Consumer complaint received 2019-01-28
Company: I.C. System, Inc.
State: ID
Product: Debt collection
Sub-product: Other debt
Issue: Attempts to collect debt not owed
Sub-issue: Debt was paid

Complaint:
We subscribed to XXXX Phone Services from XXXX  until XX/XX/XXXX, when I retired and no longer needed their services; 
We had one (1) flip-phone, one (1) smart-phone, and one (1) hot-spot;
We went to the XXXX XXXX office in XXXX, Idaho, and paid the remaining balance on the smart-phone, paid our bill, and returned the hot-spot, as it could not be transferred to XXXX XXXX, our new carrier;
The CSR explained they could not credit anything for the hot-spot, as it was not a current model, and I agreed, but had no use for it so gave it back;
I explained why we were switching carriers, and the CSR pulled up our account, we paid the balance, and he assured us our account was closed;
We went across the street to XXXX  and enrolled in XXXX XXXX, transferring our numbers, and obtained a XXXX hot-spot;
A month later, XX/XX/XXXX, I got an E-mail saying my XXXX  bill was due;
We again went to the store and spoke to a "Senior CS" who pulled up our account by my SSN, where he saw the account was closed, but with a charge pending; 
I explained what we had done the previous month, so he spoke with the original CSR, removed the charges, and again assured me the matter was resolved and the account was closed;
Then in XX/XX/XXXX, I received a couple of texts from a collection agency regarding "an outstanding XXXX   account";
We were 78 miles away from XXXX, so called the XXXX  store we've always dealt with;
I called the store and asked to speak with the Manager;
I called seven (7) times over the next four (4) days... he was not in yet, in a meeting, on another call, or with a customer;
I scheduled a return call with the assistant manager, which was not returned;
We again drove to the same XXXX store, to find the manager was again in another meeting which could not be interrupted;
The CSR got XXXX, the assistant manager, and I again explained the situation to both of them and a couple more employees;
Again, he pulled up my info using my SSN, and told me that as of that time accounts cannot be closed in person, only by calling a toll-free number;
I told him I was never notified of that when we closed our account;
He found everything had been paid in full and cancelled, except the hot-spot;
Apparently, as it was no longer a current model, the CSR had not entered a code number to remove it, so the line charge continued, even though the unit was in XXXX possession;
XXXX verified that no usage had occurred, then he reversed the charges, bringing the account back to XXXX (XXXX);
XXXX assured me he had covered the bases, and would forward all the notes to the manager, XXXX XXXX, who would remove the Collection Activities;
Two (2) days later, I received a Voice Message from XXXX XXXX assuring me the matter was resolved and the Collection Action had been recalled;
He apologized for the problem, and for all the trouble I had gone through to get it resolved;
In XX/XX/XXXX, I got a phone call from IC Systems, a Washington, D.C. debt collector, in regards to the same XXXX account;
Again we drove from Washington State  to the XXXX, Idaho XXXX store, to speak with XXXX XXXX;
I spoke with four (4) CSRs, finally ending up with a new assistant manager who told me both XXXX  and XXXX  were no longer with XXXX, the debt was still pending and in Collections, and XXXX was not able to do anything about it;
I was in the office for over an hour, during which time they refused to get a manager, and refused to give me the manager's name;
As for resolving the matter, she handed me a card with the address of the XXXX Customer Relations Collection Department on it, and the phone number of the Collection Company;
I sent a letter stating the above to XXXX XX/XX/XXXX, and have heard nothing from them;
On XX/XX/XXXX, I received a call from another Collection Agency; 
When I explained the situation to the person calling, he transferred me to his manager, and I explained everything again;
I told him I was disputing the entire debt, as it was XXXX  mis-handling which caused the entire problem;
The connection was bad, so I asked them to e-mail me their name and contact info, but have as yet not received anything from them;
I do have the phone number (XXXX) the call came in on, but the reverse phone lookup doesn't tell me the name, only that the number is registered to someone in XXXX, Idaho;
I am retired, on SSN only, with a XXXX  wife to worry about;
I don't owe this debt, and I want XXXX  to do whatever they have to do to clear it and get my name off the rolls of these and all debt collectors;
A bad credit rating can very easily cause me to be evicted from my mobile home park, and I am not able to find another place to live;
And, being on Social Security, I do not have an extra $XXXX  to throw at this rip-off;

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