ATT Ripoff

We got a text message saying our phone service is about to terminate. A couple months ago we went to the ATT office and paid for a renewal for our phones for another year at the tone of about 5000 pesos. We were dealing with Alejendro, whose name we got from the forums. We went to him when we arrived in Chapala last year because it was reported he spoke English, as he did. We went to the office at Central Laguna and was told that our accounts were not credited and Alejendro no longer works there. We produced the receipts he gave us and the senoritas told us they were not the right ones. Apparantly Sr. Alejendro has been working this scam on others and I believe he was terminated. Of course there was not much the ladies there would do. They said I would have to take it up with Alejendro and gave me his phone number which of course has no answer. I called the company 800 number and was told to email them the receipts. I highly doubt if we will receive compensation and will have to write this off as a lesson learned. I am writing this to rant and also warn others if they had any dealings with Alejendro at ATT to better check their accounts. Thanks

Go ahead and email the receipts. Who knows, maybe ATT will do the honorable thing and credit your account with the dinero you have paid. Don't hold your breath, but one never knows.

The same has happened to me, twice.
It will be interesting to see how AT&T responds.
Do the agents at Centro Laguna speak English?
Please keep us updated.

This kind of thing happens fairly often around here. I know a couple, who met 2 other couples that were victims too, that lost a 30,000 CN account at Actinver to a bad employee, I recall a bad employee at one of the immigration offices keeping all the IMSS payments and several people found themselves without insurance when needed - those are only the ones that come to me at the moment, and these are only the ones I know of, but there have been others. There is no recourse.

Since ATT is a US corp, it is possible you will be reimbursed.

You mention he wrote you a receipt, did your phone balance ever show the credit had been made?

I have the same thing with AT&T and Alejandro. 2 days ago I received a notice of collection saying my account was unpaid for 5 months. I only keep receipts until the next bill shows the last payment was received. My last bill does in fact show that the last payment was made so I am turning it over to a lawyer. This seems to me to be the best way to go. My plan is up in October so I will be moving back to Telcel. Don't want my number stolen because of a technicality. Had it too long.

I am more concerned about identity theft.

Might need to change to a TelCell plan.

WOW! I got a 2-year plan in Chapala from him and it seems to be working OK so far. Maybe I'm a lucky one.

Yes, AT&T is a U.S. company so if there is enough involved, you could, in theory, sue it in the U.S. If you do that, they will probably settle rather than fight in court, even small claims court.

Esta es Mexico.

Is it a US company or a Mexican company here?? Walmart here is Mexican so it could be the same with AT&T,, Anyone knows?

AT&T bought Nextel and Lusacell.
Telcel was busy this morning.

I google it.. AT & T is a Mexican company subsiadary of a US Company therefore do not bother with AT&T US...

I have a friend that has ATT but their phone coverage is spotty and cannot always get a signal, especially around Riberas, so I decided to go with TelCel. No coverage problem.

A friend went to check his AT&T account this morning online. When he entered his number, etc, a name, not his, was on the account. Call history definitely not his.
My move back to Telcel is now completed.

I am so disappointed to hear this about Alejandro. I have sent him several new customers and he has helped me and friends with phone problems over the 2 years I've been with ATT. I was one of his first clients when they opened the store on Madero in Chapala. My 2 year plan runs out in a few months so will do some due diligence when renewing and see if going back to Telcel would be wiser. I paid for my account with my Mexican credit card in 2015 so I expect the service is going to be OK and not liable to be pilfered. I know he had a new baby in the family last year and I hope financial instability didn't drive him to do this. I imagine you just duck down and pop up in another business if they don't require references!

Some rush to judgment here. I do not have ATT nor do I know Alejandro, but I do know that some expats think whenever there are money problems with Mexicans they assume the worse. If Alejandro has taken money over the past months then why is he still employed with ATT? Why is he answering his phone calls? Some of this does not add up. I hope this is a misunderstanding and ATT will clear the air.

kiko wrote:Some rush to judgment here.  I do not have ATT nor do I know Alejandro, but I do know that some expats think whenever there are money problems with Mexicans they assume the worse.  If Alejandro has taken money over the past months then why is he still employed with ATT?  Why is he answering his phone calls?  Some of this does not add up.  I hope this is a misunderstanding and ATT will clear the air.

I understood the OP to say he believed he was terminated and wouldn't answer his phone.

OK, the OP went to Central Laguna to inquire about their problems with ATT. It has been my understanding that Alex (Alejandro) works at the Chapala ATT office. My son has an acct with Alex there. Yes my son has a problem with ATT. Yes Alex answers my son´s phone calls. Is Alex a crook? I do not know. Perhaps there is more than one Alejandro.

So if the AT&T plan goes South (no pun intended), does Telcel have a similar plan? Mine was 2 years unlimited in US/MX both ways for something like $4,000 or so.

The US/MEX option is great for those who go NOB a lot.

What are the other options?

kiko wrote:OK, the OP went to Central Laguna to inquire about their problems with ATT.  It has been my understanding that Alex (Alejandro) works at the Chapala ATT office.  My son has an acct with Alex there.  Yes my son has a problem with ATT. Yes Alex answers my son´s phone calls.  Is Alex a crook? I do not know.  Perhaps there is more than one Alejandro.

For some months Alejandro has worked mornings in the Centro Laguna office and afternoons in the Chapala Office. Alejandro has not been answering his phone for the past week or so. This is a very recent kiko so anything that worked even a couple of weeks ago is not going to work now.

My son told me that he has talked with Alex three times this past week. Once Alex did not answer the phone. On the second call that day he said he had been in a meeting. I don't anymore than that. I don't know the man, maybe the allegations in this thread are true. I use Telcel.

I believe TelCel has an unlimited Can/US/Mex plan for $199.00 per month. The problem is you have to go in (or online) and pay every month. You can't pay for years in advance like ATT was/is doing.

You can pay through your"MiTelcel" account online. There is an option for paying more than the monthly charge.

I have TelCel, pay as you go - no plan, and I put about a hundred pesos on it every other month. I have all the same free calls available to me incoming and outgoing.

IMO, it is never good to pay large sums of money out to anyone in advance for anything is this country. ymmv

All I know is that according to my Lawyer the collection agency indicates that I have another AT&T telephone number in my name of which I was totally unaware. The only person who had access to my personal information was Alejandro. Go Figure!

BTW. I think Alejandro disappeared this week. It is very recent. The lady I spoke to at Centro Laguna was still in shock on Thursday.

I have a 199 pesos TelCel plan, and it is month to month. I signed papers but checked the part where I am not locked in for 2 years. You can pre pay for 6 months or a year or whatever. I had some pesos stacked up on my dumb phone when I was using an Amigo card every 60 days, and all of the pesos were transferred as a credit to my TelCel plan, so I won't have to pay out of pocket for a while. I also get a factura from them every month showing the deduction of the 199 + IVA and the credit balance. When you set up a TelCel plan, take everything with you as usual. Passport, visa, utility bill, CURP and they will ask you for phone references they can check. I don't know why because if you don't pay they will cut off your service.