Consumer complaint received 2023-12-05
Company: ONLINE Information Services, Inc.
State: MO
Product: Debt collection
Sub-product: Other debt
Issue: Written notification about debt
Sub-issue: Notification didn't disclose it was an attempt to collect a debt

Complaint:
XX/XX/XXXX Re : XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXXi XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX The business practices of XXXX XXXX XXXX and the conduct of its personnel have done extensive harm to my credit rating in XXXX. My credit rating on XX/XX/XXXX, was XXXX and that of my spouse, NAME REDACTED was XXXX. This is the credit score range they have been in for decades. On XX/XX/XXXX, my score was XXXX ( a drop of XXXX points ) while that of my spouse remained at XXXX. The reason : There was an unpaid XXXX XXXX XXXX final bill of {$370.00}, a bill I never received until I requested it because of the credit rating drop. 
Some background : My spouse and I built a new home at ADDRESS REDACTED in XXXX, taking occupancy on XX/XX/XXXX. The early sale of our existing home caused us to rent a house on XX/XX/XXXX, at ADDRESS REDACTED, about a mile away from the new house, necessitating establishing service with XXXX XXXX XXXX on XX/XX/XXXX. We received XXXX bills during that time, paying them all either early or on time. Service was terminated on XX/XX/XXXX. We never received the final bill until XX/XX/XXXX, then only after I requested it ; a bill I paid in full on XX/XX/XXXX, directly to XXXX XXXX XXXX ( confirmation number XXXX )! I kept the XXXX rep on the line until she got confirmation of payment. The rep assured me she would notify the collection agency that the bill was paid in full ( so they would not contact me ), and that reporting to the credit agencies would be made to restore my credit rating. That was never done! 
Recent events : The reason I knew there was an unpaid bill was a conversation with my banker who noticed my credit rating score had taken such a precipitous sudden drop! We called XXXX XXXX XXXX from her office, speaking to a customer service rep named XXXX XXXX who emailed the final bill, followed by speaking to a manager named XXXX ( spelling?, phone extension XXXX which wasnt recognized when I later called it ) to understand how this happened. 
The manager verified my account and the rental house address as well as both my and my spouses cell phone numbers, which they never called. She informed me that XXXX Public Utilities Commission regulations do not require that they try to reach customers by phone when they terminate service, so they do not call! She said their procedure is to send a final bill to the old address and then a final letter telling them it would go to collection if not paid ( Collections opened XX/XX/XXXX, reported XX/XX/XXXX ). We never got either letter or any other communication ; and we know the people who rented the house after us. They made sure we got any mail delivered ( perhaps a half dozen pieces of mail ). We had all other mail forwarded to our new home address rather than have to repeat that step later. Utilities apparently insist the bill be sent to the place of service; we had XXXX : XXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX. The only problem we had was XXXX; and I think we would have gotten at least one of the two purported letters. 
The nightmare continues! I received the first collections communication from Online Information Services , Inc. more than a month later dated XX/XX/XXXX dunning me for the unpaid bill and telling me that I had ignored their prior letter and the above referenced account remails unpaid. I called them on XX/XX/XXXX and spoke to XXXX who said she has had no notices from XXXX XXXX XXXX about my account. I gave her the confirmation number of the XX/XX/XXXX payment and suggested she get back to XXXX. She said it normally takes 7 to 10 days for them to respond. She said she would notify the credit reporting agencies. I requested phone or text notification of actions ; Ive heard nothing! In the meantime, my XXXX XXXX fell further to XXXX, another XXXX points! 
My goal is to have this matter resolved and my credit score restored! In addition I will file a complaint with the XXXX  Public Utilities Commission, the source XXXX XXXX XXXX cited as the regulator they follow for business operations. If the Commissions procedures are indeed this bad, I will pursue regulatory reform through elected officials and the Commission. 
NAME REDACTED PHONE NUMBER REDACTED

Company response to consumer: Closed with non-monetary relief