Beware, This could happen to you!

I have contacted several customer service representatives at Verizon and can't seem to get anyone to fix the ridiculous situation.

Here is the story:

My smart phone was not working properly, I took it to the local store, they ordered a new phone that was shipped to my home and delivered the next day. Under warranty, the next day a replacement phone arrived.

The same day, I put the damaged phone into the box and pasted on the prepaid label supplied by Verizon. I took the phone to the post office counter and mailed it. I had the post office scan the label and give me a receipt.

About 2 weeks later I received a text message from Verizon stating that the returned phone was not received yet, but to disregard the message if the phone had been mailed back.

After 2 more weeks, received another text message from Verizon stating that the returned phone was not received yet, but to disregard the message if the phone had been mailed back.

After about another week, I received another text message stating that I had not returned my phone and a $449 charge would appear on my next bill.

I called Verizon customer service and talked to a very nice lady named Stacy at 585-321-7650 EXT 1032. I provided Stacy with the reference number off from my post office receipt, (Prepaid Return Label # 420569509158946530067027593409) she looked it up on the internet and found it was received at the post office and had left the local post office (Algonquin, IL) and was in route to the destination. (See Attached PDF). She said she would send an email to the warehouse in Fort Worth TX and ask them to look for the phone. Stacy said she would keep me informed.

A few days later, I received a voice message from Stacy suggesting that I go to my local post office and file a claim of the "lost" phone. She said should call her supervisor LUZ at 585-321-7650 EXT 1032.

I called and talked to LUZ and explained that I could not go to the post office and file a claim because I did not pay for the shipping, it was a prepaid return label provided by Verizon. I also found a barcode label (keep for your own records) that I saved from the prepaid return label. FEDEX reference number 58946530067027593409 , I tracked that number and FEDEX shows it was delivered to the Fort Worth TX facility on JAN 30 at 10:59 AM (see attach PDF) I provided that information to LUZ . At this point she said it was my issue and asked why I had dropped off a FEDEX package at the USPS. I explained that the prepaid return label was a USPS label, a concept that NO ONE at Verizon appears to understand? The service is called "FEDEX SmartPost Return", and the return label was provided and paid for by Verizon. (see attached PDF)

At this point, I asked to have the charge removed from my phone bill. I was told (by LUZ) that the warehouse could not find the phone , so Verizon would not remove the charge from my phone bill, but they would keep looking for it. I tried to explain that is was not my problem that the phone was lost, I did exactly what Verizon told me to do, I mailed it back in the box provided, with the prepaid label provided, hand delivered it to the post office counter and received a receipt of shipment (see attached PDF).

LUZ again said that I should go to the post office and have the package traced. Tell me again why this is my problem? At this time I was very unhappy wasting my time trying to solve a problem that is totally beyond my control. I followed the return instructions EXACTLY and have proof of each step and it is still my responsibility that the returned phone is missing? LUZ said she would email the warehouse and look for the phone again. She should have fixed this at this point and removed the charge from my bill, Stacy was great, but LUZ really pissed me off!!! I Still have not received anything back from her.

I called the Verizon Corporate "Executive Response Team" at 212-321-8700 and I talked with a very nice lady, she referred me to the Verizon Wireless "Executive Response Team" She told me she would email them and have them contact me.

2 days later, I was contacted by Wendy from the "Verizon Wireless Executive Response Team", I explained all of this to Wendy, she also asked why I took the package to the post office and said I should have the post office trace the package. It is clear that no one in Verizon knows how their own phone return system works? I asked Wendy to fix this, she said she will have to investigate again and that Verizon would not credit my account until they found the phone. I asked what would happen if they could not find the phone, Wendy said that I would have to pay for it $300+.

Sorry, but that was the last straw! Let me get this straight, I returned a phone in the box provided by Verizon, attached the "FEDEX SmartPost Return" label provided and paid for by Verizon, hand delivered the package to the post office counter, have a copy of the post office receipt with a tracking number, have a copy of the post office tracking info showing it left the local post office, have a copy of the FEDEX portion of the shipping tracking information showing the package delivered to the warehouse in Fort Worth, the warehouse can't find the phone, so I have to pay $449!! You have to be kidding me.

At this point, I attempted to contact any Verizon Executive (Corporate or Wireless) that I could find an email address for. I sent a copy of this information to at least 30 top Verizon Executives. I also filled out the "Contact sheet" for another 15 Top Execs on the Verizon Wes site.

http://www22.verizon.com/investor/app_resources/interactiveannual/2010/fea_10.html

http://aboutus.verizonwireless.com/leadership/executive/index.html

Out of all the requests I made, only one person replied, that would be Bob Mudge, (President – Consumer and Mass Business Markets) Bob is a very nice man and said he would forward this to the correct person at the Wireless division and that he would also seem that this was resolved. In his response, he copied Daniel S. Mead (President and CEO of Verizon Wireless) dan.mead@verizon.com and Louis Sigillo (Vice President of Customer Service) louis.sigillo@verizon.com.

The very next morning, I was contacted by the same WENDY at the Verizon Wireless Executive response team. Yes, the same Wendy as before.

WENDY said that now they have suddenly found the empty phone box at the warehouse. The box was still sealed and was empty? SO I WILL BE CHARGED FOR THE PHONE!

My postal receipt has the weight of the box on it when shipped, 13.30oz, just what a Droid phone and a small box should weigh, clearly the phone was in the box at shipment. Clearly, someone has removed the phone from the box, WENDY also stated the phone is "active" on the system, IT APPEARS THIS PHONE WAS STOLEN AFTER SHIPMENT?? (My Guess is from the Verizon warehouse?) THIS IS NOT MY PROBLEM!!

Wendy said there is nothing else Verizon can do about this. I asked who else I can talk to, she said she was the final word on this.

Just as a side note, Verizon only insures the return phones for $100

(the limit of FEDEX SmartPost) Two weeks after I received the replacement new Droidx2 phone, I upgraded two of my 5 lines to the new razor. Verizon gave me only a $50 "Trade in" credit for the Brand New Droidx2 I just received from the warehouse as a replacement ???

Verizon only insures the FedEX SmartPost Reteun shipment for $100, they only gave me $50 for the NEW phone I traded in, now they are charging me $449 for a damaged phone that got stolen in their shipping process! This is unbelievable!

I Guess will have to go file a police report on the stolen phone, contact the post office and FedEx and inform them. I would hope Verizon will provide the information on who's account this phone is still active? My Guess it is not in my home state even? Verizon knows where the phone is, it is active (I guess) on someone's Verizon account (so WENDY Said) Maybe? Verizon will launch a criminal investigation and figure out who is stealing their phones?

Unfortunately, I am not alone in this problem, Just Google "Verizon Lost My Phone" and you will see this is a systemic problem at Verizon Wireless" Lots of these same type of problems are actually posted on Verizon's own support Forums.