Comcast blew up my bill

[blue_angel_29]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Texas

I had comcast for at least 6 months. They sent a cable box even when i told them i never wanted one. Sonce i was very busy. I just never had the chance to give it back. When i got my bill, it was almost $200. They charged me 2 months on the cable because i didnt return it. I tried to call them but they didt do anything. Didnt give me credit whatsoever. After a week or 2, somebody from comcast went to my house and asked for the cable box. I gave it to him and asked what i could do to get my internet back. He said i just pay $60 and it should work. It did. For a week and it got disconnected again. I asked comcast. They told me i need to pay the whole amount before i can get my internet connected. Which was a little over 200 now. Since i have 2 jobs, i can't stay all day on yhe phone with them. Before i know it, my bill was a little over $300. I am NOT paying them 300 because they keep adding a monthly charge even if i cant use the wifi.

I read in an article about comcast really doing this all the time and i can report them to the consumer act something. Is there any tip for me so i can get them to give me credit on services i didn't use? Or what department i can give a complaint to?

Any info will be very helpful as i need wifi because i go to school online Nd foing to the library is really a big hassle especially if i need wifi when the library is closed.

 

[justalayman]

How do they know you didn't use the equipment?


Why would they even send it unless you subscribed to a service needing it?

Arguing you work two jobs isn't going to help you. If you can't take the time to deal with this then you live with the consequences. It is your (admitted) fault for not returning the box sooner. Did you call them when yiu recieved the box asking them why they sent the box?

Is there a local Comcast service office near you?

While I have waited on the phone for a bit I can't say it has ever been so long I just gave up.

 

[blue_angel_29]

How do they know you didn't use the equipment?


Why would they even send it unless you subscribed to a service needing it?

Arguing you work two jobs isn't going to help you. If you can't take the time to deal with this then you live with the consequences. It is your (admitted) fault for not returning the box sooner. Did you call them when yiu recieved the box asking them why they sent the box?

Is there a local Comcast service office near you?

While I have waited on the phone for a bit I can't say it has ever been so long I just gave up.

They would know that i didn't activate the box sonce i think i need to call them to get the box activated. Even if i plug it in but don't call comcast, i wont get reception.


It was a promotion, they were wanting me to subscribe but since i was interested in wanting it, they sent it to me BEFORE i had my actual say that i wanted it. I had returned the modem and the cable box. I really want to go back to them since comcast is the only internet provider other than direct tv (300 downpayment is too much) that i can get where i live so, i really need it back, but i cNt and dont want to pay something i never used or asked.

 

[justalayman]

Even if i plug it in but don't call comcast, i wont get reception.


Sounds like you might be speaking from experience.


You say you returned the modem and cable box but how long after you got it? From what I read it was at least 2 months. Why do you think you shouldn't be charged something if you kept it for over 2 months?

How soon after you recieved the unwanted equipment did you call them and ask them how to return it since you do not want those services?


And the modem; do you have your own modem/gateway? If not, why would you return their modem if you wanted their internet service?


You say your bill was $200. Was that for 2 months of the unwanted service (along with whatever service you did want) or was that per month?

If per month, how much of that was the Internet (that you apparently did want) and is that price based on a package deal or a stand alone service price?

Did yiu ever pay any of the last bills or did you just tell them to take their equipment? You surely understand you do owe for the services you did use, right?


If you attempt to report this to any state consumer affairs office they are going to want to know what you have done to attempt to settle the matter. Before you go there I suggest you do set on the phone long enough to speak with a supervisor at Comcast billing office. If you haven't really tried to deal with this with Comcast I don't know what you would even tell your states consumer affairs office.

 

[quincy]

Here is a link to blue_angel_29's other thread in the Debt Collection section of the forum:

https://forum.freeadvice.com/debt-collections-84/walmart-credit-card-619972.html

You can easily get into financial difficulties by not paying on time or in the full amounts owing. Failing to address matters as they arise, for whatever reason you are failing to address them (work schedule, lack of money, whatever), is generally not the smartest way to operate.

As I suggested in your other thread, you will probably benefit from sitting down with a legitimate credit counselor before you find yourself with more than one lawsuit filed against you.

 

[LdiJ]

Even if i plug it in but don't call comcast, i wont get reception.


Sounds like you might be speaking from experience.


You say you returned the modem and cable box but how long after you got it? From what I read it was at least 2 months. Why do you think you shouldn't be charged something if you kept it for over 2 months?

How soon after you recieved the unwanted equipment did you call them and ask them how to return it since you do not want those services?


And the modem; do you have your own modem/gateway? If not, why would you return their modem if you wanted their internet service?


You say your bill was $200. Was that for 2 months of the unwanted service (along with whatever service you did want) or was that per month?

If per month, how much of that was the Internet (that you apparently did want) and is that price based on a package deal or a stand alone service price?

Did yiu ever pay any of the last bills or did you just tell them to take their equipment? You surely understand you do owe for the services you did use, right?


If you attempt to report this to any state consumer affairs office they are going to want to know what you have done to attempt to settle the matter. Before you go there I suggest you do set on the phone long enough to speak with a supervisor at Comcast billing office. If you haven't really tried to deal with this with Comcast I don't know what you would even tell your states consumer affairs office.

I have to admit that I have had some serious problems with Comcast and therefore can sympathize with the OP. They really do NOT make it easy to correct problems. I have been fighting with them over a piece of equipment that they picked up, that they swear was never returned, and that has been an ongoing problem for over a year.

 

[justalayman]

I have to admit that I have had some serious problems with Comcast and therefore can sympathize with the OP. They really do NOT make it easy to correct problems. I have been fighting with them over a piece of equipment that they picked up, that they swear was never returned, and that has been an ongoing problem for over a year.

While I wont wholly disagree, it sounds like the op has been very lax in anything concerning this issue. He hung on to the boxes for services he didn't want for at least 2 months. Want to bet he thinks the package price of the individual product he did want is all he expects to pay?

Then, the argument about not wanting to wait on the phone to deal with things

Hell, nobody wants to wait on the phone especially for something you already know not going to be them throwing money at you.


In your case, I know it's belated but;

Always get a signed receipt from whomever you return the equipment to.

I know. You're going to say you shipped it fed ex or ups or usps. Well, lesson learned. I hand deliver to their local office and get a signed receipt.

If you don't have a local office sometimes they will have a tech pick up equipment. Other than that make sure you keep proof of delivery from whatever service you use to ship the equipment.

 

[LdiJ]

While I wont wholly disagree, it sounds like the op has been very lax in anything concerning this issue. He hung on to the boxes for services he didn't want for at least 2 months. Want to bet he thinks the package price of the individual product he did want is all he expects to pay?

Then, the argument about not wanting to wait on the phone to deal with things

Hell, nobody wants to wait on the phone especially for something you already know not going to be them throwing money at you.


In your case, I know it's belated but;

Always get a signed receipt from whomever you return the equipment to.

I know. You're going to say you shipped it fed ex or ups or usps. Well, lesson learned. I hand deliver to their local office and get a signed receipt.

If you don't have a local office sometimes they will have a tech pick up equipment. Other than that make sure you keep proof of delivery from whatever service you use to ship the equipment.

I have all of the necessary documentation. It gets "fixed" every time. Then, a month later its right back on the bill. If I had a better or equal alternative for the internet I need I would be getting rid of Comcast in a heartbeat.

The newest battle I am dealing with them is over parental controls for renting movies. My grandchildren know that they can see a movie that doesn't require a pin number/passcode on the Comcast "on demand". However, any time that the Comcast system has a "glitch" it erases the parental controls and they have to be set up again...however Comcast gives you no warning of that.

 

[justalayman]

You have my sympathies ldij. Every time I have to go to their office they figure out how to piss me off and I tell them to disconnect everything. They should be sending my wife thank you presents as had it not be for her calming me I would have followed through with the cancellation. They seem to make the simplest of interactions a real pita.



And I have been a customer of a cable provider, they eventually purchased, before they existed. (Think decades)