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Report: #767350

Complaint Review: AT&T - Internet Internet

  • Submitted:
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  • Reported By: Katie — Big Lake Minnesota United States of America
  • Author Not Confirmed What's this?
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  • AT&T Internet United States of America

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I had been a valued customer of AT&T for almost five years when I started running into problems. Getting charged for services or apps that I did not allow or download. I had been laid off for several months and called Customer Service to tell them to cancel my contract and that I'd pay for the early out contract fee. Never heard a word or received anything in the mail regarding the cancellation. 
About two to three months after contacting AT&T I started receiving threatening phone calls from a debt collector stating that I owed him money. I got back in contact with AT&T yet again and they stated that there was nothing in their records indicating that I had called to have my contract cancelled. I told the operator that someone obviously didn't do their job and proceeded to tell her that they sold my now debt to a fraudulent harassing agency. She said there was nothing they could do because the debt was now out of their hands. 
This all happened back in Sept-Oct of 2010. Haven't heard from the fake agency since my father contacted the "headquarters" of this so-called agency. On top of that every thing I ever got in the mail regarding this issue was addressed to someone other than me. All of my information but wrong middle initial. 
I guess I'm looking for answers more than anything. I have a friend who works for a collection agency and he said to pay it no matter what. My only problem is that I am not going to pay any money to this agency seeing that anything I pay WILL NOT be going towards my debt owed to AT&T. It'd be going right into this guys pocket. I did a detailed search on the company and looked at many forums which stated everything that had happened to me and they all responded NOT TO PAY THE COLLECTOR. 
What is a young girl to do to take care of this issue? I want to pay it off and get rid of the burden but I need more info to do so safely.

This report was posted on Ripoff Report on 08/19/2011 05:08 PM and is a permanent record located here: https://www.ripoffreport.com/reports/att/internet/att-selling-debt-to-fraudulent-collection-agency-internet-internet-767350. The posting time indicated is Arizona local time. Arizona does not observe daylight savings so the post time may be Mountain or Pacific depending on the time of year. Ripoff Report has an exclusive license to this report. It may not be copied without the written permission of Ripoff Report. READ: Foreign websites steal our content

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REBUTTALS & REPLIES:
2Author
6Consumer
0Employee/Owner

#8 Consumer Comment

You have a right to accurate credit reports.

AUTHOR: Robert - (USA)

POSTED: Sunday, August 21, 2011

Katie,

You have a right to have your credit report corrected.  You should go to the FTC website www.ftc.gov and download the Fair Credit Reporting Act - http://www.ftc.gov/os/statutes/031224fcra.pdf

Read the act (it's written in plain English) and then file disputes and/or demands to have the item removed (as is appropriate) with all three credit reporting agencies.

Good luck to you.

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#7 Author of original report

Re:

AUTHOR: Katie C. - (United States of America)

POSTED: Saturday, August 20, 2011

    I haven't gotten any phone calls since February of this year. Seeing that I never got paperwork and have no contact information regarding my case, there is no proof of my debt other than what's on my credit report and past phone calls to and from AT&T. When I tried to call the cell phone back it said the number was out of service/disconnected. I did a reverse on the number and all it said was that it was a cell phone based out of St. Paul.
    I'm worried because there's no paper trail regarding the debt from I.C. Systems (just typoed name from AT&T statements), stated my AT&T account information, disconnected phone, etc. Everything is incredibly suspicious. The only reason I'm pitching an even bigger fit is because the false amount due is now on my credit report. Like I said before I owe $300 and some odd change and then the next thing I know it's been jacked up to $659.
    The fact that people keep saying pay them is just more irritating. How ignorant are you? Can't pay with no information. Can't pay when they won't work with you. Can't pay when you can't contact them. Can't pay when they can't prove a d**n thing. 
    There are ex/employees for this company on this site, they're just as bogus as the company they work/worked for. Saying that most of the collectors listen and are willing to work something out. You're effing crazy. They do not care about your situation. They just want their pretty little paycheck. But when it comes to fraud that's a whole new ball game folks. 
    So mister Jim, you're information is useless to me. With that being said, I think you can get the full picture. It's a scam and their using my debt as a part of it.

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#6 Consumer Comment

corrections about the FDCPA

AUTHOR: Robert - (USA)

POSTED: Saturday, August 20, 2011
b.  You can try to hold off and not pay - and hope one of the collection agencies violates the terms of the FDCPA.  If they do (and it is rare), you would be entitled to some compensation for the harassment and you can use that to pay off your bill. 

Rare Jim?  Hardly.  Debt Collectors violate the FDCPA daily, many with impunity.  The FDCPA was enacted in 1978 and allows statutory damages up to $1000-hardly a slap on the wrist in today's dollars.  Many debt collectors consider this to be a normal cost of doing business because it is seldom that a consumer knows his/her rights and sues them.  This is changing (at least here) as more law firms are climbing aboard the "sue the debt collector" band wagon. 

However, simple harassment is not necessarily a violation of the Act.  I would research the Act...before you proceed down this path.

Incorrect.  ANY harassment, simple or otherwise, IS a violation of the FDCPA and is actionable.  The FDCPA specifically addresses calls that are made to annoy (harass) the consumer.
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#5 Consumer Comment

Got To Agree...Don't Settle

AUTHOR: Jim - (U.S.A.)

POSTED: Saturday, August 20, 2011

If he's not going to settle with you, then if he harasses you, just tell him, "I am recording this phone call; this is the "X" number of time you've called me."  Just for fun, I would record it and play it back for him just to prove it isn't a threat.  By that point, he will likely hang up.  If he won't settle with you, then settling for nothing is what a bad negotiator does.  He thinks you're a softy; don't play the collector's game.  Now, he will sell your debt to the next person...and the next one.  Don't pay anyone a thing unless they're willing to settle the whole debt for $300...or so, and to put that deal in writing on their letterhead.  As time goes on, a collector will ask you to make a good faith payment.  Don't do that either.  Your next payment is to settle the debt, not extend it.  Don't fall for any threat to put you in jail or calling the police; we do not have debtor's prison in the USA, and being in debt is not a crime.  If you make it to 4 years without paying...the statute of limitations hits and you are no longer liable for the debt.

I would not engage in debt consolidation if this is the only bill you have.  I would not even consider a consolidator unless your in debt to the tune of about $10K or so, otherwise it isn't worth it - the fee the consolidator will charge you will be high.  You can do the same thing a consolidator does without the fee associated.  Just be ready to settle the entire debt for a price you negotiate.  If no one negotiates with you, screw 'em.  I don't normally say that...but being an a*s doesn't pay.

One more thing.  You are never a valued customer of anyone.  You are a customer only if you are satisfied with them and then they are a valued business to you.  Also, any business is only as good as their last deal with you.  If they decide to screw with you, remember they aren't the only game in town.  Best of luck to you.

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#4 Consumer Comment

What a surprise..

AUTHOR: Ken - (USA)

POSTED: Saturday, August 20, 2011

the "Neutralizer" provides the same bad advice as Mr. Rik did...go figure.

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#3 Author of original report

Re: AT&T Selling debt to fraudulent collection agency

AUTHOR: Katie C. - (United States of America)

POSTED: Saturday, August 20, 2011

    I've done a ton of research on the company and have been looking into debt consolidation. The company that's after me (I.C. Systems Inc.) has screwed over several hundred people if not thousands, and I will not be one of those people. The original bill is for some $300 and they're saying I owe $659. That's way more than what I owe to AT&T. 
    I've tried settling with him and he refused and stated that he wants it in full. I was out of work for a year and am still struggling as is. This company has already broken several of the rules and regulations and have been reported to the BBB several times yet not a d**n thing has happened.
    As far as the harrassment, he went above and beyond what was necessary for a charge off. The phone he called from was a cell phone  and not a call center which is incredibly suspicious as is! This company will not work with you. This company takes pride in "scaring" the money out of peoples pockets. They are incredibly unprofessional and think it's ok to curse and threaten their victim and vicitim's family members. Their operations have been found to be illegal in more ways than one. And it's not just the collection agency itself. AT&T is just as foul of a company as the collection agency! I wouldn't be in this predicament had they done their d**n jobs! 

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#2 Consumer Comment

NOT TO PAY THE COLLECTOR

AUTHOR: Neutralizer - (USA)

POSTED: Friday, August 19, 2011

Exactly.

Thats good advice.  Paying these scumbags only promotes more of this riffraff.

You have to have your principles.  Or else WHAT do you have?

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#1 Consumer Comment

Keep This In Mind....

AUTHOR: Jim - (U.S.A.)

POSTED: Friday, August 19, 2011

The collection agency bought the debt from AT&T, so the phone company already got their money so I would not worry about whether your payment is going into some guy's pocket.  That horse left the barn a while ago.  Some guy paid a fraction of your bill to settle it with the phone company - now he's coming to collect what he paid.

Some things to consider:

1.  The outstanding bill is now on your credit report, which means your credit score may be in the toilet as a result.  It may be one reason why your friend the collector said, "pay the bill".

2.  If you don't pay this guy, he'll sell your bill to the next agency.  And this process goes on and on for years.  You'll be getting calls for years about this bill.  It's another reason why your friend said, "pay the bill".

If they call again, I would think out a couple of strategies:

a.  I would consider the possibility of settling - offer one-half to one-third and commit to paying the bill IF (and this is a BIG IF) you receive something in writing from them indicating your payment is payment in full.  Indicate that on the check as well, and keep copies of the document they send you (and the check) because you will need it.  The document you get must be on their letterhead, otherwise...no dice.

b.  You can try to hold off and not pay - and hope one of the collection agencies violates the terms of the FDCPA.  If they do (and it is rare), you would be entitled to some compensation for the harassment and you can use that to pay off your bill.  However, simple harassment is not necessarily a violation of the Act.  I would research the Act...before you proceed down this path.

Once this is settled, review your credit reports.  Make certain that debt is either $0 or shows settled.  If they don't remove it, sue the collection agency in small clams claiming their inability to remove this item resulted in you not getting a credit card, loan, etc....

Best of luck to you....

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