I recently moved to a new residence this past September, filing the appropriate notification with the US Postal Service (on-line). I also canceled my cell phone service with A.T. &. T after many years due to their worsening customer service.
I recently received a bill from A.T. & t. For over $700.00 (my average monthly bill is normally approx. $70.00). This bill is dated October 24. There was no itemization provided.
I contacted A.T. &t. On November 7 via telephone. I found that they still have my last address on file. I updated this to my new address, and requested that they send me an itemized bill so that I could check for any discrepancies, and that as soon as this was done, I would immediately remit what I legitimately owed them. I was informed that they could/would not send the bill to my new, updated address, but instead would send it to my old residence! I could not convince them that this made no sense, and was just a waste of time, as I no longer received my mail at the old residence, and had, in fact, provided them with my new address. I was informed that A.T. &T did not have the capabilities to change the address! They stated that I could look for my itemized bill on-line. This later proved to be false, as since I am no longer a customer, I cannot log on to their site.
I was also informed that the bill had already been turned over to a collection agency, and that I was being charged 18% interest. I was informed that it is A.T. &T.'s common practice to turn all canceled accounts that are not fully paid over to a collection agency, regardless of lateness, past history, etc. This certainly strikes me as a very punitive business practice for leaving the loving embrace of A.T. &t. For a competitor.
I have received no other bills previous to now, nor any other attempts to contact me until this latest dated October 24.
This conversation was held on November 7 at approx. 1:52 PM PST, with a supervisor named Scott Michaelcheck (sp?). I asked several times if there was any way to resolve this (new itemized bill sent to correct address, reversal of 18% 'interest fee', and negation of credit collection agency involvement). I was repeatedly told that there were no other resolutions available.
I do not wish to: (a) pay a large, questionable bill without itemization/proof of said charges; (b) pay an usurious 'interest fee' of 18% on a questionable bill I was unaware of; and (c) have my credit impaired by A.T.&T.'s cavalier attitude toward forwarding charges to a collection agency.
I am extremely unhappy with AT&T's business practices, lack of customer service, and downright deceptive conduct.
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