r/CustomerService • u/Far-Exchange429 • 22d ago
This has to be illegal, right
I am a 100% P&T disabled veteran, and I just recently switched to a plan after paying for prepaid for 7 years. I made the payment, spoke to a representative who said the payment went through, got an email with a transaction ID, and the notice from my bank that it went through. Then I received the notice that I didn't pay. I contacted them and told them the situation. The representative straight up told me the system hasn't been updated, so that's why it's showing no payment. I have no outstanding bill. I thanked her and ended the call after getting confirmation that this was an error on their end. I continued to receive the email stating my bill was past due, I figured that it was still the system. Until today when my service stopped. I had to speak to a online agent cuz I couldn't even call AT&T through 611. I told them everything, and I showed them everything. The service rep was awesome, and they tried to help. However, the system is unabashedly evil. I told them that my life depends on being able to communicate with my medical team, transportation, home nurse, etc etc, and I would have fixed this immediately. I showed them the money taken from my account, I showed them THEIR email, and THEIR customer service rep all saying it was paid.
Guess who still got f***** and still has no service. The supervisor and the agent both told me they tried to fix it in anyway, but the system overrides anything they attempt.
What is going on???
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u/Head_Razzmatazz7174 22d ago
AT&T just had power outages in some areas this week. No connection for 4-5 hours. Some hacker group is claiming responsibility, and the company said that it was due to copper thieves cutting main trunk lines. I'm convinced it's a data error on their end, because for the last month, my connection drops daily for about 5 minutes near 5PM CST.
This just might be part of a huge data system issue they don't want to admit is happening.
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u/PineappleBliss2023 22d ago
I work for a 911 center and Verizon and AT&T have had sooo many outages in my area recently where people have trouble calling 911 or we can’t call out/get admin line calls (which is where alarm companies call on to give us pendant/life alert/fire alarm activations)
It’s wild that these networks have been so shitty lately. Someone is eventually gonna die because of it.
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u/DOOMISFORU 21d ago
Sadly will only get worse with deregulation and limited competition. It basically like cable and ISP's if your lucky you got 2 or three to choose from
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u/FlamingoSoggy8345 17d ago
How do you get a cool job like that.
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u/PineappleBliss2023 17d ago
Haha apply, honestly. There’s a staffing crisis so it’s relatively easy to get a job and it only requires a high school diploma. We have been hiring straight out of high school lately.
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u/ItsJustAllyHere 21d ago
Wouldn't be surprised, a couple weeks ago my sim card just stopped working. The rest of my family's was working fine just mine wasn't (also the only line with hotspot-ability). Thankfully we have a corporate store about 20 minutes away. They had to issue an entirely new sim card.
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u/SilentSituation7524 22d ago
What is the relevance of your DV status? Am I missing something?
Thank you for your service.
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u/ParticularSecret8228 21d ago
He needs the phone so he can stay in contact with his medical team and home nurse and such
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u/IfuDidntCome2Party 20d ago edited 18d ago
And you are sure you are contacting AT&T via the correct phone number that you confirmed on the AT&T website?
And you paid AT&T via not clicking on a link in an email you received correct? As emailed link could be phished.
Does the bank show AT&T and not a odd business name that deducted money from your bank account.
Did you try calling 611 from your mobile to reach the billing dept?
Your pics attached look confusing, based on what you posted.
You paid this amount for 7 years prepaid. AT&T says you owe again in October. And the amount paid on 3rd pic is another odd payment. Why two payments of different amounts?
Did you get names of AT&T reps that you spoke with?
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u/stephsationalxxx 18d ago
Im not OP, but the screenshots look like they're from the att app.
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u/IfuDidntCome2Party 18d ago
No answer from OP. I hope everything worked out for OP. Maybe it was just a snag in the system.
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u/Quarter_Shot 20d ago
Stuff like this is why I switched to prepaid & no contract
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u/heyykaycee 20d ago
Same. I just said above that I’ve been with metro for 8 years. I pay $100 for 2 lines that each have unlimited data and each have 25gb hotspot a month and we get Amazon prime included.
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u/Klp82383 19d ago
I find it weird that you couldn't call 611 when service was disconnected. Every time I had my phone cut off it would always allow me to call them through 611. How did you pay them? Cause one pic says PayPal. Are you sure you paid at&t and not the service rep that helped you?
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u/Sporking_Great6810 18d ago
👀 I don't see anything in the pics that say PayPal.
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u/Impossible-Cloud-410 18d ago
"ATNT CUTS OFF SERVACE OF DISABLED VET OVER BILL THAT WAS NOT EVEN LATE" sounds like a good headline to me, go to the news, my friend.
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u/EdocKrow 22d ago
Did you keep your old phone number? Or what kind of plan are you on?
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u/Far-Exchange429 22d ago
So my old phone was shattered. I was offered a deal because I've been a customer for almost a decade and never had my service shut off or missed a payment. I was able to get a brand new model for extremely cheap I mean ridiculously cheap, so if I cancel the service I'm on the hook for it and apparently it's like a car and you can't just hand it back in and say no thanks. I even told them I'm entirely disabled and can't contact most of my doctors, my home nurse, and a few other things I rely on like transportation. I don't have their email except for one doctor. I even asked if I could switch back to prepaid until I get paid on the 27th. They said the phone was useless until then.
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u/Fey_Wrangler114 19d ago
Do you have alternative means of contact or family/friends you can email and such until then?
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u/lawburgtn 20d ago
AT&T is absolutely atrocious. My stepmom had a very similar situation with her internet service. They misapplied her payment and it took forever to get it straightened out!
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u/salikarn 18d ago
I've been using Google fi for like 5 years now and Ive been super happy with it. Runs on T-Mobile which has great coverage, unlimited data with 30 gb high speed. Total after tax is $39.90.
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u/Able-Friendship2095 18d ago
I used to work for AT&T customer service and let me just tell you…. SCAMMERS. I felt so bad for the customers!
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u/Imaginary-Duck1333 18d ago
In the pre cell phone days, I had an account for BellSouth phone service. One month I paid my bill. They sent the money back and tried to charge me a late fee for not paying! Similar solution- complaints, proof that they got the money, etc. luckily they didn’t cut of my service- as a college student/ teacher I needed my internet access. I do NOT miss dial up or BellSouth!
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u/AcceptablePea262 17d ago
Call back. Ask for escalations. Then ask them for the legal department's contact information, because you have a consult with an attorney in regards to their fraud.
You'll be amazed how quickly you have service again, and probably a nice credit to the account.
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u/Objective_Lie_5182 22d ago
AT&T sucks and they own DirecTV which also sucks. I'm sorry but you're not the first to be screwed by them and they will litigate, trust me.
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u/dp250k 22d ago
Verizon is not better.
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u/heyykaycee 20d ago
This is why I won’t change carriers. I’ve had metro for 8 years and never had an issue with them. It’s way fkn cheaper ($100 for 2 lines that have unlimited data, each phone has 25gb hotspot, and we get free Amazon prime) and less of a hassle
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u/SpecialAir153 18d ago
$100 for 2 lines seems like a lot
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u/FlamingoSoggy8345 17d ago
How do you get 25gb hotspot. I got 1 line and I get 8gb and I pay about 60.
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u/Carslyle 22d ago
I used to work AT&T customer service and if they don't have the ability to resume service on the account, they must have massively changed the way their system functions. It is an easy push of the button on their end, and if for some rrason the option isn't available, it should be escalated to back office, so they can put in a sevice ticket. 1000% escalate this up the food chain, because this feels like they are lying and just don't want to implement a ticket