It’s not very often that a check arrives in the mail out of the blue. I opened the mailbox today to find a check from Verizon Wireless for $93.94. There was no explanation other than a form letter laser printed on the check stub.

Dear Customer,

Verizon Wireless has done an extensive audit of accounts and determined that you had an account with a credit balance for which you are due a refund. Your former cellular phone account may have been with Verizon Wireless, or another company that became part of Verizon Wireless or from which Verizon Wireless acquired accounts (including, but not limited to, Bell Atlantic Mobile, Nynex, Ameritech Cellular, GTE Wireless, Airtouch, Frontier, Commnet, and Price Communications).

Enclosed is a refund check. This is not associated with any marketing campaign but instead relates solely to Verizon Wireless’ determination that you overpaid your final charges.

If you did not have a cellular phone account with any of the above companies listed, or you feel the refund check was sent to you in error, please destroy the check. Credit balances from un-cashed checks will be remitted to the State as unclaimed property.

We appreciate your past business, and we welcome any future business.

Sincerly,
Verizon Wireless

Needless to say, I was skeptical. I couldn’t remember having an account with Verizon Wireless, but I did have a Bell Atlantic Mobile account many years back.

So I called the toll-free number listed at the bottom of the address on the check.

“You take the cake on this one,” said the friendly account representative. “I’ve seen accounts go six or seven months before everything’s cleared up, but this one sets a record.”

It turns out that the refund dated back to an account that was closed in December 1999.

Fantastic, eh? Seven marvelous years later. I didn’t ask if interest was involved.

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[tags]cellular, mobile phone, refund, CRM[/tags]