So, I started an account with Helio, purchased an Ocean and paid for a security deposit with the MVNO last Saturday. On Monday, it comes to my attention that my bank has frozen my assets, because for some reason, they thought the Helio charge was a fraudulent purchase. I work that out with my bank, and obviously my order with Helio has been "In Process" 'till funds were released. I call Helio's fraud department, inform them of the situation - they see that the funds have been released, tell me my phone has been shipped and I should receive it by Friday.
Well, things look weird by Wednesday, because my online order status still says "In Process". I call member care and some guy takes forever investigating the matter, and says he found a tracking number. My call is disconnected and their call center shuts down for the night.
Friday and there is no package and no tracking number. I call member care today looking for the tracking number, and all they can tell me (probably in India) is that my order is "In Process" and has not shipped. I asked if they could cancel my order, so I could just go to a store and get the phone. They tell me once an order has been made, it cannot be canceled. Even if the merchandise has not shipped. This concept seems absolutely ridiculous to me. I go through at least two more member care agents and none of them are able to get anywhere. One person flat out tells me that my story is fabricated. I get enraged at this point and ask to speak to the cancellation department, in hopes of just canceling my account and starting a new Helio account at a retailer or going to another carrier altogether.
I am forwarded to the cancellation department, where I'm informed that they cannot cancel my order or my account. My account can't be canceled until I receive the shipment, which may or may not have shipped and to find out if it did, will require an investigation last as long as 4 business days. This borders almost on fraud I tell the cancellation agent - how can I not even cancel my account? She acts condescending and asks what the big deal is, I haven't been charged for the services, just the phone and security deposit. I told her if close to $400 is chump change to her, then I need to get a job as a cancellation department agent at Helio, because it must be nice making that kind of fat cash where a $400 charge without any kind of services rendered is meaningless.
She got upset.
I hang up on her mid-sentence and call the fraud department again, only to learn they're only open on weekdays.
That was my Saturday morning.
