I opened this notice today but it was sent March 15. I thought it was another credit card offer so i put it aside but something told me to open it up today insted of just throwin it away. To my surprise, it was a collection notice for a Verizon Maryland Inc. Debt for $542.47 in reference to a disconnected phone number 301-887-1414
I have never in my life had an account with Verizon until October. I just got my new apt and opened a DSL/phone service account with Verizon. I pay my bill every month on time and would have been notified by Verizon if i was this deliquent.
Furthermore, this 301 number was never my number. I called this same number and it's not disconnected. It rings and an answering machine picks up. This notice went to my old address in DC which i lived at before i moved in October to MD. The home in DC was my grandfather's home and he had the phone registered through Verizon in his own name for the past 15 years. I only have Verizon DSL at my grandfathers home.
I noticed some unusual things on this collection notice. While i rarely receive collection notices, i do know enough of what they are supposed to contain. First of all, there is no company name for this collection agency. All it says is www.afnicollections.com and below that COLLECTION NOTICE in bold caps. There is no open/close date for this account. Usually collection agencies soliciting to collect a debt will offer payment plans. This notice didnt. Usually collection agencies that are collecting debts on the behalf of a creditor lists the creditors address and contact. This notice didnt.
As i have been reading from other posters, we all seem to have the same "Verizon" in common. Why is this? And why does everyone have different phone numbers for this company if we all are calling the "collections department"? Now i know im not the brightest in the world but the phone number for specific departments such as "billing" and in our case "collections" are universal no matter what state you are in.
I don't have the money to solicit an attorney but if it comes down to it, that will be my first and foremost priority. For now, i am drafting a not so kind inquiry letter to this afnicollections.com and i am calling Verizon at 8am. As a matter of fact, i have verizon on speed dial so as soon as i wake up, before i even brush my teeth, i will be the first one in line to speak with a supervisor, not a customer service rep. This entire notice sounds and smells foul to me and i am getting to the bottom of it.
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