Make Verizon Refund
For Disconnected Calls
By: Irene West

Lisa (she wouldn't give her full name) at Verizon Select Services said: "You're not getting your money back!" She was rude, nasty and a good reason to boycott Verizon for all/any telephone services. Get your cell someplace else.

Prisoners allover the state, allover the country are complaining about their calls being disconnected. Families are being saddled with huge reconnection fees. As we all know, it's because the T-Netix system used by many prison telephone rackets is a defective product. (They should be sued for it.) Pure and simple, the T-Netix gadget doesn't work. Everybody recognizes that the system is crap, including the prisons which use it. They don't care because they're getting million of dollars of your money as kickbacks.

When one of our editors phoned Verizon, Lisa in the Budget Connection Department (1-888-610-7079) rudely pronounced her edict: "You're not getting your money back!"

Don't you believe it!

When YOU have trouble with the bogus phone system, we urge you to follow some simple steps.

  • 1. Make a good faith effort to get an adjustment and a refund. Make three phone calls: (a) to the local prison, (b) to the prisons' central office and (c) to Verizon at 1-888-610-7079. The prisons are part of the racket. They'll tell you that it's your fault. The prisons like to blame the victims, but you should give them a chance just in case. Verizon will tell you that it's your fault, but give them a chance then dump all your Verizon services and urge your friends and family to do the same.
  • 2. To get your money back, file a simple formal complaint with:
    Secretary
    PA Public utility Commission
    Box 3265
    Harrisburg, PA 17105-3265
    717-772-7777.

    Just phone them. They'll send out a short, simple form. Send it back. You'll cost Verizon a lot more than they cost you and you'll likely get a refund.
  • 3. Include the prison in your complaint. The phone racket is a partnership between Verizon and the Department of Corrections. They are in it together and they split the enormous sums they gouge from you.
  • 4. Ask for a hearing. It will be by phone.

We wish you luck. If you talk to Lisa, tell her we've made her famous and try to get her full name. She deserves a change of job.

"Never trust a computer you can't throw out a window"
(circa 1988) Steve Wozniak

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