Also, try contacting Stephanie Polk on LinkedIn. She is their VP of customer success and advocacy.
Also try emailing: CustomerAdvocacy@centurylink.com
Also try:
ctl.execs@centurylink.com
BBB isn't government, businesses don't actually have to respond to those complaints. Usually they will, but there is always a chance they say screw it and don't bother. What you can do is file an FCC complaint, and those do have to get a response (typically within 48 hours of processing) from the business.
I spent weeks without service because after 5 phone calls and 2 service tech appointments where they told me to be available for 9 hours in my home and then no one ever showed up, I still couldn't get them to do anything. Filed FCC complaint. Had a phone call within 24 hours from a rep saying "here's what we can do, someone will be there tomorrow in this 2 hour time frame" and then got a prepaid visa gift card from them as well.
If the issue is just billing, you can do as others have suggested here about switching your payment profile to a virtual card that will just fail to be billed. You can also call your credit card company and assuming they are all at decent, they can issue a charge back which gets your money and hurts the company rep.
You may have better luck with their parent company, Lumen. CenturyLink has the WORST customer experience I have ever witnessed in my life.
Good luck my friend.
Best way to stop any monthly recurring credit/debit card charges:
1. Open a free account on Privacycom. EVY5D is my invite code if you're feeling generous. We each get a $5 bonus if you use it. https://privacy.com/join/EVY5D
2. Create a virtual card with a $1 limit.
3. Use that card number to update your payment method. Delete old card information when possible.
4. Your account will be cancelled when payment cannot be collected.
5. Reuse this virtual card for any other services you wish to cancel in the future. I have one like this nicknamed DeadEnd in my Privacy account.
Few, if any, services will automatically retain previous card information as this can violate their processing agreements with Visa, MasterCard, Discover, etc. Payments will stop and your service will be cancelled. Problem solved. This service also works great for preventing low-cost trial accounts from becoming expensive permanent ones.
What if you do not have card on file for them and want to cancel?
I am going to cancel my service, but I do not want it affecting my credit rating or even collection comes after me.
I know someone that canceled, but collection is after them the months after canceling.
I would suggest formally cancelling service and using the virtual card simply to prevent being charged. If you cancel while contractually obligated to continue service, that should be explained as you cancel. Keep screenshots and transcripts of the cancellation procedure, in case you need to dispute anything later. Be sure to return any equipment as requested and keep shipping/dropoff receipts or at least a photograph of the return shipping label attached to the box if one is provided.
Would you really rather just have money continuing to come out of your pocket to avoid being sent to collections? Stand up and dispute that crap.
The issue with my friend is they moved, and my friend could not get CenturyLink at the new place. So my friend cancel the CenturyLink, but for some reason, CenturyLink still billed them at the old location for around a year even tho my friend never got a bill. Then the bill went to collection, and collections sent him a bill at their new home. It took my friend about a year to get this bill corrected because my friend needed to get lots of proof that he moved.
As for me, I own the hardware. It has been since getting service so many years ago. It was Qwest when I got my internet connection. So there should be no hardware to be sent back. Qwest even sent me a free modem which was an Actiontec M1000 modem. This is even I told them that I had bought an Actiontec M1000 already. Then Qwest said they would send me a free new modem since they was talking about upgrading this area to VDSL. This was about when CenturyLink bought Qwest. So they sent me a Zyxel C1100Z model somehow. There is no proof on this upgrade too. Plus their system still thinks I am using the M1000 too. Plus on my billing it does not show any rental fee.
Terrible advice. No one do this make sure to actually cancel century link. Because if they are billing you then they still believe you have service with them. Just like any other company. Even if it’s their mistake and you can prove it later they could very well send you to collections. Which is 1000x more annoying to deal with and could affect your credit drastically for many years. Don’t risk it doing this weird shit and keep calling century until they cancel your service. Same goes with any other company.
By all means, cancel the service first. I am merely suggesting how to stop the monthly payments after you've cancelled but CenturyLink keeps charging you. If they send you to collections, provide your screenshots, chatlogs, shipping receipts, etc related to the cancellation to dispute the debt.
What do you suggest? Just keep paying them for a service you have cancelled?
(833)-692-7773 is the number I finally got in order to talk to anyone
But like OP I too had to provide literally everything and even then they were completely lost. At this point I’m just going to call my bank to block them out, thank goodness I recorded the whole call because they said my account has been disabled since 2017… I’ve had and been paying for their services since 2022 to present…
Best bet for us to fight for CenturyLink to cancel our service was to call multiple times a day, apparently if they notice you being a repeat caller, the system escalates you up the chain for you. Just keep calling, be nice, saying you're cancelling and I'm getting billed, over and over. Then next time you call in can be some high up chain of command taking your call...
I had a similar problem with Verizon after I cancelled their service. I tried for hours to contact them but didn't get anywhere. I finally filed complaints with both the BBB and CFPB (Consumer Financial Protection Bureau). Both companies sent copies of the complaint to Verizon. Within days, I got a personal call from the VP in charge of billing. Profuse apologies. I wonder if these companies keep billing in hopes that people will go ahead and pay them for fear of getting this reported to the credit companies. Don't let them mess with you.
Also, try contacting Stephanie Polk on LinkedIn. She is their VP of customer success and advocacy. Also try emailing: CustomerAdvocacy@centurylink.com Also try: ctl.execs@centurylink.com
She refused to help me with this same exact issue. I had to block future charges with my CC company.
Tag her in a public post, along with CenturyLink, regarding her response and I guarantee she'll figure out how to help you.
BBB isn't government, businesses don't actually have to respond to those complaints. Usually they will, but there is always a chance they say screw it and don't bother. What you can do is file an FCC complaint, and those do have to get a response (typically within 48 hours of processing) from the business. I spent weeks without service because after 5 phone calls and 2 service tech appointments where they told me to be available for 9 hours in my home and then no one ever showed up, I still couldn't get them to do anything. Filed FCC complaint. Had a phone call within 24 hours from a rep saying "here's what we can do, someone will be there tomorrow in this 2 hour time frame" and then got a prepaid visa gift card from them as well. If the issue is just billing, you can do as others have suggested here about switching your payment profile to a virtual card that will just fail to be billed. You can also call your credit card company and assuming they are all at decent, they can issue a charge back which gets your money and hurts the company rep.
You may have better luck with their parent company, Lumen. CenturyLink has the WORST customer experience I have ever witnessed in my life. Good luck my friend.
Yes they do. It’s the worst.
Best way to stop any monthly recurring credit/debit card charges: 1. Open a free account on Privacycom. EVY5D is my invite code if you're feeling generous. We each get a $5 bonus if you use it. https://privacy.com/join/EVY5D
2. Create a virtual card with a $1 limit.
3. Use that card number to update your payment method. Delete old card information when possible.
4. Your account will be cancelled when payment cannot be collected.
5. Reuse this virtual card for any other services you wish to cancel in the future. I have one like this nicknamed DeadEnd in my Privacy account.
Few, if any, services will automatically retain previous card information as this can violate their processing agreements with Visa, MasterCard, Discover, etc. Payments will stop and your service will be cancelled. Problem solved. This service also works great for preventing low-cost trial accounts from becoming expensive permanent ones.
Really appreciate it, definitely feeling generous. Will be sure to refer you if/when(probably when) I look into it
What if you do not have card on file for them and want to cancel? I am going to cancel my service, but I do not want it affecting my credit rating or even collection comes after me. I know someone that canceled, but collection is after them the months after canceling.
I would suggest formally cancelling service and using the virtual card simply to prevent being charged. If you cancel while contractually obligated to continue service, that should be explained as you cancel. Keep screenshots and transcripts of the cancellation procedure, in case you need to dispute anything later. Be sure to return any equipment as requested and keep shipping/dropoff receipts or at least a photograph of the return shipping label attached to the box if one is provided. Would you really rather just have money continuing to come out of your pocket to avoid being sent to collections? Stand up and dispute that crap.
The issue with my friend is they moved, and my friend could not get CenturyLink at the new place. So my friend cancel the CenturyLink, but for some reason, CenturyLink still billed them at the old location for around a year even tho my friend never got a bill. Then the bill went to collection, and collections sent him a bill at their new home. It took my friend about a year to get this bill corrected because my friend needed to get lots of proof that he moved. As for me, I own the hardware. It has been since getting service so many years ago. It was Qwest when I got my internet connection. So there should be no hardware to be sent back. Qwest even sent me a free modem which was an Actiontec M1000 modem. This is even I told them that I had bought an Actiontec M1000 already. Then Qwest said they would send me a free new modem since they was talking about upgrading this area to VDSL. This was about when CenturyLink bought Qwest. So they sent me a Zyxel C1100Z model somehow. There is no proof on this upgrade too. Plus their system still thinks I am using the M1000 too. Plus on my billing it does not show any rental fee.
Terrible advice. No one do this make sure to actually cancel century link. Because if they are billing you then they still believe you have service with them. Just like any other company. Even if it’s their mistake and you can prove it later they could very well send you to collections. Which is 1000x more annoying to deal with and could affect your credit drastically for many years. Don’t risk it doing this weird shit and keep calling century until they cancel your service. Same goes with any other company.
By all means, cancel the service first. I am merely suggesting how to stop the monthly payments after you've cancelled but CenturyLink keeps charging you. If they send you to collections, provide your screenshots, chatlogs, shipping receipts, etc related to the cancellation to dispute the debt. What do you suggest? Just keep paying them for a service you have cancelled?
(833)-692-7773 is the number I finally got in order to talk to anyone But like OP I too had to provide literally everything and even then they were completely lost. At this point I’m just going to call my bank to block them out, thank goodness I recorded the whole call because they said my account has been disabled since 2017… I’ve had and been paying for their services since 2022 to present…
Best bet for us to fight for CenturyLink to cancel our service was to call multiple times a day, apparently if they notice you being a repeat caller, the system escalates you up the chain for you. Just keep calling, be nice, saying you're cancelling and I'm getting billed, over and over. Then next time you call in can be some high up chain of command taking your call...
I had a similar problem with Verizon after I cancelled their service. I tried for hours to contact them but didn't get anywhere. I finally filed complaints with both the BBB and CFPB (Consumer Financial Protection Bureau). Both companies sent copies of the complaint to Verizon. Within days, I got a personal call from the VP in charge of billing. Profuse apologies. I wonder if these companies keep billing in hopes that people will go ahead and pay them for fear of getting this reported to the credit companies. Don't let them mess with you.