Article by Bertha

The whole chaos started the 14th of January 2011. I went online to pay my bill on Jan 13 of about .00. I click “pay bill” and a message in red little letters stated something along the lines of “You have exceeded the amount of transactions permitted to be paid and for your security payment will not be accepted”. Like everyone else, I figured there has got to be a glitch. I have never heard of this. I then did the whole payment process again. Clicked “pay bill” again and the same message about not accepting my payment for security purposes came up again.I became annoyed and wrote two emails, since one is extremely limited in expressing ones annoyance in just “200 words or less” that is permitted in the comment box. I was additionally annoyed since payment is due the 16th and I have to drive to the “official dealer” which is a 30 minute drive.So, I get to the dealer. I explain the message. The guy “T” stares at screen thinking that I am convinced that he knows what he is doing. I give him my card and, of course, even though it’s not my fault, I am required to pay an additional .00 for physically coming into the store pay my bill. I did point out that it was their system and not my doing and they spoke of a possible “glitch” but I still had to pay an additional .00 for their computer systems error.I get home a bit relieved since my bill is paid. I wanted to see what the status of my checking account since my Resolution was to keep my checkbook balanced. I sign on and in shock that I had only .00 in my account! I call my credit union, Valley First Credit Union in Modesto, and ask what transactions are in the process of going through. My worst fear was met. CRICKET HAS ONCE AGAIN DOUBLE CHARGED ME!!It turns out that my original payment of .00 did go through even though their system said it didn’t and the 59.00 has also gone through. I ask the credit union what I can do to fix this. They said all the Cricket has to do is fax over on letterhead stating “Please release the transaction hold on the amount of .00”. I was excited since it sounds easy enough, right? I call “Cricket Corporate”. No need to get excited, it’s an illegitimate “corporate” number. Its just a call center. I tell them the whole thing. The CSA tells me that he can credit my account or send me a refund in 7-10 days. I ask him “and what do I do with only .00 for the next 7-10 days?” Of course, the typical scripted “Im sorry ma’am………” I then explained what my credit union said and he said that will be fine. He also said the Cricket store can give back my money. I repeated this 5 times, to confirm that the Cricket store can give my money back. I got it confirmed 5 times.So I drive back to the store and see T (not by choice). T admitted to not reviewing my account and just taking the payment because somehow T “heard” me say that my phone is going to be shut off and he just took the payment. I explained what the CSA said. He said they lie and the store cannot give back .00. T never apologized. According to his behavior he had no responsibility in this whole fiasco at all. Nope. Because he, the one who stared at the computer screen for 8 mins faking to have the intelligence to understand what I just explained has no accountability at all for the .00 mistake he made due to his lack of initiative. I mean, one must get mentally exhausted breathing through ones mouth for 8 hours a day and keeping a chair warm,right?I then asked to talk to his supervisor. He went to the back room. Anyone with a brain cell knows what happens when an associate screws up and is trying to cover their behind. He went back there and filled her in with the one sided information so that he appears to have tried to be the “hero” for the customer only to have overlooked a minor detail.The supervisor, S, comes out and has been “informed” of what happened. She tells me that she put in a request for a refund and it will take 7-10 days. I tell her, that this is the third time Cricket has screwed me out of money do to their error. She said she didn’t know this was an ongoing problem. I told her what the CSA said and she said she will call the “Operations Manager” at “Corporate” and see if I can get my money back like the CSA said. I told her what my credit union said about the faxing over something with a title of something and that I will contact them and get the actual name of it. She said she will call operations. I then get clarification on what my credit union said. I go back into the store and see S. I tell S what my credit union says. She starts shaking her head and says “I don’t have any letterhead only corporate does”. Really? An official dealer of Cricket does not have any letterhead to fax over a request to release a .00 transaction hold, on a Friday over a 3 day weekend? I don’t buy it. She once again offered to do the 7-10 days refund. I requested her phone number so that I can contact her instead of the 1800 number. She gave it to me.I then got it my car and cried on my way home. Frustrated because I am being held accountable for a charge that I am not at fault for. Frustrated the lack of empathy, sympathy and an apology from the seat warmer named T. Frustrated because the CSA was just as intelligent as T.So, now, thanks to the super secret location and phone number to actual Cricket which prevents any direct contact with those in power, I have to figure out what to do financially with the .00 Cricket left me with.

On January 17, 2011 I recieved the following email:Now, i did copy, paste and delete some inform to protect me

Dear(my name)

Thank you for your communication.

I’d like to personally apologize for any inconvenience you have experienced. This is not the type of customer service that Cricket strives to provide for our customers. If you still have issues regarding your account and/or Cricket service, we recommend that you please visit a Full Service Cricket Store so we may answer all your questions and concerns in person. To locate the nearest Full Service Cricket Store in your area, please visit http://account.mycricket.com/cricketlocations/. When searching for the nearest store, make sure to place a check mark in the box next to “Full Service Location.” Full Service Cricket Stores are easily identifiable by the word “Cricket” preceding the store or shopping center name.Please know that your feedback is important to us and we value your opinion and appreciate your patience inthismatter.ThankyouforcontactingCricketEmailSupport.Sincerely,

CustomerRelationsTeam5775DTCBlvd.GreenwoodVillage,CO80111

Please do not respond to this message. If you need further assistance regarding this issue please call 1-800-Cricket or visit http://www.mycricket.com/cricketsupport/contactus. Please include the ticket number in allcorrespondence.

(Nice, Right? My issues started through online pay and escalated at the store and now this automatically generated “Customer Service Rep” who wants to “Personally apologize” tells me to go back to the store,email them or, even better,CALL them. Yup, you know,call center where I was misinformed. However, I did get to speak to someone who did speak free of an extemely heavy accent)

Now,the one thing that I would like to give applause to was S maintaining contact with me through texts.January 28, 2011Another Update:I have been keeping in touch about my refund with S. Only through texts. Below are the text exchanges that have been going on:(M) Manager : S (209)3**-****(J) me

(M)1/14/2011 17:11This is the manager of the Cricket store I need you to call me asap plz(This is the message I received after I had left. She wanted my Visa number so she can put the money back into my account)

(J)1/24/11 16:05 Hi S, I called and left a message. This is Julie. I was calling to get a follow up about my refund. I gave u my visa number but nothing has shown up (M)1/24/11 16:08 Hi J, I checked on that this morning and I escalated it. I will check again tomorrow morning(J)1/24/11 16:10 Thank you. Sorry I didn’t realize it was after hours(M)1/24/10 16:10 Oh no worries at all(J)1/24/11 16:12 Have a good evening

(J)1/25/11 12:52 Me again. Any update about my refund(M)1/25/11 12:54 Waiting for reply(J)1/26/11 15:19Hi S, today is officially the 7th day, any word?(M)1/26/11 15:40 My operations manager is working on it right now

(J)1/28/11 14:49Hi S. Why do I have a bill for 4 cents? I want a refund and not credit I explained that. And it is now the 9th day.(M)1/28/11 15:16 I am not at work, you can go visit the store for explanation on your bill(Nice right? Here is she is telling me one thing and whole other thing is actually going on behind closed doors. It was a great stalling tactic. Sadly, I was fooled into thinking she was actually advocating on my behalf but instead was stalling so Cricket can steal my money while keeping me tied to their business since, according to my new bill statement I have just now paid for February. And owe $ .04. The geniuses wasted postage on $ .04!)

I have had issues with Cricket before not this extreme. This situation resulted in me doing additional research. It turns out that Cricket has a list of complaints varying from lies to theft. Type in “Cricket Complaints” and there is your list. One complaint that I encountered repeatedly and an issue that I had to deal with was that I did not have the actual corporate number to contact. I only had access to the call centers, which claim to be in Colorado and Texas, but if you call you can tell they are in India. So, I did my research and typed in “CEO of Cricket” and came up with information I have been seeking. . I looked up CEO of Cricket, which is part of the LEAP company, and found out that they are located in San Diego California. There is a fax number and phone number, which i don’t believe is a call center because they asked me to enter extension or listen to the list of names. This information can be verified by viewing it on “Bloomberg businessweek.com”CORPORATE HEADQUARTERS5887 Copley DriveSan Diego, California 92111United States

Phone: 858-882-6000Fax: 858-882-6010

According to Bloomberg businessweek.com the follow individuals are involved with Cricket. (Take into account that these individuals might have not been kept up to date on what is going on in the “real world” of Cricket. Also, more then likely they use another cell service instead. (hehe, my little guess).Stewart Douglas Hutcheson Chief Executive Officer, President, Interim Chief Financial Officer and DirectorGlenn Umestu Chief Operating Officer, Chief Technology Officer and Executive ViceDavid B. Davis Senior Vice President of OperationsRobert J. Irving Jr. Senior Vice President and General CounselLinda K. Wokoum Senior Vice President of Marketing and Senior Vice President of Customer Care

These guys serve on the Board-typically a board of any sort has a say in the direction the company goes:Harvey P. White Cricket Communications, IncMark H. Rachesky M.D. MHR Fund Management LLCSteward Douglas Hutcheson Leap Wireless International InceMichael Targoff Loral Space & Communications, IncScot Jarvis Cedar Grove Investments LLCRobert LaPenta -1 Identity Solutions Inc.John Harkey Jr.Consolidated Restaurant Operations, Inc

The customer abuse and neglect should not be allowed to go on. A majority of us like Cricket. It is the theft, the lies and the denial which results in pure hatred of Cricket. These individuals have some type of accountability for the lack of care and concern that Cricket continues to demonstrate. If you contact them, be pleasant. They are likely “number people” and are looking at the financial gains and have no clue what type of service their customers are getting. If enough of us contact them and inform them directly of what type of service is affiliated with their own individual name, we just might be able to turn their corrupt behavior around. However, if you, as a consumer still get no action in fixing the problem, then complain. Ruffle feathers like you never ruffled feathers before. Contact the BBB, CPUC, Attorney General and your local Representative (Yea, I know, an oxymoron with the current political enviroment)I am in the process of ruffling feathers. I had been in touch with the retail. I did contact Customer Service. Today I faxed my situation to the BBB of San Diego (since that is where headquarters is located, that is the BBB to contact)and I have faxed to the “Headquarters”.How this will end I do not know but overall, my experience with Cricket has been great, until I have had a problem then all H*** breaks loose. Apparently I am not alone.

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