I bought a phone in 2003 in California, I am active duty military and knew that I would be PCSing (moving) to Texas in a year. I asked the salesperson specifically if I would be covered at my new address. They told me that because I was signing up for the extended network plan I would be covered. So, I bought the phone, moved to Texas and continued to use my phone.
The phone said ROAM on the screen at times, and I didn't use my phone during those times, but in other areas it said EXTENDED AREA. So, I used the phone when it said extended area. A month later I received a bill for approximately $2300, as I was charged roaming for the entire month.
I called repeatedly to try and work this out with the company and all I was told was that they (ATT) had to pay the other networks for my use of their towers, so there was nothing they could do, I needed to pay the bill in full.
Eventually after calling again and again they told me they would 'write it off as bad debt'. Now, as a 19 year old, new to the military, just out of high school, I had no idea what that meant. So I asked if that meant I didn't have to pay it. The customer service agent told me that I didn't have to pay it, it would be 'written off'. So, I went on about my business with my new cell company.
Fast forward 4 years, and I receive a summons from a county deputy stating that Palisades Collection, LLC is suing me for $2300 plus interest. I was deploying within a month of receiving this summons, and the company got the judgment against me.
Now I have a judgment on my credit report for the $2300, which I paid off, just to get it taken care of, and try to improve my credit report, but the judgment is still there, only now it will be upgraded to a 'satisfied judgment'. Which basically means I paid it, but it remains as a negative (very negative) mark on my credit for 7 years.
When a company tells me that I will have coverage, and then I find out that there is absolutely no coverage in the entire town, never was, I feel like I was cheated. The sad part is, at this point, I would be satisfied if they would just take the judgment off my credit report, I already paid it.
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