Consumer Cellular review: Bogus past due charge

I tried for 4 months to get my CC billing date moved to the 28th of the month so that it would coincide with my Social Security payment date (4th Wednesday of every month). FINALLY, in December 2023, on my 4th monthly call to them, the billing date was moved to the 28th. The CSR explained that there would be a late fee since the current bill date for that month was 3 days earlier. I said that would be fine, and I finished the call, assured that the bill would post on the 28th, and that there would be a small late fee for it.

Checked my account on December 29th, and sure enough, there was the automatic draft as expected. Then I get the invoice for January, and there is $47.18 "past due" on my account, which was added into my January billing. After more than an hour on the phone with two different CSRs, I got the same BS explanation. "Since you didn't make your payment in December, you are past due." My response - "OK, so if I didn't make my payment in December, why does my bank show a payment?". "Sorry sir, your payment that was made in December didn't include your past due for December, which was added to your January bill." "But all of my payments posted on time and in full prior to December, so how do I have a past due?" "Sir, you didn't pay your bill in December on its due date." "But I made my payment in December, aided by the CSR supervisor who handled the move for the billing date, with her assurance that I would have a small late fee." "Yes sir, and that bill was past due."

Apparently, CC has a policy that if you move your billing date within the month, and you wait to pay until that billing date, you are PAST DUE, even if you pay three days later, and even if their own CSRs helped you do it.

Fortunately my bank sees the scam and will credit my account. Assuming CC does nothing on this matter, I will fully document all charges and payment dates and submit a fraud claim with the NC Attorney General.