Fraudulent debt sent to collection agency?

Question

I had been a customer of ATT internet for about 2 years. After a year passed, I was discovered I was being charged for 2 separate accounts. I had called them and spent hours on the phone with them countless times because they always seemed to make these "mistakes" and would apologize afterward promising the new account balance would be updated.

When I would receive my next bills, it would all go back to the normal and those promises would prove false. In addition, I was incurring random, high fees as well as the promotional offer for the second year (because I changed bandwidths) was not charged me like promised for my new account. Instead, I was receiving the regular price on top of random fees as well as paying for my still active previous account which they had told me they closed (they did not).

Now a staggering bill of $184.27 has been sent to the collection agency, It is impossible I racked up this high a bill in a matter of a mere 2-3 months.

I was supposed to be paying only $19.95 a month in a promotional offer and I am a student.

How do I take care of this? What do I do? I don't have any documents or bills to support my case.
What are the chances that I remove this fraudulent "debt"?

Answer 1

Report the incident to police and relevant government & civilian agencies:

http://Consumer.FTC.gov/features/feature-0008-getting-your-money-back

http://StopFraud.gov/report.html

http://GiveMeBackMyCredit.com/

Business scams: http://FTCComplaintAssistant.gov/

Creditor scams: http://WomenInBusiness.about.com/od/debtcollectionproblems/a/debtfilecomplnt.htm

Financial scams: http://ConsumerFinance.gov/complaint/

US MAIL FRAUD (scams sent or received via U.S. Post Office):

http://PostalInspectors.USPIS.gov/investigations/MailFraud/MailFraud.aspx

Also contact your state's Attorney General and Congressman for help!

Answer 2

Unfortunately, your story is common. The AT&T promises to clear up an error or credit something and doesn't. Instead the balance eventually gets sold off to a collection agency. This is why you should always get a final bill or statement that shows the account paid and keep that forever.



In this case, I suggest that you send the collection agency a certified, return receipt letter indicating the debt is not valid. Concisely explain that AT&T overbilled you and were suppose to credit these errors. Request that the collection agency provide a complete, detailed list of ALL charges on your account.

Answer 3

there is extremely no regulation that could preclude them from merchandising your debt to a sequence organization. yet as quickly because it extremely is with the sequence organization the debt falls below the honest Debt sequence Practices Act(FDCPA). it extremely is the algorithm that govern what a sequence organization can and may be able to not do. It additionally supplies you you with a thank you to request debt validation, wherein in case you request it they'd desire to teach which you owe the debt. besides the incontrovertible fact that, if this unique creditor is reporting counsel on your credit rfile that's fake and refuse to do away with it you have a sturdy case employing the honest credit Reporting Act(FCRA). devoid of understanding what your dispute is that is not common to assert in case you will have a case the two way. yet whilst your "sufficient clarification" replace into only that an evidence devoid of any evidence you will want a not common time to teach it extremely is fraudulent. EDIT(consistent with extra information): you are able to desire to seek for advice from a criminal expert. Your interpetation of "statutes written in clean language" could be incorrect. you are able to properly be one hundred% the acceptable option, and if so this would confirm it, yet you apart from would could be incorrect. in case you get the advise of a criminal expert now, then if it ever is going to court you do not mount a protection on fake ideals.