Here's one more reason to bail, aside from inflated fees and lousy customer service.
By nature, I'm not a gullible person. Quite the opposite. Yet, I was scammed to the tune of $600 by a scum-of-the-earth team of crooks claiming to be Xfinity staffers.
Inexplicably, my husband and I have been Comcast/Xfinity customers for over twenty years. Even though our services have become increasingly unaffordable, the thought of checking out a new provider has kept us from dumping this overpriced, underwhelming monolith. Lately, we've been discussing going "streaming-only" and after what happened over the last two days, that's the plan.
Thursday, I received a call on my cell that looked like spam so I ignored it. Later, I noticed I'd received a voicemail message from the same number. I checked it and heard the Xfinity bot alerting me to the news that this was the last day to receive a fifty percent discount on my services.
STUPIDLY, I called back. One, it was an exact replica of the "voice" you hear when you call Xfinity and secondly, I'm fed up with a company that rewards its new customers while those who have hung on for years, get screwed.
I was told by an accented "Tony Smith" that Xfinity and Target were aligned in a promotion whereby my bill, which he apparently knew all about, would be cut in half for the next two years if I the first six months upfront, again at half price. The kicker: I'd have to make the payments with Target Gift Cards!
As I said, he knew what my monthly bill is and also, my address. I was told by "Tony" that I'd have to purchase three gift cards at $350 each for a total of $1,050. He also told me that the remainder of this month's bill would be paid.
He then gave me a confirmation code and told me that once I bought the cards to call the "Billing and Finance Department" so I could give them the codes in order to activate my discount.
Let me cut to the chase and tell you that I found out that this is an ongoing scam and Xfinity customers have been bilked nationwide.
But here's the frightening part: After speaking with several people in Xfinity's "security" department, virtually nothing was done. I asked several times why the company didn't alert its customers about this scam. They didn't have an answer and instead, gave me a lot of double talk At one point, I was so frustrated and infuriated that I could have strangled the dope on the other end of the line, at the other end of the world.
It gets worse, readers. During one of my calls with Xfinity, the scammer called me repeatedly and I ignored the calls at first but finally answered one and told the SOB that he'd been reported. In response, he harassed me and told me that he would be taking out another $500, allegedly to go toward my Xfinity bill!
The scumbag did. it. I immediately got a text from "Xfinity" thanking me for my payment! I called the bank, reported the fraud, and canceled my card. And yes, the money was deducted from my account.
But, that wasn't enough as the scammer left me a harassing voicemail with the implicit threat that they would get the remainder of the $1,050, "one way or another."
I still have not received the callback from the "level three" security person that was promised me, repeatedly.
Also, as suggested by my bank, I alerted "local authorities," AKA, the Elgin, IL Police Department which, as I assumed would be the case, was useless. At least they're consistent.
When I tried to file a report today, I didn't get past the front desk. The mope there told me that I should "go to the bank and ask them to print out my statements showing the deduction." I had all that on my phone! Also, I had the incriminating voicemail which he had no interest in.
If you're thinking about making a move, skip Elgin as your tax dollars will be sucked up and you, like us, will be left to fend for ourselves.
Ultimately, after several back and forths with Xfinity's useless security people who apparently don't have Internet in their part of the world, I was told that the $500 would go toward my bill.
Good, and as soon as that's depleted, I'm going to do what the smart people do and "go streaming."
Xfinity customers, for your information, the phone number that the scammers called from is 877-209-2682.
Please, if you should receive a call from this number, block it immediately and alert Xfinity. They'll be of no help but at the very least, we need to rattle their cage.
© Sherry McGuinn, 2023. All Rights Reserved.
Sherry McGuinn is a slightly-twisted, longtime Chicago-area writer and award-winning screenwriter. She is currently pitching her newest screenplay, “The Month We Fell Apart,” a drama with dark, comedic overtones inspired by a true story, as well as “DEAD TIRED,” a female-driven, erotic thriller.
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