Comcast: Of course we'll fix our billing mistake... for just $25

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

Cable companies -- like cell phone companies -- aren't always keen to explain all the little nickels and dimes that they sweetly extract from your account.

There are so many little charges on your bill that their names mesmerize. You know, like the "Oops, We Made A Mistake, But We'll Charge You To Fix It" charge.

You might not have heard of this one, because it might masquerade under the name "payment reversal." At least this is the claim made by one pseudonymous Comcast customer, who noticed a $25 line item that seemed out of line.

Consumerist reports that one of its readers -- going by the handle Lattemanifesto -- questioned a $25 "return item" charge on her bill. When she called her friendly Comcast representative, she learned that Comcast had accidentally double-charged everyone who took advantage of the company's fine e-billing system.

Lattemanifesto says that Comcast reversed the charge, but then added a different $25 charge for doing so.

The Comcast rep reportedly confirmed that this latest charge was also an error. However, as Lattemanifesto pointed out: "Comcast is not sending out corrected bills or notices. I could not find any mention of it on their website. I guess Comcast will be collecting an extra $25 this month from all the customers who don't notice the mistake."

http://news.cnet.com/8301-17852_3-57398075-71/comcast-of-course-well-fix-our-billing-mistake..-for-just-$25/?tag=fd2010AuxPromo.0

[woo me with science]

1. They have too much nerve now.

Time to slap them down, hard.

[GopperStopper2680]

2. Shame on Comcast!

[dixiegrrrrl]

3. Frontier phone is doing similar, billing for fake charges.

Run by Cox Communication, Frontier phone company charges everyone 6.99 for a new modem, even if the modem they gave you FREE when you signed up with them is still installed and working, and there has been no new modem ordered or sent.
You have to protest the charge to get it removed from your bill.
EVERY month.
And when you do protest the charge, the next bill comes with a late fee.
Plus the modem charge.
In short I have had to call every single month since August, the month the state of Alabama stopped regulating them, to correct a repeatedly incorrect phone bill, and every month I am told a different excuse for various fake fees.
" our computer did it by mistake"

Riiight.

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

6. Frontier is not run by Cox FWIW

I'm unfortunately a Frontier employee who works in an area they took over from Verizon.

While there business practices leave a lot to be desired I'm one who's not paying the modem fee. I still have the modem I received from Verizon. One does pay the fee if they fell for the recent mailer that said your "modem is out of date."

Sounds like your state utilities commision is not doing its job.

[dixiegrrrrl]

7. ahhh..HERE is where I got confused:

"It was known as Citizens Utilities Company until May 2000 and Citizens Communications Company until July 31, 2008." says Wiki.

I DO know that here in Alabama, Frontier became deregulated by the state this August.
Frontier posted a notice of that in its August bill.
and immediately the billing problems started.

And...during one my "discussions" with Frontier rep. over that damn modem fee,
she tried to tell me I had NO choice but to pay it but after I quoted her a review of the new modem
( Chinese piece of crap was predominant in the review) she shut up.

I also tell the reps to please talk slowly as I am typing our conversation into the comments section of The Consumerist Web site and /or
the consumer dsl site, http://stopthecap.com/.
That is quite effective, so far.

We only have 2 options, out here in the boonies:
MediaCom cable ( who lots of [people are boycotting since they refused to repair their service for over 3 months after a local hurricane)
and Frontier.
Most people use satellite for tv reception around here.

[shcrane71]

4. What can be done about this?

Does the new Consumer Protection Agency have any teeth?

[Motown_Johnny]

5. I dropped Comcast years ago due to incorrect charges and poor customer service

and they will never get one more penny out of me.

I don't understand how people put up with that company.