West Bay Acquisitions, LLC Demanding payment for movie rental from defunct Blockbuster Video Rhode Island, Rhode Island

2/02/2012 Sent us a letter stating we owe $17.16 for two movies rented. Impossible because Blockbuster didnt let you rent movies and pay later. You had to pay the rental and any late fees from past rentals. This supposed rental occurred back in 3/31/2010.  Also, I opened an account there in 1999 in Murrieta CA, rented a few movies and never returned when Hollywood Video opened closer to my home. The last movie I rented at Blockbuster Video was in 2001.

This was due to a lawsuit I read about in the Chicago Tribune back in June 2001 where Blockbuster video had to pay back money from high late fees from customers proving they returned movies back in time but were charged anyway. Ever since then I have never trusted them.

Both films that I supposedly rented were not released until 2009. I would like to see the signature on the rental agreement.  I know the fee of $17.16 is not high. What bothers me is what the letter further states other than the amount, I will quote : "Below are the specific titles that contributed to this debt. Your total amount due may include some titles not listed here"  end quote.

So now I am subject to their whims as to how much I will end up paying to satisfy them? I think not! Besides, in the Chicago Tribune article, it reports that Blockbuster earned 796 Million Dollars from Illegal collection of fees. How did they pay back? By issuing coupons for rentals to customers whom were wronged.

Their attitude? Blockbuster was going to get off cheap because they were confident that the customers wouldn't use the coupons. This from Ed Stead, Blockbuster's General Counsel.