I am concerned about the billing practices and customer service of AT&T. I became aware of a problem recently when a collection agency started calling my house and asking me to pay an outstanding bill with AT&T. At first I thought that the phone call was a hoax, because I was not aware of any overdue bill with AT&T. I had not been contacted by AT&T at any time either by mail or by phone regarding any past due amount owed to AT&T.
Through my investigations I discovered that AT&T had created a second account in my name. This was done when I moved from Utah to Florida in May. I contacted AT&T in a timely manner. When I contacted AT&T I gave them my new address and they gave me a new phone number. AT&T created a new account in my name. I at no time ever requested that AT&T create a new account. AT&T created the new account. While in Florida I continued to receive bills from AT&T and I continued to use their service.
In September I moved from Florida to Kentucky. After I moved I contacted AT&T and gave them my new address and I continued to use the same Florida phone number. I still continue to use my AT&T phone and continue to get bills from AT&T. At no time has my phone ever been cut off and at no time have I ever received a bill from AT&T regarding the old account.
Each time I moved I have filled in a change of address form with the US Postal Service. During each of these move no mail regarding the delinquent AT&T account. AT&T to this day still has not given me notice of the past due account.
AT&T could have easily solved this problem by forwarding the balance on the old account at the time it was made to the new account was created by AT&T. The second thing that they could have done is put my new address on the old account to insure that I received the bills for the old account. The third thing that they could have done is looked on their data base for any other people named Todd Kellett and then do follow up work. If AT&T had done any of these things they would have been paid in a reasonable manner. AT&T failed to do any of these things.
I also am familiar with the AT&T's policy regarding late due accounts. One of the very first things that AT&T will do is leave a message on the users phone instructing them to contact AT&T. This was never done. Another policy of AT&T is that if the phone user fails to pay the bill they cut of any further phone usage. AT&T never cut off my phone usage. I still continue to use my AT&T phone.
The first thing that I did was call the collection agency where I was told that they had been given the information by AT&T and that I owed them money. I talked to a representative at AT&T and told them of the problem. I was told by AT&T to contact the collection agency and tell them that I wanted to dispute the charges. When I called the collection agency and told them that I wanted to dispute the charges I was told that if they sent the bill back to AT&T that AT&T would send the bill out to another collection agency. This line of reasoning seemed inconsistent with AT&T's statement that I could dispute the charges.
During my conversations with AT&T I was told that there is nothing that they could do about the account, because it was written off. I then asked if they would take payment in full. I was told that they would take payment in full. I then asked if I could talk to some one about my account I was told that they was not any one there that could help me because that account had been written off.
I believe that there is some one at AT&T that could have helped me. If payment can be taken by AT&T for payment in full then there is some there that can help me with my account. When I asked for a manager all I heard was silence.
I am very concerned about the actions of AT&T because for the past 18 months AT&T never contacted me, not by phone, or by mail. I have not been aware of this old account for the last 18 months. The first notice I received was by a collection agency. If a collection agency has the ability to find the person that owes on the account then a major corporation like AT&T certainly has the ability to do this especially when they have my current phone number and address on file and when they are still receiving money from me on the same phone that the old account was originally started with.
I believe that if AT&T had acted with due diligence and through the normal course of business that this problem could have been easily solved.
My second concern is whether or not this is happening to other people. If AT&T can do this to me they can easily be doing this to other people who are moving about the county. If this is not happening to other people across the country then why did it happen to me and where was the break down?
Todd
Florence, Kentucky
U.S.A.
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