Consumer complaint received 2023-10-07
Company: Prince Parker & Associates
State: IL
Product: Credit reporting or other personal consumer reports
Sub-product: Credit reporting
Issue: Problem with a company's investigation into an existing problem
Sub-issue: Their investigation did not fix an error on your report

Complaint:
XXXX XXXX XXXX incorrectly reported to a debt collector, XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX that I owed XXXX XXXX XXXX for equipment that they claim was not returned and/or for services that I was billed for after I had stopped using the XXXX & XXXX XXXX service. As of today, XX/XX/XXXX, I see that there is a collection item on my XXXX credit report for XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX with a balance of {$310.00}. For several years leading up to XX/XX/XXXX, I had been using XXXX XXXX XXXX  for both mobile and internet services and I switched both to XXXX for internet on XX/XX/XXXX and mobile on XX/XX/XXXX. I had an XXXX XXXX XXXX modem that I returned using the instructions I found on XXXX XXXX XXXX website which required returning to a XXXX store. I have a receipt from the XXXX store for the return of the XXXX XXXX XXXX equipment dated XX/XX/XXXX. The XXXX receipt has a return reference number and the device serial and model number included on document this receipt is attached to this issue. I tried on many occasions to cancel both mobile and internet services with XXXX XXXX XXXX by phone, but was told that I needed a PIN that they gave me when I started using the service multiple years earlier. I did not have the PIN and they told me I could not cancel service without it. They suggested I go to a specific XXXX XXXX XXXX  store to authenticate myself to them so I could get the PIN. I visited the exact store they specified and the store manager told me that they don't do anything like that there. The store manager gave me a phone number to call and I called and it was the same routine where in order to cancel services I needed a PIN that I did not have. I asked the XXXX XXXX XXXX operator if they had an email address, website or mailing address where I could send documents that proved I stopped using their internet services on XX/XX/XXXX, and stopped using the mobile service on XX/XX/XXXX and returned the modem on XX/XX/XXXX. They said they did not have any email address, or web address or mailing address that would accept any such documents. It appears to me that XXXX XXXX XXXX is making it difficult if not impossible, for a customer to cancel a service and they further continue billing and turn these improperly billed amounts over to collection agencies. On XX/XX/XXXX I received a letter from Prince Parker & Associates, a debt collector, stating I owed {$310.00} to XXXX XXXX and I responded on XX/XX/XXXX with a letter containing this explanation as well as documents proving that I returned the modem and had attempted on several occasions to notify XXXX XXXX XXXX  that I was no longer using the service. Then on XX/XX/XXXX I received another letter from a different entity, XXXX XXXX XXXX saying I owe XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX {$310.00}. I responded with another letter dated XX/XX/XXXX which enclosed the letter I had provided to Prince Parker on XX/XX/XXXX. Note that at the time I stopped using the XXXXXXXX XXXX  XXXX service in XX/XX/XXXX, I had a combined mobile and internet package with XXXX XXXX XXXX where I paid a mobile bill each month and the internet service was free as long as I had the combined mobile and internet accounts. I stopped using internet on XX/XX/XXXX and mobile on XX/XX/XXXX. I also was unable to cancel my XXXX XXXX XXXX mobile service and XXXX XXXX XXXX continued to send me bills for complete months of mobile service long after my mobile phone number and service had been moved to XXXX. The bills from XXXX XXXX XXXX for mobile service for the time subsequent to my transfer to XXXX went to a different credit collection agency named XXXX XXXX XXXX. I sent XXXX  a letter dated XX/XX/XXXX and also paid them {$17.00} for a few days of mobile service that I did owe AT & T ( an amount I calculated myself because I could never get anyone at XXXX XXXX XXXX to send me a final bill just for the last few days that I used the service ). As far as I know, this resolved the issue with the mobile service XXXX XXXX XXXX incorrect invoices but I am not certain. As mentioned already, there is a collection item on my credit reports for XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX with a balance of {$310.00}. This has dropped my credit score from something around XXXX to XXXX according to my latest XXXX credit card statement. I have supporting documents to show that I started internet services with XXXX internet on XX/XX/XXXX and mobile services on XX/XX/XXXX These document images are embedded in the letters and documents I have attached here : 1. A receipt from XXXX dated XX/XX/XXXX showing I returned the XXXX XXXX XXXX modem. XXXX. A letter to XXXX dated XX/XX/XXXX regarding internet service which references the letters to Prince Parker and XXXX. XXXX. A letter to Prince Parker dated XX/XX/XXXX regarding internet service. XXXX. A letter to XXXX dated XX/XX/XXXX regarding mobile service.

Company public response: Company has responded to the consumer and the CFPB and chooses not to provide a public response
Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation