sd70mac666
join:2003-06-05
Saint Albans, VT | I love it
Bill the dead. Only 2 things in life you can't escape from Death and Taxes.
What moron dreamed up Bill the dead? |
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captokita
Premium
join:2005-02-22
Calabash, NC | crazy
How crazy is that? Guess they figure the dead can't complain about erroneous charges can they? How much of this is going on do you think?
We have dead people voting, so why not dead people paying for Sprint? (/sarcasm) |
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fiberguy
My views are my own.
Premium
join:2005-05-20
1 edit | ....so?
What's the big deal? In two months, about..., the service will stop anyway for non-payment, right? The guys dead. What are they going to do? Put it on his credit report? Dig him up and deny him eternal rest?
If they are giving the guy a really hard time canceling the service, fine! I'd use the heck out of that phone for two months until it either hits the high usage limits, or it's shut off for non-payment.
but sprint is in their rights to verify the guy is actually dead. If the dead brother is married, the wife has FULL authority to turn it off without a death cert.
NEXT!
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"Wipe out the national deficit over night... Tax the stupid!" - about 50 gMail invites available. PM if you'd like one. |
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Rob
In Deo speramus, God Bless the USA
Premium
join:2001-08-25
Kendall, FL
 ·Comcast
| I would have just called back..
I would have called back and pretended to be my dead brother and cancel the account. I know, it's not nice, but I'm sure it worked. On a lighter note, when asked why he was cancelling, he could always say "I was feeling a little dead when using your service" 
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YourIP.US - It's Your IP .. and more!
rr.cx - Personal Site.. coming soon. |
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Boomerang86
Got FUD?
Premium
join:2002-10-18
VampireState
clubs: |  some companies aren't so bad
When my dad passed away in 2000, we called up DirecTV to cancel that service. One quick and easy phone call was all it took, no trouble at all.
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Life is a journey; death is a given. |
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majortom1029
join:2006-10-19
Lindenhurst, NY
| It makes sense to not cancel unless death citificate
Why are you bashing the companies who ask for a death cirtificate to cancel the account.
I think they are right in this. If they didnt ask for a death cirtificate what would stop people from getting their contracts canceled just by having somebody call in for them and state they are dead.
The article has very little info. From what the article states the guy did not send in a death certificate so why would sprint cancel the account.
This article is very misinformed and should not be in the news. sprint did nothing wrong. |
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linflas
join:1999-08-18
Manassas, VA
 ·Verizon FIOS
| I'm not dead and I cannot get through to a live human being at Sprint to tell them to quit sending me a bill for $3.22 each month for service I canceled and paid off back in 2003 so I am not a bit surprised. They have probably spent over $12.00 in postage so far trying to collect $3.22. |
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AtlGuy
join:2000-10-17
Marietta, GA
1 edit | reply to fiberguy
Re: ....so?
I've never been in the situation, but couldn't Sprint sue his estate for payment owed?
Not that I think it would get to that point, but that was something that crossed my mind. |
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Kearnstd
Elf Wizard
Premium
join:2002-01-22
Mullica Hill, NJ
| reply to majortom1029
Re: It makes sense to not cancel unless death citificate
well unless the other brother's name is on the contract then the end of payments will cause it to close. Sprint cant chase down other family members unless they have names on the contract.
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[65 Arcanist]Filan(High Elf) Zone: Broadband Reports |
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fiberguy
My views are my own.
Premium
join:2005-05-20 | reply to AtlGuy
Re: ....so?
They don't really sue the living... so I doubt they'd sue the dead. |
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gh4456
Premium,VIP
join:2004-04-07
Beverly Hills, CA
| This has to deal with a contract
The reason any cell phone company would ask for a death certificate is due to the contract the deceased entered into. If it were that easy to break a cell phone contract, a lot of people would abuse that and the contract would be worthless. This is true for most contracts. To equate this with AOL is misguided, as AOL usually doesn't have any sort of contract.
Consumerist even points back to another story stating to get a lot of death certificates and specifically mentions cell phone companies as ones who would need it. Not sure why Sprint is being singled out here. |
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tc1uscg
join:2005-03-09
Saint Clair Shores, MI
| Heres a clue
Heres a clue.. just don't pay it. The person is dead, why would they worry about their credit rating? From my experience with Sprint, the 1st level CSRs have are not empowered to do anything therefore they are sorta useless accept to get the inital tongue lashing before they hand you off to a supvr or 2nd level. Though I've always got my issues taken care of, over the 8 years I've had Sprint, only once did I have to go to the FCC and that was only because I wouldn't let it go. |
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gh4456
Premium,VIP
join:2004-04-07
Beverly Hills, CA | reply to linflas
Re: It makes sense to not cancel unless death citificate
Have you even tried to call? It takes me two minutes to get to a rep. Have you sent the bill back with a note saying this has been paid? I think for 3.22 i would have just mailed it without having to worry about it affecting my credit. |
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borked
Cheese With That Whine?
Premium
join:2003-08-10
Kalamazoo, MI
| Wouldn't cancel 2nd account
My partner and I was on a Sprint shared minute plan. When she died they refused to cancel the 2nd phone as we were still under a contract. As soon as that contract expires I will be getting another carrier. So they got an extra 10 bucks a month for 12 months, they will be losing $60+ a month forever after that point.
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It is much easier to suggest solutions when you don't know too much about the problem.
Malcolm Forbes (1919-1990) |
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JerseyDevil
Premium
join:2006-11-06
New York, NY
clubs:
 ·Vonage
| reply to majortom1029
Re: It makes sense to not cancel unless death citificate
I agree many companies have this policy to prevent fraud and for protection because if there is a contract any company with a conscious will waive any fees to disconnect the service.
In the case of the story if waiting on the death certificate just wait and then they will reverse charges to the stated date of death. |
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linflas
join:1999-08-18
Manassas, VA
·Verizon FIOS
| reply to gh4456
Yes I have tried to call and the auto attendant wants my Sprint phone number before it will allow me any options. I don't remember what it was and frankly I can't be bothered to dig through a bunch of old papers to figure out what it was. I did call the sales line once because that is the one number guaranteed to get you a live human and they told me to just enter all 0's for the number but that did not work. It is no where on the bill they send and the one time I tried to get it straightened out I was in auto-attendant hell until I was finally disconnected. And no I will not mail them $3.22 that I do not owe them |
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viperpa33s
Why Me?
Premium
join:2002-12-20
Bradenton, FL
·Bright House
| The person is lazy
It's not about money, it's about a contract. Anyone can call up and say they are dead and get out of a contract. If it just takes a death certificate to cancel a contract, then why are people making a big deal.
Sounds like the person is lazy and don't want to take the extra time to get a death certificate. |
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captnhook
join:2001-02-20
NY | Early Termination
I'm fairly certain what Sprint was simply after in this particular case was to collect it's "early termination penalty" fee  |
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AtlGuy
join:2000-10-17
Marietta, GA
| reply to viperpa33s
Re: The person is lazy
From the article:
To clarify, my brother passed away in mid-December but the City of St. Louis Medical Examiner's Office will not issue a death certificate for 8-10 weeks, meaning late February because he passed in his sleep and there was no apparent cause. |
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borked
Cheese With That Whine?
Premium
join:2003-08-10
Kalamazoo, MI | reply to viperpa33s
Sound like you don't know what the hell you are talking about about. Sprint wouldn't cancel the contract no matter what. |
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