Consumer complaint received 2021-07-22
Company: Sequium Asset Solutions, LLC
State: AZ
Product: Debt collection
Sub-product: Other debt
Issue: Attempts to collect debt not owed
Sub-issue: Debt is not yours

Complaint:
I transferred cell phone services for my family from XXXX XXXX XXXX to XXXX XXXX during XX/XX/2020. There were multiple processing issues which delayed porting my lines of service over from XXXX XXXX XXXX to XXXX. These issues resulted in several of my phone lines not having service with either XXXX XXXX XXXX or XXXX for multiple days around the time that they were to have been ported. When I noticed that the lines that were not working were still showing as active on the XXXX account page, I contacted XXXX XXXX XXXX and was told that the lines were in a porting pending status and not to worry, that my account had in fact been closed. My balance at the time with XXXX XXXX XXXX was a credit of {$39.00}. However, I subsequently received a final bill from XXXX XXXX XXXX for {$110.00} since my account had still been " active '' during a few days during the subsequent billing period. XXXX XXXX XXXX initially stated it was because of another line of service shown on my bill as " International Roaming '' with a monthly charge of {$0.00}. After multiple inquiries this line was eventually identified as a " XXXX XXXX '' for a vehicle that I had not owned for several years and the line was not actually in service. XXXX XXXX XXXX then stated that the new charges were due to two lines of service which had not be ported over to XXXX by the end of the XXXX XXXX XXXX billing period and therefore I was required to pay for a full month of service. I provided the information above along with information that the phones had already been activated on XXXX and were not working on XXXX XXXX XXXX 's network at that time. I even provided a copy of my XXXX bill which showed the phones were active with XXXX during this time and I had paid XXXX for the same period of time that XXXX XXXX XXXX was charging me for. I received assurances that this information was sufficient and the matter would be escalated and resolved. I was also told I didn't need to pay anything and that once the charges were corrected, I would be receiving a refund of my {$39.00} credit balance. I was also assured that all of this information would be documented in their system in case there were any future issues or questions. 

I just found out that XXXX XXXX XXXX subsequently submitted by " debt '' to a third-party collection agency ( Focus aka Sequin Asset Management ). After talking to numerous people at XXXX XXXX XXXX, I was told that they couldn't do anything since they had " sold '' the debt to a third-party. They provided me their phone number of XXXX. I contacted this third party and initiated a dispute. However, I was told by them that they couldn't do anything since they were only acting on behalf of XXXX XXXX XXXX and they could not do anything without XXXX XXXX XXXX 's approval. They suggested I contact XXXX XXXX XXXX and ask to speak to a manager. I did that and was again told that XXXX XXXX XXXX could not do anything since the debt had been sold to a third party. 

I have probably spent over 50 hours and hundreds of phone calls to XXXX XXXX XXXX over the past year regarding this matter. I told them that if this was a valid debt, I would pay it immediately. However, every time I talk to XXXX XXXX XXXX  I get a different explanation. As recently as today in my first call to XXXX XXXX XXXX I was told by their representative ( first name " Thridy '' employee id " XXXX '' ) that the matter had been fully resolved and my account now had a {$0.00} balance. When I asked for written documentation to provide to the third-party collection agency, he said his system was not allowing him send me an e-mail and so he transferred to another person who then told me the account had been " sold '' to Focus and he could not do anything. This is so typical of the misinformation and empty assurances I have received from XXXX XXXX XXXX. 

During my final interaction with XXXX XXXX XXXX today, I was told that their policy would not allow them to do anything relative to a " sold '' account and that I would need to deal exclusively with the third-party collection agency. 

I appreciate any assistance you can provide in helping me resolve this matter. Thank you. 

XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX

Company public response: Company believes it acted appropriately as authorized by contract or law
Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation