CenturyLink Company has a policy of not recording returned modems and extorts money from customers Internet

When an internet account is closed, CenturyLink delays sending the label for return of the modem. Weeks go by before the label is sent and the customer has to store the modem. Then, a final bill is received showing paid in full.

Months later, the customer receives notice that the price of the modem is being charged and has been sent to a collection agency. Centurylink tells the customer that they have no way of recording that a modem was returned because the account is closed. This apparently happens with EVERY closed account because it is their policy.

I was told the only way to credit the modem is if I happen to have retained the tracking number for months after my "paid in full" final bill is received. I said there should be a procedure for recording returned modems associated with a closed account, and was told this IS the procedure, to send a collection notice and tell the customer they needed to retain the tracking number for months after receiving a "paid in full" final bill.

Since the threat is of a collection agency, this is basically extortion; don't record that a modem is received even though it was, have a policy in place to make sure the return is not recorded, and then extort the cost of the modem by threatening the customer with a collection agency for an item whose return they refuse to record.

Since this has now happened to me twice, I believe it is standard operating procedure for CenturyLink and that a class action suit should be brought about. I have complained to the Arizona Corporation Commission on both occasions.