I cannot get Verizon to refund money that they mistakenly took out of my bank account.

Question

I am so frustrated with Verizon, after years of being a faithful customer.  A jetpack was ordered for me to try and instead I got some other equipment that I could not use.  I was instructed to just send it back and I did so.  Then, I received 2 different pieces of equipment and  had to send them back before finally getting the jetpack (which I do love, even though my husband calls it a "roter rooter".  I sent back the 2 packages, after they were actually boxed up in Dickson, Tn. at the Verizon store by one of their employees.  I took it that day and mailed it back. Verizon received the two packages on Nov. 12th. AT LEAST THAT IS WHAT THEY HAVE REPEATEDLY TOLD ME, AFTER EACH TIME PUTTING ME ON HOLD FOR ANYWHERE BETWEEN 20 - 30 MINUTES EACH TIME I CALL!
They had first sent me a text message telling me they were going to have to bill me for equipment that I had not returned, so I called them immediately and, after a call of over an hour,  I was told they had located the returns and I didn't need to worry about it anymore.
Next, in December, I got a bill from them again stating they were going to have to charge me for it so again I called them and was told, again, after a quite lengthy hold, that they definitely had the returned equipment and I was again given the date of Nov. 12th as the date they had received it. 
Then, during the first part of January I got a bill that showed that on January 14th, they were going to withdraw that amount with my automatic payment plan from the bank.  I called again, again to be told it was a "glitz in the system" but would be worked out before time to withdraw the amount.  Well, that didn't happen.  But they did take the money out of our account anyway. I don't have a spare $269 to give!  My husband and I are both disabled and retired.   Of course I called them again  and after being put on hold for 20 minutes, was told not to worry, it had been returned!  I stupidly thought she meant to our bank account!  She meant what I already knew....the equipment had been returned....over 2 months earlier!
Since that time I have made more phone calls to Verizon and keep getting told that it will take 3 - 5 days and they have to request it.  Well, they've requested it several times.  Still I do not get my money returned to the bank.  I absolutely do no recommend anyone use their auto payment.  If this is what happens, it will wear you out just trying to get your money back.
I have since received another monthly bill, and it shows NO CREDIT, NO RETURNS, ETC. IS THERE ANYONE OUT THERE THAT CAN HELP ME????  I HAVE CONTACTED CONSUMER'S AFFAIRS and I plan to take this where-ever I have to just to warn people.  It really bothers me that every time I call Verizon about this problem, I talk to someone who seems so nice, so empathetic about the problem and they always promise that THEY will make sure it gets done. 

Answer 1

Hi judy. I feel your frustration and anger. I had placed an order with B&N and got billed twice. I called them and i let the rep know i had just checked my acct and saw i've been billed twice. The rep checked and sure enough their records showed i was billed twice.
Then the rep apologized, which is always cool for a corp to do, and i was told that the money would be credited back to my card within 3 to 5 business days. And sure enough that's what happened.
Why Verizon can't do the same thing is...