I'm really glad I saw this site! I received a collection notice from Afni demanding $212.81 for a Verizon Communications phone account. My name and address are correct on the notice, but I have never had an account with Verizon or been issued the phone number associated with this account. I have also never recieved any previous correspondence from anyone saying I owed money to Verizon, let alone that an account was going to collections! I Googled the phone number and it came back to a really odd name in a nearby town I have never lived in. The phone number is disconnected, of course. Neither this account or the phone number asociated with it appear on my credit report.
Verizon Communications informed me I've been a victim of fraud and that other local customers have complained of receiving the same letters. Verizon's customer service rep thought this sounded like a "fishing" scam, in which real debts are intentionally mailed to the wrong people with the hope that those people will pay the debt just to protect their good credit.
Before I found this site, I placed a 6 month hold on my credit to avoid further fraud activity. I'm buying a new house in 3 months and I have a feeling this incident may affect both my credit and interest rates for the worse. I will be discussing my options with my attorney tomorrow afternoon. I will also gladly participate in any class action suit brought forward against this company; this is fraudulant deception at its worst.
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