FRUSTRATED - Regular Payment Went Through, Then I Upgraded, Now Paying Double for Three Weeks

[dryates]

Can anyone help me dig through this little issue?

My regular payment went through on October 23.

Today I got a text saying I could upgrade to a plan with 15GB of data at 4g rates. I thought, great! The next  message then said it would go into effect on the next billing cycle, or I could go online to activate it now. I went online and activated the new service.

Then I realized my mistake: there was no refund for the previous payment, and no prorated adjustment for the new overlapping payment. This means I am now paying double for three overlapping weeks of service.

Contacting customer service just led to a bunch of excuses: there is no actual customer support, just community support. This is a prepaid service, so I've now prepaid and that's just what I get. There is no prorated anything. No refunds.

I caught the mistake immediately and started a support ticket, and can't believe it seems fair to let the customer make such a mistake and pay twice for service. 

Never before have I been so frustrated with Public Mobile. I'm disappointed.

[dryates]

@Psygineer Thank you. That's the sort of understanding I was hoping to find with a post like this. Appreciate it.

[Psygineer]

Glad to hear it. 

Honestly to your last point, they likely do. The big red box does try to dissuade you from doing it enough to cover themselves and give them an out, but they know going from something like a 1-3GB 3G plan to 15GB 4G is something that may tempt people into either switching early deliberately for the extra speed/data (and PM pockets the forfeiture), or lure those in who do not understand there is no prorating (by default) or those who may jump on it without thinking about the consequences of acting in haste and getting you on board before the realization of the forfeit sinks in (or those that FOMO kicks in and are worried PM won't honour it at their renewal if the offer expires before then). 

[darlicious]

@dryates 

I'm happy to hear you came to a resolution that was acceptable to you that's what is important as is one's time. Enjoy your new plan's large data bucket it is indeed a bargain price.

[dryates]

Alright, everyone. Case closed.

Support offered 50% of the previous plan back. They said it's a one-time exception. The amount was close enough to the prorated amount that I accepted it. I recognize the mistake I made. It does seem that I overlooked the big red warning box, so it's really my fault. The point I was just trying to make here is that a service that allows double payment for something is a crappy, misleading service. Put all the blame you want on the user, I actually think it's up to the service to correct such mistakes, and to make their system more robust so this sort of thing isn't so likely to happen. I wouldn't have even changed my plan like that if not for the surprise promotion. They MUST know that the appeal of switching to such an extraordinarily increased speed and data allotment is hard to resist.

Let's leave it there. No need to keep chipping away at this for now. Thanks to those who actually showed understanding and care.

[Psygineer]

I apologize if saying you acted in haste offended you, I see you mentioned that in a few of your replies. It wasn't my intent to do so. The big (apparently bright Red) warning box is what I was referring to. Skipping/Ignoring/"missing" it and pressing accept is what I meant by acting in haste. If you didn't understand what it meant, screenshotting it and taking the time to come to the forums and asking for help understanding it would have taken a few extra minutes. People here are happy and quick to help with basic understanding of things or discussions and tips (they can't personally do anything account based though). Although, like everyone else in this thread, I am a customer myself. I don't agree with the forfeit system, I have just come to accept it and make my changes when renewing.

For fun I tried an experiment with both of the PM accounts I have access to (my Mother's and Mine) and in 13 differently configured web browsers on four different systems (one Mac, a Windows 10 and a Windows 11, and an Android phone) the red box appeared in some shape or form. It's possible some configuration of your browser is blocking elements though. Do you run a hardened browser with a lot of privacy, etc. apps/extensions installed? Curious if you were to run an incognito window with the apps/extensions disabled if that would be best when using PM.

[DennyCrane]

As I said, try for a credit. And yes, of course mistakes happen. And yes, it would be a nice gesture of goodwill. What I was saying is that it wasn't PM's fault as you indicated, and that they gave you plenty of warnings. You were trying to blame them for your mistake.

But yes you have a reasonable argument to make based on the fact that you caught it right away and clearly it was an honest mistake. 

[darlicious]

@DennyCrane 

I'm all for taking responsibility for one's actions but even with a warning mistakes happen. As I posted earlier ones I have made with my experience and being careful and thinking you have read everything and done everything right and you still make a mistake.

Now if pm had a perfectly run website and self serve account without the multitude of bugs, glitches, workarounds and poor messaging that didn't require self management and the customer confirmed with customer support before making the change the consequences of their actions then YES they need to live with their choice.

Seeing as the CSA's are often completely wrong, spread misinformation and will outright lie to a customer as they have to the OP then NO the customer should be given a "one time exception" and returned to the plan they started the day with and credited for the mistaken change as a "gesture of goodwill" to keep them as a happy customer. It's called good customer service and it's what allows a provider to retain customers when the design of their self serve accounts are difficult to manage. You know....give and take....on both sides.

[computergeek541]

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@DennyCrane wrote:

The only 2 options to prevent it are:

1) Don't allow renewals until renewal date

2) Give a prorated refund upon plan change

#1 isn't a viable option as it would create even more complaints. They could probably do #2 I'd they wanted, but it kind of goes against the whole idea of prepaid/non-refundable service. Do you know if any of the other prepaid carriers offer prorated refunds?

---

Public Mobile could of course do it if they wanted to. They don't because the regulations don't require them to. Wind Mobile used to do it for plan changes and to my knowledge Freedom Mobile still does it for prepaid accounts (Pay Before). However, the proratation calclulation method is very customer unfriendly as it automatically rounds up to charging the customer for blocks of 10 days (they used to proroate to the day).  Mobilicity used to provide cash (cheque) refunds for multi-month prepaid plans.

[DennyCrane]

The only 2 options to prevent it are:

1) Don't allow renewals until renewal date

2) Give a prorated refund upon plan change

#1 isn't a viable option as it would create even more complaints. They could probably do #2 I'd they wanted, but it kind of goes against the whole idea of prepaid/non-refundable service. Do you know if any of the other prepaid carriers offer prorated refunds?

[computergeek541]

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@DennyCrane wrote:

Holy smokes where's the accountability for your own actions. By all means try to get refunded, but to go on a multiple post rant blaming PM? I dont think they possibly could have made it more clear. The text suggested at next renewal, the website presents both options, and then when you clicked now you would have got a bid red warning (as you've asked for). Like i said, ask for help or an exception, but also accept some personal accountability for your actions.

---

I agree that the warning/disclamer is very large and clear.  However, I will say that I don't agree with this biling practice.  Public Mobile is charging for a service and not providing it in the form of the unused portion of the old plan.

[DennyCrane]

Holy smokes where's the accountability for your own actions. By all means try to get refunded, but to go on a multiple post rant blaming PM? I dont think they possibly could have made it more clear. The text suggested at next renewal, the website presents both options, and then when you clicked now you would have got a bid red warning (as you've asked for). Like i said, ask for help or an exception, but also accept some personal accountability for your actions.

[darlicious]

@dryates 

Time to mention those magic 4 letters....don't worry if it actually  comes to that I will guide you thru the process. If you would like private advice for your discussion with customer support please send me a private message.

[dryates]

@darlicious Thanks for the encouragement. The second agent responded and said it's all my fault, so they can't help. I'll keep fighting for a bit, but I'm already losing steam here. Even this forum is filled with folks who think this kind of system is somehow a good idea, that it's okay to penalize users/consumers for an honest mistake.

[darlicious]

@dryates 

Please....DO NOT GIVE UP.....that only encourages CSA's to continue to spew misinformation to customers.

[darlicious]

@dust2dust 

I have wondered myself how these things can happen until I've done it myself like the double charge that charges your plan price by seemingly not going thru and then when you click again the first plan price goes thru followed by a second one that basically does a change plan now type of move and charges you again and starts a new 30 day plan seconds after the first one while you stare at the screen dumbfounded.

I've done the same thing in the new self serve when reactivated a referrals account on the new $55/20gb plan. I preloaded the $55 then carefully chose the $55 plan poised and ready to reactivate at 9pm pt to start a fresh 24 hour day 1 only to discover that the available funds showing was $40? Without any indication I had reactivated the old plan($15)and only noticed the account balance was short when I was about to pay for the $55 plan. Luckily after sending a detailed message overnight by the time I got up customer support had righted my wrong and in the nick of time as the $55/20gb student plan was already pulled from the plans page by the time I awoke the next day.

There's give and take at pm....if we can forgive pm for their multitude of mistakes, glitches and bugs then they need to do the same for its customers when it's possible (unlike joining Public Points).

[dryates]

@dust2dust Thanks for acknowledging that. I just tried repeating the steps (changing to a new plan), and I DID see the message. So it's possible I simply overlooked it. Dumb of me!!!

I still find it crazy that this giant company won't help a customer avoid paying double for a few weeks. It's not even pennies to them. Honest, first time mistake. 

Anyway.... I might just give up.

[dust2dust]

With this ridiculous system, anything's possible. I'm certainly willing to give that.

[dryates]

@dust2dust Honestly, I did not see that window. I would have cancelled the change right then and there. Is it possible it wasn't shown to me???

[dust2dust]

The text said:

"Reply "YES" to get this limited time offer added to your plan on your upcoming December renewal date."

I'll grant that "added" is odd wording. But it does not say anything about changing to it right now. In fact it even very cleverly puts it in as a scheduled future plan change.

Then, in a big red obnoxious box headed by "BEFORE YOU PROCEED":

It's not about being tech savvy. I happen to think I am too. It's about reading. And I'll admit that I certainly don't read everything. But the rules are what they are.

Good luck with the fight.

[darlicious]

@dryates 

Smart move....always get a second opinion if you don't agree with the first. Start over and explain your honest mistake. If they don't agree to return you to your previous plan and credit your account (and you will just schedule a plan change on next renewal to the $40/15gb plan) then ask the CSA to escalate your ticket to supervisor. If you get another dingbot...ahem I mean another reply that it can't be escalated then tell them that if no one else can address your issue your only choice will be to file a complaint with the c c t s and let them handle the matter.😉

[hairbag1]

@dryates...

keep us posted..hopefully you have success.

[dryates]

@darlicious Thanks for the tips, and for actually caring enough to help someone rather than blame them for making a mistake!

I started a ticket and have been private messaging an agent. The first agent has been so unhelpful that I started a second ticket, with no response yet. 

[darlicious]

@dryates 

Who are you asking to escalate the issue? The community or the CS_Agent in private messaging?

Edit:

BTW....if you tap the "@" key to tag who you are replying to it makes it easier to follow the thread.

[dryates]

The moral of this whole thread is that I fell for the promotion, wanted it now, added it, and got dinged for it. The people here who are blaming my hasty actions are overlooking the reality that I was duped by a system designed to benefit off of such mistakes. If this weren't the case, the correction would be immediately made without such a struggle.

[dryates]

As I've mentioned above, I'm fairly tech savvy, I've used computers for years along with a vast array of platforms. I know how to navigate my way around payment gateways etc etc. Had I seen such a clean big red warning that I was about to pay for something twice, I would have paused and reconsidered my choice. Comments like yours assume I'm just not savvy, or not paying attention, or that my actions are somehow in the wrong. Instead, what we're dealing with is a platform that takes advantage of an honest mistake like mine. I'm actually surprised that a modern-day payment system allows someone to pay twice for their service. How silly. Also, as soon as I made the mistake, I attempted to correct it. Support has been nothing but evasive, which is sad. 

[dryates]

I'm pretty tech savvy. Messages like this assume I'm not paying attention. Had I seen a clear enough warning that I was about to pay double, I would have elected to wait for the next billing cycle to activate the new promotion. I've never had this kind of issue anywhere else.

[dryates]

I did ask to escalate the issue, but was told there is no one to escalate it to as this is just a community-run forum. What in the world....?

[dryates]

I asked to escalate the issue. They said there is no one to escalate it to.

[dust2dust]

I struggle with leniency on this. It's a lot like joining points. There's a big red warning box for changing plan now. There's yet another box and checkbox for points. People need to take responsibility for their actions.

[darlicious]

@dryates 

Have you actually chatted with an agent or just the dingbot....ahem ...I mean the chatbot SIMon? If you have chatted with an agent and they have refused to return you to your previous plan and credit your account message them back that you are not satisfied with that response and to please escalate your ticket to a supervisor or management. If they still refuse to correct your "honest mistake" (despite the no refunds on prepaid services policy) politely tell them that your only recourse will be to file a complaint with the c c t s. While I don't think it will ever get that far those 4 letters usually will change their tune.