*See update below*
Michaela Brummund's husband, a marine, was killed in Afghanistan by an IED.
Following his death, the young widow decided to move home to Copperopolis, a small California town with a population of just over 2,000, in order to be closer to her family and grieve.
Verizon, however, does not offer cell phone service in the town. Brummund called the phone company to cancel her service, and they hit her with a $350 early termination fee for ending her contract before expired--despite Brummund "being a widow and Verizon not living up to its contractual obligations to provide actual cellphone coverage," as the Consumerist notes.
"I called them to cancel. I told them the situation with my husband. I even said I would provide a death certificate," Brummund told CBS13.
Her father, also a veteran, said, "It's not about the money. I don't care about the money. It's the principle. The man was overseas fighting for our country and lost his life doing so."
Brummund told CBS13 Verizon customer service informed her "nothing could be done" about the charge. Verizon came under fire earlier this year for its refusal to disactivate a dead man's account, saying a death certificate was not enough to cancel his service. In another instance, a Verizon representative allegedly threatened to blow up a man's house over a $308 bill.
Should she be forced to pay the fee? Tell us what you think in the comments section below.
UPDATE: A Verizon Wireless spokesperson contacted the Huffington Post with the following statement:
Verizon Wireless has long supported our troops and worked with members of the armed services with flexibility. Once we understood this Marine widow's circumstances, we resolved the situation quickly. The media turned a moment that needed clarity into a sensational story, and one that's just not accurate. The situation is resolved. Our thoughts and prayers are with the widow and her family.
(via CBS13, The Consumerist)