“This is crazy”: Spectrum rep screams and berates customer trying to cancel service

A viral TikTok is fueling backlash against telecom company Spectrum after a customer recorded a heated call with a retention agent who allegedly refused to cancel her service, berated her, and hung up when she asked for a supervisor.

In the Feb. 21, 2026 clip, @anissahm15 called the comms provider with a simple request, asking: “I would just like to cancel my services with you guys.”

The shrieking Spectrum rep yelled at her over the phone, saying, “I'm so tired of trying to help people all day long."

"If somebody tried to call me and offer to cut my bill in half, send out a service person for free… I would jump all over that. People just don't appreciate anything anymore."

The agent ignored the caller’s request to speak with a supervisor and ultimately terminated the call without resolving the issue.

@anissahm15's TikTok video has been watched nearly 3 million times.

What does a retention agent do?

Retention agents at communications companies are tasked with preventing customers from canceling their employer's services.

Call center workers entice callers with targeted discounts or service upgrades to retain subscribers. They’re often subject to strict performance goals for keeping customer accounts on the books and maximizing revenue. If retention agents can’t keep their stats up, their jobs are potentially on the line.

Out of desperation, or possibly under company mandate, the rep on the other end of the phone could resort to deceptive or coercive means and predatory tactics.

So was @anissahm15’s Spectrum rep deploying predatory retention tactics or simply melting down under pressure to keep her job? Either way, pitting an employee working for a paycheck against a customer with every right to make choices about their comms services isn’t the most ethical way to keep home internet users paying their bills.

Daily Dot contacted Spectrum for more information about their customer service policies. The company responded that they’re aware of the customer service interaction experienced by @anissahm15 and are addressing the issue.

"This is not the behavior we expect from our employees, and not the experience we want for our customers," a Spectrum spokesperson told the Daily Dot via email.