Sprint sued for unapproved contract extensions

It's about time someone called them on this practice. Maybe some other
states will join in if this effort is successful:
__________________________________________________ ________
Minnesota Says Sprint Duped Customers

Sep 27, 3:59 PM (ET)

By BRIAN BAKST

ST. PAUL (AP) - Minnesota Attorney General Lori Swanson sued Sprint Nextel
Corp. Thursday, accusing the wireless carrier of extending customers'
contracts without their informed consent.

Swanson said she had received hundreds of complaints from Minnesota
residents, including some who said they were threatened with a $200
cancellation fee for trying to get out of contracts they thought had
expired.

"The company has used hidden trip wires to trap unwary consumers into
lengthy contracts simply because they made small changes in their plan,"
Swanson said.

She said Sprint, based in Reston, Va., with operational headquarters in
Overland Park, Kan., violated state laws that require consumers receive
enough information and give knowing consent before contract terms are
altered. She said she did not coordinate her action with officials in other
states.


Some Sprint customers who accepted a "courtesy discount" were unwittingly
agreeing to stay with the company longer, according to court papers. Others
had contracts extended when they added more minutes to their plans, even
though they received assurances the change wouldn't affect their contracts'
length.

Swanson said she is investigating complaints against other wireless
companies, but she declined to say which. She decided to sue Sprint first
because it was cited most often by angry constituents, she said.

She is seeking restitution for victims and wants the court to penalize
Sprint up to $25,000 per incident.

Sprint spokesman John Taylor said company attorneys were reviewing the
lawsuit and could not comment.

"It is Sprint Nextel's policy to go over the contract with the customer so
they understand all aspects of it" before it is agreed to "or before the
customer initiated changes are made to their account," he said.

Taylor said the company sends written confirmation of all account updates
and allows customers who change their minds to opt out.

Swanson announced her lawsuit, filed in Hennepin County District Court, at a
state Capitol news conference where she was surrounded by people who felt
duped by the company.

Among them was certified financial planner David Peterson of Andover, who
said he received a letter in July thanking him for extending his contract on
four phones. When he called to question the action, he said he learned from
a customer service agent that his contract was lengthened for apparently
inquiring about a plan discount - something he denies took place.

Peterson said he was able to reverse the charges, but only after he and his
wife spent hours dealing with the company.

"I was livid at the way they handled this. They've treated us extremely
poorly," Peterson said. "I'd like to give their CEO a big swift boot in the
patootie."

__________________________________________________ _________

Please keep us up to date on this suit.


--
AL'S COMPUTERS
"Floyd" <Flooydomit@prodigy.net> wrote in message
news:Ab5Li.895$ua4.461@newssvr22.news.prodigy.net. ..
> It's about time someone called them on this practice. Maybe some other
> states will join in if this effort is successful:
> __________________________________________________ ________
> Minnesota Says Sprint Duped Customers
>
> Sep 27, 3:59 PM (ET)
>
> By BRIAN BAKST
>
> ST. PAUL (AP) - Minnesota Attorney General Lori Swanson sued Sprint Nextel
> Corp. Thursday, accusing the wireless carrier of extending customers'
> contracts without their informed consent.
>
> Swanson said she had received hundreds of complaints from Minnesota
> residents, including some who said they were threatened with a $200
> cancellation fee for trying to get out of contracts they thought had
> expired.
>
> "The company has used hidden trip wires to trap unwary consumers into
> lengthy contracts simply because they made small changes in their plan,"
> Swanson said.
>
> She said Sprint, based in Reston, Va., with operational headquarters in
> Overland Park, Kan., violated state laws that require consumers receive
> enough information and give knowing consent before contract terms are
> altered. She said she did not coordinate her action with officials in
other
> states.
>
>
> Some Sprint customers who accepted a "courtesy discount" were unwittingly
> agreeing to stay with the company longer, according to court papers.
Others
> had contracts extended when they added more minutes to their plans, even
> though they received assurances the change wouldn't affect their
contracts'
> length.
>
> Swanson said she is investigating complaints against other wireless
> companies, but she declined to say which. She decided to sue Sprint first
> because it was cited most often by angry constituents, she said.
>
> She is seeking restitution for victims and wants the court to penalize
> Sprint up to $25,000 per incident.
>
> Sprint spokesman John Taylor said company attorneys were reviewing the
> lawsuit and could not comment.
>
> "It is Sprint Nextel's policy to go over the contract with the customer so
> they understand all aspects of it" before it is agreed to "or before the
> customer initiated changes are made to their account," he said.
>
> Taylor said the company sends written confirmation of all account updates
> and allows customers who change their minds to opt out.
>
> Swanson announced her lawsuit, filed in Hennepin County District Court, at
a
> state Capitol news conference where she was surrounded by people who felt
> duped by the company.
>
> Among them was certified financial planner David Peterson of Andover, who
> said he received a letter in July thanking him for extending his contract
on
> four phones. When he called to question the action, he said he learned
from
> a customer service agent that his contract was lengthened for apparently
> inquiring about a plan discount - something he denies took place.
>
> Peterson said he was able to reverse the charges, but only after he and
his
> wife spent hours dealing with the company.
>
> "I was livid at the way they handled this. They've treated us extremely
> poorly," Peterson said. "I'd like to give their CEO a big swift boot in
the
> patootie."
>
> __________________________________________________ _________
>
>
>

On Tue, 2 Oct 2007 04:15:43 -0400, "Andy" <N@n.com> wrote:

>Please keep us up to date on this suit.


There were complaint about Sprint doing this over 4 years ago when I
used Sprint. Seems the CSRs had quotas to meet. Apparently
nothing has changed, but it's a known problem. Google
groups and see.