Verizon’s outage last week left millions of users without cell or internet service for hours, prompting the carrier to issue $20 credits to all its customers. Some have managed to increase that payout; one user claims to have received $200.
A Reddit user says they called Verizon customer service and explained that the outage had prevented them from taking on gig work that day. The person involved is a delivery driver and relies on a mobile connection to accept orders.
After two phone calls to Verizon to explain the situation, the customer, who included photos of the payment, was issued a $200 credit. Android Authority spotted other users across social media reporting that they had increased their credit scores, too. One customer claims to have received $100 for one line, while others report a credit of around $50 is more common.
If you have a legitimate reason to claim further compensation from Verizon, you may find speaking directly to its customer service team will help increase the payout.
Verizon may also use your past history with the carrier to determine whether your usage matches your claims. For example, it may have taken the Reddit user’s case and seen that they use gigabytes of data every day, confirming they’re a gig worker reliant on Verizon’s service.
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If you’re a Verizon customer, try dialing 611 on your phone to connect with customer service. However, be warned: some customers are experiencing long wait times as many try to contact the brand about the outage.
If you want to go ahead with the $20 credit, you need to collect it from Verizon. The brand is sending out text messages with links you can tap to add the credit, while other users have found they can access it through Verizon’s online account system.
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