CoreComm - local phone service - paid for, but didn't receive unpublished number - cancelled service and waiting so far over 4 months to get $ 140 security deposit refunded

Complaints.com received the following consumer message on February 26, 2003:

From: Heidi Cline [Email User]

RE: CoreComm - local phone service - paid for, but didn't receive unpublished number - cancelled service and waiting so far over 4 months to get $ 140 security deposit refunded

I had local telephone service with CoreComm for about 2 years. When I started the service, I was asked to send them $140.00 for a security deposit. I moved in May of 2002 and got a new phone number. I requested that the number be unlisted and unpublished, just as my old number was. I continued to be charged a monthly fee for the unlisted number, but I started receiving a lot of telemarketing calls. I then found out that my number was listed. I contacted CoreComm and asked them what was going on.

They apologized for the error and said that they would correct it and issue me a credit. However, the damage was already done and I kept receiving telemarketing calls. In October of 2002, I was contacted by another phone company to switch my service. I decided to switch since I was not very happy with CoreComm's service. Even after my service was switched, I still kept getting bills and disconnection notices for CoreComm. I called several times and was always told that they would cancel my account. I spoke to someone on November 30, 2002 because I was still receiving bills.

She stated to me that there was nothing that she could do because it was the weekend. I asked to speak to her supervisor. She put me on hold for 20 minutes and then came back to the phone to tell me that she has taken care of everything. She had canceled my account and put in a request to have my security deposit refunded to me. She told me that it would take 10 weeks.

On February 14, 2003 I called to see where the refund was since it had been 11 weeks. I was told that the request had not even been made yet. I told him that it was ridiculous that I would have to wait an additional 10 weeks, since this was their error. He told me that he would expedite it and that I would have it within 2 weeks. I called on February 26, 2003 to make sure that it was sent and, of course it wasn't.

The first customer service person that I talked to said that the request was approved on February 24, 2003 and that I would receive it in 4-6 weeks. I told him that was unacceptable and that I wanted to talk to his supervisor.

I spoke to her and she stated that there was nothing they could do to get me the refund any faster. I then spoke to her supervisor who said that 4-6 weeks was the fastest that they could get me my refund. I can't believe that it is taking over 4 months to get $140.00 refunded to me. I would definitely not recommend doing any type of business with this company.