Faking Your Own Death is a Last Resort

The Washington Post featured an eye-catching lead over the weekend:

Fed up with dropped calls and a string of defective cell phones, Corey Taylor said he became irate when he learned he’d have to pay $175 to get out of his long-term contract with Verizon Wireless. So he resorted to a rather extreme measure. He faked his own death.

We’ve heard of people desperate to get out of their cell phone contracts, but this has to take the cake. In the end, Mr. Taylor wound up paying his cancellation fee anyway… no word on whether he faced any fraud charges. He gets points for moxie, though.

The issue of lengthy cell phone contracts – and the associated cancellation fees – is a concern we see pop up regularly in customer service data, industry-wide. In response, most of the carriers have developed more flexible policies related to early termination. Verizon Wireless, for example, prorates its fees; the amount of the penalty is reduced if you are near the end of an initial contract.

And if you move to an area with poor coverage, it’s worthwhile to get in touch with your carrier, and explain your situation. Most carriers require proof of the move, but are willing to waive the fee if you need to switch to another service provider. AT&T even considers life situations, like the loss of a job, when negotiating an early termination agreement.

In the end, if you really need to cancel your contract early, it’s probably worth contacting your cell phone provider before you decide to, you know, fake your own death.