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Golden Gate
1/15/2005
6 comments

 

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Thursday 03/09/06

Vonage sure is a bunch of screw-ups. I got their service when I moved into my current apartment in August 2004. A year later I decided to switch to SunRocket. After SunRocket ported my number, I called up Vonage and canceled. Whereupon Vonage proceeded to continue to bill me for three more months. When I called them on this in January, they refused to give me a refund for the overbilling. Fine, whatever, I'd have my credit card issuer deal with it.

Now a couple weeks ago I started getting calls during the day from someone at Microsoft. The mystery caller didn't leave messages, but this morning I happened to be home and saw an unfamiliar cell phone caller and answered. It turned out to be some guy who has been calling his "new" Vonage number periodically to see if it was working yet. Yes -- Vonage gave my phone number to someone else. Since I'd already ported the number to SunRocket, this means that if a Vonage customer calls the number, they get this other guy, since that number is in their system as belonging to him, but if he calls that number from outside Vonage, he gets me, because the national number database has SunRocket as the number's service provider, and they know it belongs to me.

About 15 minutes after I got off the phone with him I got a call from a Vonage rep and explained the situation to him. Hopefully they'll take care of it now, but given their past displays of incompetence, I am not optimistic.

Re: Vonage is a bunch of screw-ups

There are 24 messages in this thread, displayed in the order they were posted.

TDavid 3/19/2006 1:00:43 PM Pacific

Hmm, this is disturbing. We've been very happy Vonage customers for two years now. I sure hope it doesn't work out like this for us if/when we have to cancel.
Karen 4/19/2006 7:09:45 PM Pacific
Did you ultimately get the problem resolved through your credit card company? I'm doing some research on this company for a friend and 1) even after he successfully disputed the credit, Vonage recharged his card; and 2) the credit card company said that they would have to cancel and reissue him a new card to keep Vonage out of his account.
Jerry Kindall 4/19/2006 7:43:00 PM Pacific
Actually, I'm loath to admit it, but I haven't got around to it yet, which probably means I shouldn't bother.

After the termination fee credit they gave me, I'm only out about a month and a half worth of service... there's only so much I'm willing to do to get back $40, I guess. I mean, I should, just on principle, but somehow I always seem to have better things to do.

Gordon Hawley 5/24/2006 2:13:59 PM Pacific
Vonage had their stock IPO and it went down. Most analysts believe it was overpriced. $10 would have been good.
Geno 5/8/2007 7:53:47 AM Pacific
Jerry, I have been canceling my Vonage service unsuccessfully now for 3 months.

1st it took them 30 days to port out my number (it's only supposed to take ten days but Vonage takes 30), which they did to Comcast.
Then a month later they directly withdrew $29.93 out of my bank account saying I never cancelled service, I explained I wasn't using their service anymore and Comcast took over the number, so what service were they providing me with I was supposed to pay for? They replied none but you didn't cancel your service. So, I sent them a copy of the e-mail during the port out process asking my service be canceled.
Then they changed their story to: Well you have only been with us for 11 months so you haven't fulfilled you one-year contractual obligation with us. We are saving you $10 by charging you for this month and not charging you a $39 cancellation fee. I asked to cancel my service on the spot.
Repeat same story exactly one month later. Vonage keeps changing their story, telling me my account is canceled but they seem to refuse to cancel my service as they keep charging my account, and refuse to issue a refund for charging me for service I am not receiving.

I have now had to have my bank intervene and stop future withdrawals from Vonage, and try to issue me a refund for illegally withdrawing my funds.

Crazy huh they suck… and I truly think they aren't done with me yet…

Robert 7/18/2007 8:00:40 AM Pacific
I started to sigh up for Vonage. They were un able to verify my address, and it failed. At the same time, I cancled the startup and rejected the delivery of the hardware. They billed me $39.95 for canceling. Keep in mind, the service was never initiated. Then, 7 days after receiving the hardware back, they tell me that I will not get a refund. Now, my service was never started and I have never received the hardware, and have been charged for both. I called them, recorded the conversation, including thier refusal to put me through to a supervisor 3 times, and refusing the corporate phone number. I called the Oregon Attourney General's office, and had a full refund in 2 days.
Teri Hawkins 8/8/2007 11:52:45 AM Pacific
Did you ever get a corporate phone number? THey have double billed me on two prepaid phone lines and suspended my service. After 11 calls and 11 different customer service reps they have actually charged my another years worth of service which is the exact opposite of what they should have done and what they promised they would do. I found this site looking for the corporate number. Please if anyone can help me I sure would apprecieate it. THis has been weeks of hell, Thanks for your help!
Teri
AC3 8/28/2007 1:18:29 PM Pacific
I am also attempting to move a number (out of Vonage and onto Sprint). I call every day and I get the run-around from Vonage. Sprint tells me that the number is registered with Focal Communications. I was able to get someone at Vonage to confirm that Focal Communciations is who handles the land lines for Vonage, but I can not reach someone there to assist and Vonage just gives me the run-around. During one of my calls, I was told to email portout@vonage.com. They told me that someone would contact me within the hour with a confirmation and status. No one ever did. I have never been so unhappy with a company. At this point, I am ready to registed a complaint with the better business bureau.
Bridgett 11/28/2007 11:57:09 AM Pacific
Vonage is horrible. They are scam artists! DO NOT SWITCH! It will be the biggest mistake you made. I was with them for 1mth and cancelled because they lied about their promos and stole money out of my account during a prom. They are liars! Very hard to communicate with them because harldly anyone speaks english. Vonage took 3mths before they released my lines. DONT DO IT. ATT has a 90% rate of return for all customers that switch to vonage they switch RIGHT BACK
Mitchell 12/4/2007 10:48:37 AM Pacific
I just canceled my service and got charged $95. They charged me the modem rebate and then 30 to cancel. I asked to speak with a supervisor and they refused. I am call my credit card to put a stop payment on these scammers. I have had a unresolved issue of none being able to call me outside vonage. I am contacting the bbb and the attorney generals office here in Ohio. The work part is I was getting my service on a affiliate discount from teleperformance.
Alexis33 12/11/2007 3:35:09 PM Pacific
I HATE VONAGE SCAMMERS! UNETHICAL!!! There was no place to plug into so I called them. They said oh sorry mam. Ok so I was supposedly cancelled the date I got it. Which I was billed October 2007
and I called them at the end of October when I got the box in the mail. BUt I kept getting charged!
So NO JOKE after 23 calls and so much runnaround! I was told I needed to call the Accounts Manager and needed a reference number to speak with them ? HUH? Ok so after calling no one answered of they would say Mam if you are having problems please call this number ..blahblah blah!
SO I say- I WANT TO CANCEL MY ACCOUNT. I HAVE NEVER USED THIS SERVICE! I WANT TO HAVE THE CARD REFUNDED PLEASE! AND STOP BILLING ME!
So they Guy says mam, You already had it for 2 months and IF you were not using it WHY ARE YOU JUST NOW CALLING TO CANCELL ? OMG! I was like I have proof my cell minutes sued up calling You 23 times !!! SO please refund Me back! Well he hung up on Me! I call back the new rep says, Ok I can cancell but you must pay a cancellation fee before we can cancell and stop billing you ! HUH ! ? I never used the service! OMG ! I am ill over this.
Alexis33 12/11/2007 3:39:48 PM Pacific
I have a feeling that they purposely give us the runarround to allow time to lapse then they feel justified! I was told I would be billed 26.85 a month - well I NEVER USED IT and I was billed 45.33 October then 41.85 November and then 31.55 again in November and then again 31.55 just 1 day ago December! Wtheck!!! and NOW they want more money to cancell a service I NEVER USED ? Grrrrr!
Janella 12/18/2007 6:53:15 AM Pacific
Hi Robert,

what's the General Attorney phone number Oregon....pls. I'm having problems with vonage and i'm pissed off...for over 68mins i keep telling this lady don't take no money out my account because i'm not paying for any service i didn't have..keep in mind i never use the service. I sent back the equipment and i was told once receive vonage will cancel. Now, that i didn't get the email from vonage i called and ask why i didn't recieve the email stating that u recieve ur equipement and my stuff is cancelled. The lady insist of not cancelling without taking the 39.99 out my account. I kept telling her don't go into my account and for some reason all of them like them was train in different world. I got up this morning can u believe this woman took out the money from my husbands account and they took out 50.34 tell me from 39.99 how it got to 50.34. I'm piss and upset. I'm calling Corperate and waiting for a call but, if u don't mind can i get the Attorny number pls. Thanks so much Robert.

Miranda 1/23/2008 11:37:50 AM Pacific
OMG I just went through the same thing. I never used the service and they never cancelled me when asked, they still can't account for a $15.00 fee yet refuses to refund it. They then shut down my account but insisted they did not recieve my equipment until I pointed out it was priority mail w/ confirmation. Then they were only going to refund one account saying the second (no one can understand why I simply added a number but they opened two accounts seperately) account did not exist. Each individual I spoke with gave me a new twist opposite from the last explanation. Since I am still waiting for my refund I am not sure if the issue is resolved. I pray they do not take any more money or I'm in a world of crap. I don't have money to hand over when ever they want to charge. I am concidering closing out that bank account & Card I gave them. Just to be safe. I never even used thier product. I do not recommend them and plan on utilizing the ideas I read on here to register a complaint. I'll stick to the old fashion wall phone thank you.
CYNTHIA 3/10/2008 8:19:57 AM Pacific
I have just experienced the same thing with Vonage! I have ended up giving them $120 for absolutely nothing!! BBB here I come!!
Dawn 3/31/2008 11:34:02 AM Pacific
Written across the whole back window of my car reads VONAGE RIPS OFF - PORTOUT@VONAGE.COM Here is my nightmare,I had ordered Vonage over the phone for my home and business, never was I told you needed a computerto connect with. When I got the equiptment for my buiness and realized it could not be hooked up since I have no computer there., I called Vonage 2-19-08 to cancel. That whole day I received no business calls, later that night at 10:00PM, I discovered all my business calls had been forwared to my home computer. I run my own hair salon so getting messages 15 miles away does me no good. I called to cancel again! The next day I didn't even have a dial tone, I lost another whole day of calls, and my daughter was in a car accident and no one could call me. We purched cell phones that night. I was on the phone again with them that night, why did I not have a dial tone? I was hung up on so many times I lost count, again telling them all the while I did not want their business and when the equiptment for my home came I did not want that either. Another whole day of no calls, and no dial tone. That night I finally got ahold of someone who admitted my # was in "limbo" that I may be able to receive calls if she forwarded Vonage through my cell phone. Great, now I was paying twice. I mailed back both boxes, within their 30 day money back time period. I never received credit for them. They woud not let go of my number at my business, and an exutive for AT&T fought for me with the coperation of Bill Ford at the #transfer Dept. in Vonage 1-800-680-6178 ext 21275. I was then billed for service at my business and home on my charge card, which I never agreed to. When I questioned this they said "we dont sent out statements". Their service was never started at my home yet they billed me, This nightmare started Feb. 19, 2008, and after cancelling with at least 30 different persons with Vonage, on March 25, 2008 is when I was told " a person can only cancel through the Acct. Management Dept. 1-866-243-4357, and you must have a cancellation # for proof." I was hung up by 2 different women in this dept, when I asked to cancel and get a "cancellation #" They would not put me through to a supervisor, they only wanted to read the script of how I should stay with Vonage. Finally with the 3rd woman and after almost losing my voice with just repeatly saying over and over cancelltion # now!!!! I got both #'s. Then Vonage had the nerve to bill on my charge card again $97.50 twice, the break down of Disconect fee $39.99 and Rebate recovery fee $49.99, that is outragous. When they advertise money back guarantee!!! I contacted my charge card to remove the unauthorized charges and contacted my Prepaid Legal Attorney. Vonage is under the BBB of Trenton, OH 1-609-588-0808. Written reports can also be sent to the FCC 1-888-225-5322, I also sent a letter to Consumer Reports 101 Truman Ave. Yonkers, NY 10703-1057. And anyone can contact the Federal Trades Commision, oryour local Public Utilites commision, or Costomer Protection 1-888-782-8477. This company has to be stopped
Dawn 3/31/2008 1:04:20 PM Pacific
They can run but they can't hide..... 1-888-580-4020 Exe. Management team # leave a message and someone will call you back that speaks english. Their mailing address is
Vonage Holding Company
23 Main Street
Holmdel, NJ 07733 Corp. fax # 1-732-834-0189

CEO- Mike Snyder
CHB - Jeffery Citron jeffery.citron@vonage.com paula.pangilinan@vonage.com
CPA-CFO -John Rego
EXEC UP- Michael Tribolet
CTO- Louis Mamakos
Senior VP- Bryan DiGiorgio
Rennard Snowden@vonage.com
Bill Ford 1-800-680-6178 ext.21275 Number transfer dept.
You can also read more about Vonage at www.my3cents.com

Dawn 4/4/2008 7:07:49 PM Pacific
FREE AT LAST
After calling the executive responce team 1-888-580-4020 and notifing them that I contacted my lawyer with Pre-Paid Legal ($25. per month, and unlimited legal resorces 1-800-458-6982, best investment I ever made). I was called back by a member of the executive responce team, Jessica Masterson #ext. 25394, wanting to know my story and how it could be resolved. She really listened, she apoligized for the company, and the way I was treated. She then told me I would be refunded all of my $355.42 and sent an email confirming this. I told her about all the blogs and all the other people that are fighting with Vonage and she wants to help!!! I know this will help some of you.
Will 4/15/2008 10:40:04 AM Pacific
I have just got off the phone with Vonage, now keep in mind that we have been trying to close our account sence Sept. of 2007, 7 months! They told me today that they could not get to my account because at noon the system was updating and they could not do anything. I have not called THE EXECUTIVE RESPONCE TEAM, so I will let you now what happens. DO NOT EVER GET PHONE SERVICE WITH VONAGE, IT IS A REAL SCAM Responce team number is
1-888-580-4020
tommy 7/21/2008 6:24:47 AM Pacific
Ive had Vonage service for about three years. I have to say that I have been very happy with the service. Yes when I first got it I had some problems with sound quality. But it mostly turned out to be problems with my high speed internet service. Once I got these issues resolved my Vonage phone has worked well. I have much less trouble with it now. This I will say from experience that to use Vonage (or any other VoIP service) you MUST have a good quality broadband service. So before you badmouth any VoIP service make sure your broadband service is up to par.
Ross 8/20/2008 9:26:19 AM Pacific
Just a quick note if you ever want to have your "snail mailed" letter get directly to any CEO, according to my local postmaster the best way to make the "overpaid underworked" Officier of the company you may have a complaint about, would be to send him a "package" containing all your written correspondence and /or documentation directed to the Company involved. You need to seal the package in front of the Postmaster or Postal employee and mail it Restricted Delivery, Return Receipt addressed specifically to the CEO, he will be required to either present himself at the Post Office or will be required to sign the Return receipt in front of an authorized Postal Employee
Jim Christian 9/1/2009 10:33:29 AM Pacific
For nine days I have been trying to change my service plan and phone number to my AT&T number. If you try to do this on line you get a message that the system is being update. I have programed and updated large networks before and I know of no reason it should take nine days.

No one in customer service, tech support, or engineers can make the change. I am available for hire so if they cannot do it maybe they should call me.

The phone service has been excelent, just don't have any problems. Customer service, and I imagine tech support are located in the Philipines. I have only found one person in the last nine days you speeks passable english.

Good luck.

Travis 9/30/2009 1:38:23 PM Pacific
Vonage SUCKS. They charged me for a cancellation fee that I didn't authorize. After finally getting to a supervisor I told her that if she didn't reverse the changes that I was contacting the Attorney General. So after 2 hours of wasted time today I get an email stating that the charge was refunded but then they want me to spend my money to ship the vonage adaptor back to them. I told her she was crazy considering I called to cancel my acount within the first 30 days as I never could get the thing to work properly. I now just got off the phone with one of the corp execs and all my money has been refunded to my credit card. What a scam Vonage is, don't use them EVER.
michael 12/15/2009 4:11:51 PM Pacific
i have had vonage for a very long time and am very happy with them i'm going to get a direct dial from the family in las vegas so they don't have to pay a long distance to call me i would recomend vonage to any one who needs very relaible and dependable phone service at a reasonable price will soon add and additional number

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