In 2006 I received a bill from Cox Communications Phoenix for approximately $560. I was told my payment was over due and threatend with collections. My first name was spelled incorrectly and the address was one number off. I contacted the company and informed them I have never had their services. They verified that the last 4 digits of my social did NOT match the last four of the person that opened the account. They also gave an address for this person in AZ and I informed them I have never lived in AZ and infact have never lived outside of my home state.
I was told I needed to do ALL the footwork and provide them with information proving I was not the person on this account, instead of them having to do the footwork and proving it was me! I requested my credit reports and found that one of them had been merged with a woman in San Diego. She had mulitiple credit cards, home and car loans. There was also notices on it from Cox Communications Phoenix. I was able to get this straightened out with the credit reporting agency and also had a Police Report made regarding the mix up (or possible identity theft) with Cox. I provided Cox with all this information and was advised the matter was closed.
5 years has passed and over the weekend I received a letter from a collection agency informing me I owe Cox Communications Phoenix $582.76! The letter was again sent to an address which is one number off my address and the first name is misspelled!
I contacted Cox Communications Phoenix and was passed on to another department, who in turn wanted to pass me back to the first person... And all they could tell me was the last 4 digits of my SS# and that of the person that opened the account are different and also gave the same address in Phoenix that I was given 5 years ago! They could not tell me what had generated this bill AGAIN and told me to contact the collection agency! I contacted the collection agency (I.C. System, Inc. St. Paul, MN) and was told the same information I'd heard from Cox! The person I spoke with (Kelly) could not tell me why this issue was coming up again and I was basically told I need to jump through all the same hoops AGAIN to prove this is NOT me! He also told me I needed to return this information as quickly as possible because there is a 30 day window. If I send this info and they are still investigating it after the 30 days it will be sent to the credit reporting agencies! I have near perfect credit and this is infuriating to me!
The topper to this whole story is... I am a police officer, I have been for over 20 years, this account with Cox was for a cell phone. The person only had the account for a few months and they received multiple calls from prison! I asked Kelly, if after I do all this if I can expect to be contacted again in another 5 years and have to do this all again! How is this MY responsibilty to disprove when they obviously have the wrong person and I'd already settled this with them in 2006!?
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