The Consumer Complaints Blog

Telus all about your hidden agreements

Since April 2008, my mom and I have been telus mobility clients. We recently bought a house and moved and even started our internet services with them. Little did we know we were setting us up for such a great disappointment and emotional stress.

In 2009, my mom (who is not a very fluent English speaker) went into a Telus store to replace her faulty phone. She came home with the new phones, saying they replaced both hers and my phone and everyone was happy… until a few months later, when we started online billing. It was then that we realized that the new phones were given not because of the original faulty phones. They had added another 3 years to her contract without her knowing. She went back and they said there was nothing that she could do. But that’s not a very big deal because we were going to need the phone service anyways.

Our contract recently ended June 2012 and we switched to Fido. Here’s the thing, we are from Los Angeles and there, when a contract ends, services stop as well. That is what we assumed here.
We just got a letter September 2012 saying that our “TELUS account remains unpaid.” So I’m wondering what is going on? Contract has ended so we shouldn’t have anything to do with them anymore. So, being confused, we log in to the telus mobility account and see a billing cost of $238.25.

Seeing the outrageous amount, I panic and call their Client Account Management Office (mom doesn’t speak English very well). After telling my story 3 times, and 3 transfers, I finally speak to the right department. I tell them that we got a letter saying that we are going to be referred to a collection agency for our unpaid bill that I had no knowledge of (no bill in the mail).

The woman tells me that apparently, mobile services continue even after the contract is over, unless you call in to cancel. So then, what is the point of having a contract? Once the contract stops, services should stop as well. I tell her that we assumed services were stopped and that we did not use it at all, but she says “no, doesn’t matter if you use the services or not, your mom is still responsible for the bill.” I ask her if there is anything I can do or anyone I can speak to. (I am a student and my mom works minimum wage and we have mortgage payments to make, so we can’t afford to just throw $238.25 to a big shark company.) She tells me that there is nothing I can do and no one I can talk to that will tell me different. I can’t help myself and start crying… the call ends. My mom has just left for work. (She is a casino dealer and is forced to work from 7pm to 2am.) I try to stop crying and call her. I don’t want her to worry, but I just couldn’t stop crying. Through my tears I tell her what happened. We don’t know what we can do, except pay the bill and I won’t be able to afford my textbooks…

I really hope someone reads this. I just feel like a big company is squeezing the life out of me. There is no justice in the world at all. This is how big companies become so rich… by ripping off good Samaritans who have no money. I feel hopeless… Don’t make the same mistakes we did…

Disclaimer
This article was submitted by one of our readers. Penciltrick cannot make any claims as to its authenticity but the article was accepted on a good faith belief that it is an accurate and truthful account of the events listed.