This is a horrible company. Let me start by saying that I didn't even sign the lease... Someone forged my name! This was in 2001. After a few months, the third party, CSI, took the machine back, so THEY are in fact the ones who canceled the non-cancelable contract.
After all this, the account was paid off by 2003. I even recieved a NOTARIZED letter from Northern Leasing, indicating that it was paid off, and that I have been "released" of all debts with regards to that lease. Starting about 6 months later, they started sending me threatening letters again, and even put marks on my credit report. This went on for a couple of years, with me constanting telling them that not only was my name forged, but that the lease had in fact been paid off.
They eventually took me to court in NY, even though this happened in California (there is actually a clause in the lease saying the signee gives up rights to a local hearing and will go to NY). SO HERE IS THEIR NEXT SCAM:
Even though the court time is set for 9:30, you really do not have to be there until 10:30. So they will typically send a representative into the court around 10 to see if you checked in. If you have, then they will most likely dismiss your case and appologize for not informing you before you bought your ticket to fly out there. But if you are not there, then the representative will tell the lawyers, who will then come in and hold you accountable for failure to appear, and will have the case decided in their favor.
So if you believe you have proof indicating that you are innocent, HERE IS THE TRICK: be at court on time (just in case they actually do show up on time) but DO NOT answer your name when they call your case.instead, just sit there and wait for them to appear. That way you can nail them. The reason for this, instead of having the case dismissed, is that you can counter-sue for more if the case goes to trial. But be careful with this trick, only do it if you have hard evidence that you are innocent.
Regardless of whether it is dismissed, or the case is decided in your favor (as long as it is not decided in *their* favor) you can sue for at the very least the cost of going to NY (woo hoo, a free trip to NY!)... And if they were holding your credit hostage like they did to me, you can sue for even more... Not to mention suing them simply for years of harassment.
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