer and all he would have to do is call UPS for a pickup. Simple....

2 things:

1. The didn't offer it (according to the OP), they only offered to reimburse him for shipping.
2. UPS pickup costs extra, with my experience with Verizon, they will not pay for this. So the OP will not only have to pay for a box, packing, tape, gas, and time going to a UPS location but only get reimbursed for shipping costs.

 

[daflake]

2 things:

1. The didn't offer it (according to the OP), they only offered to reimburse him for shipping.
2. UPS pickup costs extra, with my experience with Verizon, they will not pay for this. So the OP will not only have to pay for a box, packing, tape, gas, and time going to a UPS location but only get reimbursed for shipping costs.

Funny, I have been with Verizon for years and they have paid for shipping as well as sent me a pre-paid mailer for UPS who picked it up at my house.

As for number 1... I don't think we are getting the full story from the OP anyway. I think he is telling us what we want to hear to side with him. This whole thing is pretty simple. If they called me saying they made a mistake, my response would be to tell them to come get the phone. That means send me what is needed to ship it back so that I am not put out, OR I would simply find the nearest store and just return it... Again, not a big deal.

Not sure what is so hard about all of this. Mistakes happen but for some odd reason everyone thinks they are owed something special.

 

[cube]

Not sure what is so hard about all of this. Mistakes happen but for some odd reason everyone thinks they are owed something special.

It is about the goodwill corporations enjoy.

 

[daviddth]

he/she made the mistake of calling verizon and saying 'FTC guidelines say....'. should of just waited for them to contact you. the way he/she handled it makes he/she seem like an ass.

Verizon should repay him by blacklisting the "wrong" phone. Here in Australia there is no entitlement to keep the phone sent in error, but our carrier, Telstra, has been sending out phones to those who cancelled orders weeks before. I plan on keeping mine, still boxed and unopened, until they chase me up for it (assuming they send me one, I cancelled mine last week when I scored a carrier reservation at an Apple store 200km drive away).

 

[JT2002TJ]

Funny, I have been with Verizon for years and they have paid for shipping as well as sent me a pre-paid mailer for UPS who picked it up at my house.

I have had to send back things a few times to Verizon (fios related), this has not been my experience. But, I believe you.

As for number 1... I don't think we are getting the full story from the OP anyway. I think he is telling us what we want to hear to side with him.

Could be true...

Not sure what is so hard about all of this. Mistakes happen but for some odd reason everyone thinks they are owed something special.

I personally only would feel I was owed something special, if I had to go out of my way. My time is money, I get to decide who and when I donate my time to, not a company that made a mistake. Even making the initial call...

But I do not agree with profiting on their mistake.

 

[tremlock]

I have had to send back things a few times to Verizon (fios related), this has not been my experience. But, I believe you.



Could be true...



I personally only would feel I was owed something special, if I had to go out of my way. My time is money, I get to decide who and when I donate my time to, not a company that made a mistake. Even making the initial call...

But I do not agree with profiting on their mistake.

please correct me if I'm wrong, but i do believe Verizon Wireless operates differently than Verizon (Fios, home TV and phone service). Separate websites even.

 

[pjarvi]

I order a iPhone 7 plus, they mistakenly sent me two phones. According to FTC guidelines I can legally keep the extra phone without them billing me for it. Now Verizon is saying yea technically you can keep it but we will blacklist the phone so it will be useless. Any thoughts?

1st, you are wrong about FTC guidelines. The right to keep an item shipped to you by mistake only applies to unsolicited goods. That comes under consumer protection laws intended to prevent businesses from shipping unsolicited goods then attempting to bill people for them. You solicited an iPhone to be shipped to you. That there was a 2nd in the box does not matter. It would be the equivalent of you not noticing a 2nd item in your cart at a retail store and walking out with it, keeping the phone would be theft since you initiated the transaction. It is your legal responsibility to notify Verizon of the mistake and find out if they want the phone returned. If they want the phone returned it is reasonable to expect them to provide a pre-paid shipping label required for returning the phone. It is also your right to give them a reasonable time to respond, such as 30 days and to advise them that if they do not respond then they relinquish all rights to the phone. If that happens then, and only then, would you have the right to sell the phone or use it as you see fit. If you want to cover your ass legally during any of this then stop calling them and start mailing certified letters. At a minimum, make sure you are requesting and writing down the name of each person you speak to if you do call them, as well as the date and time of the call.

 

[JT2002TJ]

please correct me if I'm wrong, but i do believe Verizon Wireless operates differently than Verizon (Fios, home TV and phone service)

They could be. I haven never had Verizon Wireless, so I cannot comment on their service. My comments are with my experience with fios, which is enough for me to be pissed at Verizon as a whole. As soon as there is a better product, I will switch, but for now, there isn't.

 

[dk001]

I order a iPhone 7 plus, they mistakenly sent me two phones. According to FTC guidelines I can legally keep the extra phone without them billing me for it. Now Verizon is saying yea technically you can keep it but we will blacklist the phone so it will be useless. Any thoughts?

Good question. I suspect that it is not legal for Verizon to do that however you might have a difficult time fighting it. Corporate legal power.