WARNING: Deceptive "Bait-and-Switch" Tactics by Justin Calandra- Avoid This Store!…read more Warning the community of Justin Calandra, employee salesman at cellular sales Verizon Rome NY; As someone with an extensive sales background, I recognize a calculated 'con' when I see one. In my opinion, this establishment specializes in predatory, non-transparent business practices. Calandra began acting out of line almost immediately treating me very poorly, making the environment cold and unwelcoming, which definitely threw me off. I wanted a good experience and was positive so continued on with him. It was the biggest mistake. He took my kindness for weakness, & abused me throughout the entire process. I was open to get the upgraded models and pay the difference but he refused to listen or care & wasn't trying to hear anything other then what HE wanted me to purchase plan which devices etc all was in his head already so why I spoke it appeared it wasn't even registering at all; so frustrating and upsetting, all to his commission benefit. I was nothing but a number the entire time. That is not sales whatsoever ever. That is sociopathic & narcissistic mindset. just UNREAL--Infact at one point, after realizing I wasn't taking well to his disrespectful & clowny lackadaisical attitude and beyond, "hey I'm sorry I'm being a dick" and some other nonsense. So I told him it's okay. It's a persona. If that's your game that's your game. & so he continued, as if he thought that meant I approved. No dummy, I didn't want confrontation at all and I wanted to leave to be honest. He knew I was desperate for a phone as I told him my got stolen didn't even have a working phone. He knew it and he tried to exploit it the way he could and wanted!; as if it's your money or credit you selfish heartless soul! Justin Calandra is a sociopathic individual imo who should not have a position working with the public, especially representing a major retailer like Verizon Wireless as I see him as a danger to Verizon Wireless and should be taken as a corporate liability. The Deception: I called ahead to confirm that a trade-in for an iPhone 13 with a fried motherboard and missing SIM tray was acceptable for their current promotion. I was told 'no problem' by both Cody and Justin Talerico. However, after he initiated my new service and the paperwork was nearly finalized, he suddenly claimed he couldn't accept the trade. In my view, this was a premeditated bait-and-switch designed to trap a customer into a commitment under false pretenses. The 'Fix' and Further Dishonesty: When I pushed back, Justin Calandra claimed he would find a device to facilitate the trade himself when I said I'm out. I returned 3 days later, only for him to try an IMEI from a broken green iPhone 13 he claimed he got from home that he then told me 'didn't go through.' It's already been traded. Based on the sequence of events, it felt like a deliberate attempt to string me along and play me for a fool. When he told me this, I had such a mix of emotions, but mostly betrayal and disgust. His reaction when I then asked well what can you do now;You assured me you'd have me a good trade in, he reacts without any emotion almost and then says you know what return it go ahead!! and then says to the other employee to call the police on me! At this point I walked out as quick as possible to get away from the entirety of this disgust,as I was beyond appalled. Justin Calandra is horrible to the fullest extent that I've never witnessed in 39 years of life and traveling the world for business and leisure such a monstrosity. He is a statistic & is a predator. At one point, when asking him about the I watch, he steered me towards a galaxy watch and told me it was the iwatch and held to it. I was in disbelief. I wanted to complete my trio with the best iwatch & iPad Pro yet he didn't want me to for some odd reason. I've never dealt with any "sales person" that ever would deter a customer from purchasing something but being extremely rude, and odd, at the same time to a sociopathic level. At one point he said I'm being a dick sorry yet continued to be one. Hostile Conduct: Justin Calandra attitude was, in my opinion, repulsively sociopathic in its arrogance & much more. I was met with cold stares and eye-rolling when I simply asked for the plan I wanted (Ultimate) and said I don't even care I'll get whatever devices are promotional I want out; instead of the mid-tier plan he was aggressively pushing for his own benefit. He treated me like a burden, displaying a level of disrespect I have never seen in a professional setting ever! miserable, deceitful, pompous, unprofessional , demeaning, disrespectful and heartless and much more. Justin Calandra thinks he's untouchable; I am here to prove otherwise. The joke is on you kid.

Avoid This Verizon Store at All Costs - Shady Tactics and Overcharges…read more This location is the definition of a scammy authorized retailer. The manager was aggressively pushy, and that pressure trickled down to the rest of the staff. They enrolled me in Verizon Home Device Protection without explaining that it's basically just an overpriced extended warranty -- not real insurance or meaningful protection. Worse, they charged me $19/month for phone insurance that costs only $8/month in the Verizon app. That's a 137% markup for the same coverage. They stack unnecessary add-ons into something they call a "flex sheet," making it look like a deal, then slam your account with extra charges after the fact. It's a shady upselling tactic, and you won't realize you've been had until the bill arrives. Do yourself a favor -- skip this store entirely. Use the Verizon app or go to a corporate location where you'll get transparency, not tricks.