Verizon Wireless has settled with the Federal Communications Commission today for $25 million over a 10-month investigation on “mystery fees” found in customers’ cell phone bills. “Mystery solved: Today’s settlement with Verizon Wireless is about making things right and putting consumers back in the driver’s seat,” said Michele Ellison, Chief of the FCC’s Enforcement Bureau in a press release.
In addition to paying the largest amount ever to the U.S. Treasury, Verizon has agreed to immediately refund at least $53 million to their customers, or $2 to $6 credit per affected customer. Full story in Star Ledger.
Let me break down the numbers to make sure I understand this “plea deal”.
Verizon steals $77.8 Million from its customers in hidden and fraudulent fees.
They get busted.
Verizon returns only $52.8 Million to the customers they stole $77.8 Million from, in the form of negligible credits. The almighty government takes the remaining $25 Million, that the Verizon customers paid….for what, a reward? Some new Obama tax?
This money came out of the pockets of Verizon customers and is being returned to the government to be placed in the treasury.
That’s my money. What in the world is going on here.
Why isn’t all the stolen monies being returned to those it was stolen from?
In what universe does the government taking $25 million from a company that stole it from its customers, and keeping it for themselves, constitute “putting the customer back in the drivers seat”?
I got my check yesterday, it was just under $3 dollars. It would have been nice to receive a little more compensation especially since I had poor reception and wasn’t able to make calls.
#1, well said! If the government wants $25 million, then let them charge Verizon that amount as a fine for what they did! Taking that money and putting it into their pockets is just as bad, if not worst, than what the company did in the first place!
all the talking on the cell Lakewood drivers (putting others a t risk. and do not seem to care.) deserve the biggest share of the money. they could put it towards bluetooth.
i was by verizon store and going over my past bills when i realized they were charging me 15 dollars a month for the past 2 years for a service i never used or asked for..they checked their records and saw that i never used it and said they can only credit the past 6 months instead of the past 2 years (over 250 dollars) well i told them since they had no problem charging me freely then they should have no problem crediting me and if not i will switch to sprint and not use verizon anymore..well they came back to me and said O;k we will credit you for the whole thing you just have to wait a few days for it to go through…so now i’m waiting the few days and hopefully i will be credited for their mistake……….always look over your bill carefully!