What To Do When Verizon Lies To Your Face

You can have a cell phone carrier or you can have personal dignity

I rarely call Europe. I’m not a sommelier. I’m not a countess. I don’t even really know anyone who lives in Europe. Ok, I know a guy named Rob who lives in Surrey. But that’s where it ends!

I did have an overseas calling plan a few years back, but I guess at some point I got rid of it. But then, last month, I found myself thrust once again into the glamorous world of international telecommunication, because I wrote an article for The Cut about the French actress Liliane Rovère from Call my Agent. I called her once, briefly, to make sure she was game. She was. After we hung up I got a message from Verizon, suggesting I sign up for an international plan. This seemed like a good idea. I signed up. They said they’d rate charges for that first phone call under the new rate. I was like, “Good thing I took care of that.” I had two more long phone calls with the actress and forgot about it.

Three weeks later, on a Friday night, I was drifting off to sleep when I got a text from Verizon. It was my bill. I figured it would be more than usual, maybe $100, once they’d stuck me with a fee and had conveniently misled me about something, or several things. But my bill was $340. I couldn’t bring myself to look at the details…