Approximately three months ago, I received a bill from AT & T Wireless. Amount due was $52.28. Frankly, I almost paid it with other bills, because my phone service was with AT&T. However, when I looked at the bill again, there were "0"s in all the itemized columns, only the Due Upon Receipt of $52.28.
Then I realized it was a "wireless" or cellphone bill. I never have used AT&T Wireless since ever using cellphone service several years ago. They even listed my account number.
I dismisse the bill and assumed they would get their act together. The following month, I recveived a message on my home answering machine that it was urgent I call an 800 number due to a problem with a bill that might cause my credit to be harmed.
I called the number. It was re the above account. I explained that I never had an account with them. They looked up the account and stated the following: AT&T Wireless bought out SunComWireless and your account showed up as not paid in full. We want the payment. I had to think for a minute because I had used SunCom at least two years prior, discontinued usage because they were always billing wrong. They never billed me for any owed balance in the past two plus years and I am sure the account was straight. I explained all this to the operator. Her reply was I had to pay or else they would put my account up for collection.
I asked to speak with a supervisor who stated I would have to contact another branch and deal with them. I stated that I didn't owe anyone anything, and if they wanted to speak with me they had my number. His reply was that if it wasn't paid, the collection agents would be notified.
I contacted the Better Business Bureau last month. While they acknowledged receipt of my report, they never responded further to me, despite my sending them a request.
This month I was billed again from AT&T, and today I received a notice from Encore Receivable Management, Inc. Lovated in Kansas. It was a dunning letter re the AT&T bill., now gone up to $53.13.
It seems to me to be a scam not worthy of so big a company. You send out bills and play the numbers game as to how many will just pay it and never think about its validity. I have extremely good credit in all the bureaus and do not want my credit standing ruined for fifty dollars, but I'll be damned if I will pay someone just because they are big enough to support collections that are not due them.
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