Having a phone plan in the United States is pretty expensive.
In fact, the U.S. is one of the most expensive countries in the western world to get mobile coverage. As of 2024, the price per gigabyte of mobile data in the U.S. averaged around $6. This is more than double the worldwide average of $2.59 per gigabyte and over 8 times more expensive than countries like Denmark and the United Kingdom.
Not only do Americans pay more for their mobile phone coverage, but the companies providing the coverage don’t exactly provide the best customer service.
One Verizon customer learned that firsthand after alleging the company had been fraudulently charging her for months. Then, things took a turn.
Why Did Verizon Charge This Woman $200?
According to TikTok user Keili Maluhia (@keilimaluhiaa), she was reviewing her Verizon account when she discovered that the company had been wrongfully charging her for eight months.
Not only that, but she saw that the company hit her with a random $200 charge. When she questioned why, she was told that she “didn’t turn in my phone to trade it in.”
“I did,” she says. “I turned the f—– in the day that I, or the next day, after I did the trade in or whatever.”
Things Get Worse
Soon, she found herself in a heated conversation with Verizon customer support. In a call that lasted three hours, she claims that she was disconnected, that emails to the company bounced back, and that employees refused to identify themselves.
Additionally, even though the company owed her over $240, she says the company repeatedly attempted to negotiate down to a lower refund.
“They’re like, ‘Let’s just call it a hundred bucks?’ And I was like, ‘Let’s not just call it a hundred bucks. It’s over $240,’” she recounts. “They’re like, ‘You’re right. Let’s—can I just do 200?’ And I was like, ‘Why the f— are you heckling me for $20, $40, when you’re, like, a multi-million dollar company?’”
While Maluhia believes that the issue has been resolved, she says she hasn’t seen any changes on her account.
How Often Does Verizon Incorrectly Charge Customers?
Unbelievably, issues like these seem to be common with Verizon.
First, numerous users claim that Verizon has attempted to charge them for phones they have returned. On Reddit, one user claimed they were fraudulently charged $333 and then had to talk to eight different representatives to get it fixed.
Another alleged that Verizon incorrectly charged them over $1,000. When he tried to resolve it, he kept getting told that it had been fixed, even when it had not.
Even when a customer manages to get Verizon to issue a refund, customers have issues actually receiving it. One Verizon customer claimed they were incorrectly charged $1,099, causing them to overdraft. They were then told that they could only be refunded in the form of $300 credits on their account.
What Should A Verizon Customer In This Situation Do?
When a Verizon customer encounters this situation, there are several steps they can take.
First, they should try to resolve the issue directly with Verizon, as Maluhia did. If they’re unable to find a resolution, they may be able to dispute the charge with their credit card issuer, provided that they pay their bills via credit card.
If the problem persists, the customer can file complaints with relevant oversight and consumer-protection organizations. These include the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), and the Better Business Bureau (BBB).
Internet users also suggest reaching out to Verizon’s executive leadership team. These users claim that filling out this form was instrumental in getting them a response and a resolution.
Should those avenues fail, they can consider pursuing legal action through small claims court or arbitration.
@keilimaluhiaa Someone please validate me and help me get my dayum refund #verizon #sucks #fyp #viral
Commenters Say It’s Common
In the comments section, users said that issues like these occurred frequently with the mobile carrier.
“Don’t go on auto pay with them,” advised a user.
“They did the same to me a few years ago. Traded in a phone and they gave me a $300 credit. 2 billings later the charged back the $300….called and said they never received the phone,” recalled another. “4 months later and many calls the gave me the $300 back.”
“They are the worse. Did the same crap to me. I turned my WiFi device in Person,” offered a third. “I was over charged like 8 months and it took me 5 months repeated times telling them the same story. Never will i go [back].”
BroBible reached out to Maluhia via TikTok and Instagram direct message and to Verizon via email.