In early December I purchased a Verizon mobile phone in Hawaii and the associated usage contract.By the end of the month, I moved to Australia, where the mobile phone would not work, so I suspended the service contract. When I returned to the states, I notified Verizon to cancel my mobile phone and forward a invoice. I did not receive a reply.
Some months later, I was contacted by First Revenue Assurance (FRA) and they told me that Verizon has turned my contract debt over to them for collection. They stated that my debt was $864.19 and demanded immediate payment. Unfortunately, I took them at their word and did not request a detailed invoice. So, I am not sure whether I actually owed $864.19. I told them that I was currently unemployed and pregnant, but that I was expecting a job shortly and would pay them when I had the job. They continued to call, sometimes daily and the phone calls were always threatening and rude.
When I got the job, I called FRA and advised them that I would send them a check for $100. They said they could not accept checks and would only take a credit card (which I do not have) or my bank routing and account numbers and the $100 would be debited to my account in 2 days. Stupidly, I gave them the numbers. After about a week, I checked my account and the $100.00 had not be debited, so I called FRA to find out what had happened. They again asked for my banking information, which I provided. When I checked my account, they had debited my account twice, for $100.00 and $106.00. I called them back (you never speak to the same person) to complain about the double debit, which I could not afford as I was living on a very meager salary. They told me that there was nothing they could do since "I had decided to make two payments and the extra $6.00 was a service fee, which they would apply for every partial payment made."
My high risk pregnancy has resulted in complete bed rest, so I was forced to resign my position. FRA continues the harassing phone calls demanding payment, including once while I was in the hospital emergency room. I told them that I would be able to pay them $220.00 on Oct. 15 and provided them with my fiance's banking information. He is currently serving in Iraq and won't be home until late February.in checking his bank account on Oct. 15, his account had not been debited.
On November 1, I received a letter from FRA indicating that they would be debiting my account $658.19 on October 30 and if funds in the account were insufficient to cover the debit, that $20.00 would be added to my balance. (NOTE: I received the letter, after the debit date). I checked my fiance's account and nothing had been debited.
In checking my own bank account, FRA had attempted to debit $664.19 (not the $658.19 noted in their letter) and because I did not have sufficient funds to cover the debit, the bank charged $140.00 in overdraft fees, because all the checks I had written after their attempted debit, bounced. I did not give FRA a blanket authorization to debit my account.
My bank has been very considerate and will reverse the overdraft fees. However, because of FRA's unauthorized debit, I am forced to close out the account, open a new account and file a report with the banks fraud division.
I also had to notify my fiance's bank to put a "hold" on any and all attempts by FRA to debit his account.
I have written to FRA demanding that they cease any and all attempts to debit unauthorized amounts from my accounts. I have made every reasonable effort to satisfy my oustanding obligation (although I am not sure I actually owed them $864.19) and will continue to make monthly payments to them as my financial situation permits. However, should they persist in harassing me or attempting to debit my checking accounts, I will file charges with the Florida Attorney General, the Colorado Attorney General, appropriate police departments plus filing complaints with the FTC, FCRA, ACTA, ACCP and the BBB.
Please please be careful not to fall into the trap of providing them with your banking information. They think it gives them license to steal.
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