I believe deceptive and misleading sales practices were used to persuade my family to switch our…read morewireless service from MetroPCS to T-Mobile.
We were loyal MetroPCS customers for more than 20 years. During our visit to a Metropcs store, a sales representative assured us that, because of our long-standing loyalty to MetroPCS, T-Mobile would provide us with approximately **$2,000 worth of equipment** as a customer appreciation incentive if we switched our service and enrolled in AutoPay.
The representative who made contact with the T-Mobile representative who further **guaranteed** that our monthly bill would be **$145 per month** which was only a few dollars more than what we were paying for less could get us a family plan that included:
* Three unlimited phone lines
* One tablet line
* One Wi-Fi/hotspot device
* AutoPay enrollment
These representations were the deciding factors in our decision to leave MetroPCS and switch to T-Mobile. At no point were we informed that the equipment was being financed through a 24-month installment agreement, that we would be relying on bill credits, or that our monthly charges would exceed the amount we were promised. These material terms were either omitted or misrepresented during the sales process which we repeatedly asked about during the sales process.
Less than one month after switching, we received a bill via our mobile device for **$355**, more than twice the amount we had been guaranteed. When we returned to the store to address the issue, they redirected us to a T-Mobile store. When addressing the matter at the T-Mobile store, we were not offered a meaningful resolution. Instead, we were encouraged to enter into a payment arrangement for charges that were never disclosed or agreed to.
We were also informed that our account had been removed from the original family plan and placed on separate individual plans, resulting in significantly higher monthly charges. This change was made without our knowledge or consent and directly contradicted the agreement that induced us to become T-Mobile customers.
When the store referred us to Customer Care, we were again denied a resolution that was remotely close to what we agreed to. Customer Service advised us that even removing the internet device would not reduce our bill to the promised amount. We were then told that going beyond the first initial billing cycle would lock us into financing agreements and service commitments that had never been clearly explained before we agreed to switch providers.
Only after the sale did we learn that the "$2,000 worth of equipment" was not a loyalty reward or promotional gift as represented, but rather devices financed over time through installment agreements and promotional bill credits. This critical information was never adequately disclosed before we entered into the agreement.
We believe these actions constitute deceptive sales practices and material misrepresentation. We relied on the statements made by the sales representatives when deciding to switch providers. Had we been given complete and accurate information about the true costs, financing obligations, and billing structure, we would not have agreed to leave MetroPCS.
Consumers have the right to receive truthful, complete, and transparent information before entering into a contractual agreement. Misrepresenting the price of service, failing to disclose financing obligations, and changing customers to different rate plans without their informed consent undermine that right and erode trust in your company.
Accordingly, we request that T-Mobile immediately:
* Conduct a formal investigation into the conduct of the sales representative (via authorized dealers to customer care representatives over the phone) and access the phone conversation where this transaction occurred.
* Cancel all equipment financing agreements and service obligations associated with this transaction without any early termination fees, penalties, or negative impact to our credit.
* Remove any charges that resulted from the deceptive representations made during the sale.
* Restore us to the position we would have been in had these misleading representations never occurred, and compensate us for the inconvenience this event has caused now rending us without new operational devices we would have otherwise possess.
* Provide a written response outlining the findings of your investigation and the corrective action taken.
If this matter cannot be resolved promptly and fairly, we will have no choice but to pursue additional remedies by filing formal complaints with the **Federal Communications Commission (FCC)**, the **Federal Trade Commission (FTC)**, our **state Attorney General's Consumer Protection Division**, and the **Better Business Bureau (BBB)**. We will also consider pursuing any other remedies available under applicable consumer protection laws.
