Verizon to pull scummy bank-like fee charge

I am pretty sure that everyone remembers the uproar that happened not that long ago when it was first rumored and then found to be fact that the banks in the US were implementing a monthly debit card service fee.

The reaction was strong, swift, and made the banks realize that they had quite possibly stepped over the line of consumer abuse and quickly started backtracking on the plan as consumer, and government, outrage mounted.

Well it seems that Verizon is trying to take a page out of the bank’s playbook when it comes to screwing the consumer with sneaky underhanded service fees.

Word has leaked out, via a post at Engadget along with a screen capture of the leaked internal Verizon memo, that the company is going to be instituting a $2.00 “convenience” fee to be charge against those customers that pay their Verizon bill online or by phone.

Yes, you read that right. They are going to charge you a fee for you being able to easily pay your bill for “their” services.

The new fee is suppose to start taking effect as of January 15, 2012 and the only way to not have to pay that $2.00 a month “convenience” fee is to use automatic payments (which is where the money is automatically withdrawn from your bank account) or to pay by electronic check.

When the bank’s tried to screw their customers like this there was a very strong movement for people to close their accounts at the banks trying to institute the new fee and the response was enough that the banks had to re-think their plans. I’m wondering if the reaction to Verizon’s plans will be equally as vocal and strong?

Could they face their own GoDaddy moment over this underhanded and sneaky gouging of the consumer?

Will the government step in on this?

Or will, as I suspect, the consumer get screwed even further by the company?