So, one day I get an email from Amazon.com, supposedly, saying that a payment made by check did not go through and has been reported to TRS Recovery Systems, Inc. I had no idea what order this was in reference to, and there was no reference number. I contacted Amazon.com directly to verify the validity of such a claim, because it sounded fishy to me. First of all, I rarely use checks, and when I do, they are never for online purchases. This email arrived 6 months after I had made a purchase on Amazon.com and received my items.
My order had been split because one of the items I ordered was on backorder and arrived 6 months after I had placed the order. I talked to a customer service rep at Amazon.com and they said that they had no qualms with me-everything was paid for. However, they told me to call TRS to clear this up. So I called TRS and they had no idea what I was talking about. They wanted my bank account number and full routing number. I gave it to them, but they said it wasn't the right number, and asked if I was certain that I gave the full routing number, including the check number at the end.
Since I did not use a check, there was no check number to give. I told them I used a debit card for my transaction, and they said they don't work with credit card or debit card transactions-only checks. They said they couldn't help me unless I could give them an order number, reference number or full bank account information and to call Amazon.com. I already called them and they didn't have any information about this. So I thought it was over - since I didn't use a check and I was good with Amazon.com, I didn't have to worry about this anymore. I was wrong. A week later I get an invoice saying I owe TRS for the amount of $10.68 for the Amazon.com order plus a $20 service fee that they imposed for "helping me out" and getting rid of this debt that I didn't have.
Even though they have my bank account number, I don't care, because that account has been closed for the past 3 months, so if they try to collect from that, they won't get anything out of it. I sent them a letter telling them I am not going to pay because I don't owe them or Amazon.com anything.
TRS didn't like my response and rebutted by sending another letter saying the debt was valid and that if I didn't pay it would affect my credit score and I would never be able to place another order at Amazon.com until the debt was settled and I better pay or else. I have since ordered from Amazon.com several times in the past few months with no problems whatsoever.
In addition to the threatening letters, they started calling my cell phone night and day. I screen all my calls and don't pick up for "unknown" numbers or numbers I don't recognize. They never left a message, but I knew it was them. If it's important enough, they will leave a message and I will call them back. (Well, maybe not them, but other people).
I sent them another letter, demanding them to cease and desist immediately. I told them forthright that I would not talk to them over the phone. They still call me night & day, however now they leave a prerecorded message, with my name and some 14-digit number after it.
They ignored my initial order to cease and desist, so now I have to send them a second cease and desist letter. I have logged every call I've received from them and reported them to the FTC, my cell phone carrier, the Utah Division of Consumer Protection, the BBB, and have an attorney on standby.
I don't know if that will be enough to stop them from continuing to call me. If they do not stop, they will be seeing me in court (For a $10.68 so-called debt, it is hardly worth it, however, I am confident that I will win and I will sue the pants off these bas*ds, just for the sheer inconvenience it has caused me)
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