Consumer complaint received 2018-05-14
Company: Credit Control Company, Inc.
State: CA
Product: Debt collection
Sub-product: Other debt
Issue: Attempts to collect debt not owed
Sub-issue: Debt was paid

Complaint:
XXXX XXXX TV service is attempting to collect a debt I do not believe I owe. I signed up with XXXX XXXX TV service in XXXX when I moved to a new residence. In the past 2 years, XXXX took over for XXXX in my area, and took over my TV and Internet service. I became dissatisfied with the service of XXXX, and called to cancel my service. I had already signed up with a new company to avoid interruption, and when I talked to XXXX they told me you can't cancel mid-month. I did not think this was accurate, as I had signed up with XXXX and the policy was no contract, cancel at any time. When I mentioned this to a member in billing from XXXX, they told me I would be credited the amount back from the day I told them I was canceling. ( This document is attached to this complaint ) I started receiving bills for a full months amount, even though I called in to cancel on the morning of the 3rd day of the billing cycle. I called to inquire, which I was told they do not prorate monthly bills. I sent in a check for {$34.00} to cover the 3 days I used of the billing cycle, along with a letter stating if they cashed the check they agreed that this was final payment on the bill. I also sent in a letter stating my case and a copy of the conversation with the billing person saying I'd be credited the portion of the month after I canceled. The check was cashed, and I didn't hear anything for almost 2 months, when a credit collection agency contacted me. The credit agency is Credit Control ( XXXX ), told me I owed {$170.00} ( roughly ) remaining on the account. I explained my situation and said I wanted to dispute the debt. After about 2 weeks, the Credit Agency called me back again saying XXXX was not going to change the amount they say I owe, and did not have to accept my payment as final payment because they did not sign a credit release form, or something like that. I told the Credit Control agent that I needed to think about what to do, after they told me it would go on my credit report starting Sunday XX/XX/XXXX. I think this is pretty raw deal for me, I don't believe that a company changing a policy after I signed up for something, without direct notice is fair. If they don't need to accept my payment as final payment without signing something, I certainly don't think it's fair to let them change their terms of service without having me sign in receipt of the changes. I certainly did not sign up for a contracted service, for them to enforce that later on is wrong. I've done everything I can to right this, I have chatted multiple times with the XXXX billing department, twice with the Credit Control agent, and written into XXXX. I paid a fair portion of the final billing cycle, included the text of the chat with their agent who told me I wouldn't be charged for the portion of the month after I called to cancel. XXXX changing the policy of the plan for which I signed up without direct notice of changes not buried in 200 pages of fine print is not fair to the consumer.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation