My problems started when I first began service in September 2001. I had AT&T Service on the west coast, and after moving to the east coast, I was told I needed to change to Suncom as AT&T could not be a monopoly. I was fine with it, even after I was told I needed to begin another contract with Suncom, even though they are an AT&T affiliate. I received my Mitsubishi T300 phone, and from then on it was misery...

To begin, the phone was not programmed, so after about 3 hours on the phone with them after I received the phone we finally were able to get it working. Then I realized the phone was garbage ... but really when something is free with a package, you get what you pay for. The phone to me looked like it had been returned, so I called and asked nicely if I could have an other phone sent to me that was new. I was refused, and basically told since I did not opt for the $4 a month insurance, I was out of luck... Then I tried to access my account online to do the electronic payment deal... Seems their site has some problems, but I was able to talk to someone and they seemed to be able to get it set up.

Although some of the issues and customer service experiences that happened to myself were unbelievable, the main issues began in December 2001. I have had a cell phone for about 10 years, I have had many different services, and many different experiences. Suncom has one small thing going for it, its affordable. From there is was downhill for me.

Around the 7th of December I was to have had 121.03 debited from my Bank of America bank account. I signed up for this on their website, and it seemed all was fine. By the 10th of December 2001 I realized it had not been debited. I called Suncom at 1-800-786-7378 and they stated the money had been received. I explained it had not, and it was still sitting in my account. They literally told me to stop worrying and it was fine. I called back around the 14th of December 2001, and at that time I was told (surprise) the money was not in the account. I gave them my banking number again, and they said they had tried to debit the money, but my bank said I had turned it down, there for I was being charged a $25 service fee. This was in theory later reversed, but I am yet to see a statement. On the 20th I called Suncom again after speaking to my bank, Bank of America at 1-800-333-6262, and I was told that I always had enough money in the account and no authorizations had ever been made, or attempted on the account from Suncom. Suncom said that they would try again. This time they said they needed to call the bank for a verbal authorization. They did,and while I waiting on hold they received one from Bank of America on the 20th. On my Suncom account it appeared my payment had been made, yet on the 22nd my Bank, Bank of America, put the funds that were authorized back into my account as Suncom never collected them. Bank of America, like most banks only has a 24 - 72 hour authorization time limit. On the 22nd Suncom said everything was fine, and not to worry. Again I told them their debiting was not working. On January 3, 2002, I received a call from a Monique at Suncom, in their collections department demanding money over the telephone. I told her to get her facts together and check the account. Refusing to give yet another Suncom person my bank information, I refused her petition for money. I then called Suncom back at their 1-800 -786-7378 and spoke to Supervisor Deirdre at extension 40451. She said I should not have been hassled on the phone as the account was not in collection status. Apparently there was some problems in the collections department, or a computer problem... She also said she would try and find out why I was having so many problems with my payment. I did not give her my account number again as the last record they had was what I had given them on the telephone on the 20th. On January 7th, 2002, I had a voice mail message from her stating they were still having problems with the account, and my bank was not allowing the payments, thus another $25 service charge. I was concerned since this was not the issue at hand, the issue was regarding the telephone bank payment made on the 20th. Plus other than the one verbal authorization on the 20th, there had been no other attempts to withdraw money from my Bank of America account. On January 8th, I checked my online bank statement and I see I was charged not 121.03 from Suncom, but $1210.03. (the transaction was dated the 7th of January 2002)

$1210.03 was a full $1089.00 more than should have been debited. I called Suncom at 1-800 -786-7378 and spoke to Tom at ext. 40374, and he told me it was a computer glitch on my banks part, and they had only taken 121.03 from my account, and if "I felt the need to dispute it", to wait until I got a paper statement and then send it to them to look at. Hello! in my life I cannot wait a month to see $1000! I called my bank and they said yes, $1210.03 was debited, and they were courteous enough to help me begin the disputing process. I called Suncom back and they were unpleasant and uncaring about their theft of my money. All I wanted was the $1089.00 (the $1210.03 minus the original payment of 121.03 I was told on the telephone would be debited) refunded to my bank.

After writing complaint letters to the BBB, and the FCC, I called suncom back. I had decided to cancel, only they had a hefty charge for this. I spoke to a real cocky fellow named Justin, but thankfully he put me in touch with Kevin in Account services, and after demanding the termination fee waived, and nicely saying I would happily contact local TV and Radio about his, he said he would do as I asked, and refund the $25 charges. He also shared the Electronic transfer has had many similar problems for people lately. Thank goodness they have some competent people there.

I have no issues with paying my bills, and have excellent credit, but when a company tells me they are debiting a certain amount of money on the telephone, and then debits over a thousand dollars more... Then pleads innocent again on the telephone, its is fraud. This is not a company I would recommend, not to mention the worry they may take more money out anytime they see fit. We are a single income family and this could have seriously hurt us financially.

Recommended: No

Amount Paid (US$): $30/ month