VarTec Telecom

I got billed $15 for a $0.88 phone call

Does not answer customer service number. Called 10 times this am and was on hold 10 min per time. never got through

We have used Var Tec for long distance for 19 years - Clear Choice before - suddenly we can not make long distance calls with the same message others have quoted. When we contacted them they claim we have no account with them.

I have been using Vartec's 101**** * cent per minute long distance calling for years. This month every long distance call I made did not go thru and I get a computer chip that says "the number you have reached is not in service. This is a recording" When I removed the 101**** and just put a 1 in front of the number the call goes thru AT&T my main land line carrier. Either Vartec is out of business or they have changed something without letting me know and are charging me $9.33 per month for no service. I just called their service at 1-80*-585-**** and the chip told me me I was calling from my number but that number was not found. WTH???? I'll call during business hours tomorrow to find out what's going on. This is so kind of nasty business.

Called Customer Service at 800 583 ****. Within 15 seconds of "waiting for the next representative", the call was answered. I was told that I would receive a separate billing, because it would not be included in AT&T's billing. That person verified the status of my two accounts and my authority to use them. I was given my remote access code, if it ever needed to be entered. I was told to allow fifteen minutes for this confirmation to take hold throughout the system. Twenty minutes later, a near by and a cross country phone call, confirmed normal connectivity. I have had these two accounts, since the breakup of AT&T lead to the formation of these low cost accounts by VARTEC TELECOM. Audio quality has never been lacking. Sounds as if the person I'm talking to, is right there next to me, in the same room. For my blast traumatized hearing, this is wonderful in deed! Thank you so very much, VARTEC TELECOM!

Last week I found out the hard way we had no long distance service anymore. Called Vartec and the lady tells me it's because I did not pay my bill. So I asked her how that could happen as I pay my phone bill every month. The lady then expains they been billing separate Since January and that supposedly my bill came back to them saying" No such person living here". Asked them to send the invoice to me. Invoice came, right amount but a complete different name and town on the invoice. They never let us know they were billing separately and then this lame excuse about the bill being sent back. As soon as i pay this i am cancelling my account. In the past year there were also many arguments for phone charges we did not do and they insisted we did. We do not know anyone in Texas and yest we were charged for phone calls to Texas. I used to like them, not anymore. I can do without long distance, don't use it much anyhow.

NEVER HEARD OF THIS VARTEC We were sent a bill for over $400. They claimed we had already paid them over $400. We guess they just thought we would write a check like fools! This is fraud! We will be contacting an attorney directly.

I have never had an account with Vartec but have been billed for calls i did not make twice. After the first time i told them not to authorize any calls.

I paid the amount on the bill through my Banks on line bill pay. I waited till the bank verified that they paid Vartec the funds and then phoned Vartec Telecom Customer Service to discontinue my service. Customer Service could not help me and connected me with the Payment Department. The payment department said that I must pay my balance. I related that my bank on line bill pay said that they were paid. The payment department said that it would take 3-5 business days for them to receive funds from my bank. I explained that my bank says that they were paid not that the funds were sent. I was then transferred to someone to discontinue my Vartec service. I told the representative that I wanted to discontinue my Vartec service and I was suddenly disconnected. I believe that this representative hung up on me. To be fair all the connections were VERY poor quality. I had a difficult time hearing all three of the representatives.

Got a bill for them several years back when we had a LAN line and was going through MCI. Called them up and told them we had no account with them and they said agreed and assured it would be taken care of. Thought nothing of it and threw the bill away. Following month I received another bill from the same company that was now three hun. This was last month's bill and this month's bill added together with a nice late fee. Again I called them and again they told me it was all good, only this time I filed the bill away. Had a feeling this wasn't over. Well, to shorten this up a bit, I continued getting bills that finally reached five hun, and a disconnect notice. This time they no longer the nice on the phone and told me to pay or get the disconnect, and I was like, " bring it". I didn't have service with them so what they going to do, right? Called them again the following month when I got another bill. (Yep, still had my phone, shocker) Bill still five and I still not paying. It could have been five cents and I still wouldn't pay. As an exboyfriend once said, "It's the principle of it." They had me on the phone for 6 hours, four-point-five of it on hold, but it was cool. I just put on my headset and played Fallout 3. Dude, always seemed surprised when he get back on and I was there lols. Anyway, had conference call with them and MCI, where they repeatedly call the man with MCI a liar. He finally got fed up and hung up. Then Vertec started calling me a liar about the disconnect notice. I told him I was calling a lawyer, and then he was so nice. He was lovey dovey. I told him too late. Called MCI and they had my back. Happened to ring the same dude they had ticked off, so he was more than helpful. Sent me all the phone records with MCI since signing on, including all the paper work for when we signed on a whole year earlier. Called lawyer who told me to call Attorney General. They jumped on it and the whole thing was settled without me paying one-red-cent. You hear from these crooks, take my advice. Don't pay them anything. I reading so many comments here of peeps paying because it wasn't that much or wateve. Dude, don't. Apparently that what keeps them going. I never paid them and do you either. Keep all the records (oh, and record the calls, did that too) and get ahold of your Att Gen. Peace

Horrible company. I took in my grandmother who has alzeheimers, and every month she gets these bills from vartec. The first couple I just paid because I figured it was something she had before she moved in. But the bills keep coming. They claim it's from phone calls she made after she went completely blind!!! They refuse to say what these numbers she magically called w/o using a phone are. Even to answer the phone I had to pick it up for her say nothing about dialing. The invoices don't say what numbers were supposedly called or times and duration. And because it's in my grandfather's name and he's been dead for almost 30 yrs they won't let me talk to a supervisor. Don't let your elderly relatives get sucked into using this company!!!

Sometimes I don't get a bill from this company. Sometimes I get the bill a couple months later, then my service is cut off because I didn't pay the bill. I have called them and told them I didn't get a bill and they said I didn't owe anything...even though I paid nothing because I never got a bill. Also every once in awhile calls to God only knows where show up on my bill...places I have never been, know no one there, and didn't make the calls. They don't speak English and act like you are dumb and will not take anything off the bill. When I signed up it was free if no calls, and now there is a minimum charge even if you never make a call. I think they are corrupt and should be heavily investigated. Very poor service!!

This is the letter I sent to Vartec, unbelievably bad customer service. It's actually the worse service I have ever encountered. I had to pay the bank $35 to stop payment on the electronic withdrawal because they attempted to take the ole amount of $76.90 out of the account a few weeks ago. VarTec P O Box 130 Irving, TX 75039 August 24, 2013 Dear Customer Service Dept, RE: A. A. Mallak, Account No: #####, Phone No: 414-321-xxxx I have tried repeatedly to get service from your customer service department via your toll free number, but instead have been taken advantage of and deceived. I called on July 5, 2013 to have my mom, Angela Mallak’s, phone downgraded. After much prodding I was offered a plan for $23.52, all was well until I received the July bill. Much to my surprise the bill had not been adjusted. I then called on 7/29/13, and asked why the bill was wrong. I was told that the plan that I was offered was not available, when I asked why it had been offered to me, the rep could not provide any specifics. I said this is ridiculous and there is no way I am paying this inflated rate of $76.90, for a basic land line, especially one that isn’t even being used! I then asked that the phone be immediately disconnected. I was told the phone would be immediately unavailable and I said fine. I was very angry and had an extremely difficult time understanding the representative’s poor English. The rep was ready to hang up when I asked for a confirmation number, the number is: 8878****. After that I was still angry that I was taken advantage of and deceived, and wanted a credit for the period that the phone should have been at the lower rate. I then phoned again on 7/30/13 and asked for a credit, I was told that was impossible, so I asked to speak to a supervisor, then it suddenly became possible. She asked why I wanted to speak to a supervisor, I told her because you’re not satisfying my request. She then put me on hold and offered me a credit of $30.26. I again had to ask for a confirmation number, it is: 3247**** The reason I’m writing today is twofold. One is that I think you should be aware of the inadequate service you’re providing your customers; the other is that the phone is still operational. I checked today and am still getting a dial tone. I refuse to call back and be lied to again! Please know that if this is not resolved to my satisfaction I will file a complaint with the Public Service Commission, Better Business Bureau, and retain a lawyer if necessary. Please confirm that the phone is disconnected and that I will be provided with the credit I was promised. Your company charged my mom almost double what she should have been paying all these years and that will not continue any longer. I have recently taken over as Power Of Attorney as my mother is no longer capable of taking care of herself and I will not expose myself to any more aggravation from your customer service representatives. Besides, what’s the point of calling again when I have no assurance your customer service department will follow through with what they tell me? This letter had been mailed to your Dallas, TX address on 8/2/2013, but the phone has still not been turned off. If you have any questions or comments I can be reached at (414) 476-xxxx.

I tried to cancel my 90 year old mother's Vartec account because she is living in an assisted living community in another state. They told me that only she could cancel her account. After this poor woman who is suffering from heart failue and emphysema finally spoke to them and cancelled the acct. she was told she would receive no more bills from the. NOT SO! They continued to send her bills for zero services rendered and when I spoke to their horrible customer service rep., who I could hardly understand at all, he just kept repeating the same lines over and over. One of the worst and most dishonest outfits I have ever dealt with. How they stay in business is a miracle.

Our AT&T bill has been slammed with an $8.42 charge by Vartec. Our AT&T billing number is 858-483-****, under John L Haffey. We have not authorized Vartec Telecom to charge any thing to our AT&T account. We do not want Vartec Telecom at all for any reason. Why the telephone companies don't verify with their customers before adding a new company charge to customers bills, is beyond me. The FCC, and state regulatory agencies need to clamp down on these type companies. What protections do we have from these illegal slams, and having to sit on hold endlessly to get the charges removed?