Consumer complaint received 2023-06-26
Company: Media Collections, Inc
State: WV
Product: Debt collection
Sub-product: Other debt
Issue: Attempts to collect debt not owed
Sub-issue: Debt was paid

Complaint:
The XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX  XXXX On XX/XX/XXXX I submitted in writing a letter to XXXX XXXX contesting the invoice dated XX/XX/XXXX, Document XXXX. On Monday XX/XX/XXXX my credit card was charged {$150.00} by XXXX # XXXX. On XX/XX/XXXX I received an invoice in the mail for {$80.00}. I contested the charge of {$120.00} and associated tax and fees for the fuel and service. On XX/XX/XXXX, XXXX I also disputed the charge with my credit card company XXXX. Below is a summary of events as to why I contested the charge. 

Monday XX/XX/XXXX XXXX Checked out a rental vehicle from XXXX XXXX XXXX at their XXXX XXXX ( XXXX ) airport. When checking out the vehicle it was identified that the gas tank was empty. The gas light was on and the tank indicator showed empty. The XXXX attendant indicated this was not a problem and that she would annotate on the rental agreement that the gas tank was empty at the time of checkout. She instructed us to return the rental car in the same condition with the gas tank empty and we would not be charged for gas. Estimated cost of the rental per the attached rental record was {$84.00}. Attached is the email they sent with the rental agreement. 

Monday XX/XX/XXXX XXXX Immediately after leaving the airport I purchased {$10.00} in gas at a XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX, XXXX  XXXX. Receipt attached. 

Monday XX/XX/XXXX XXXX Returned the vehicle to XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX at their XXXX XXXX ( XXXX ) airport. XXXX will no longer provide you with a receipt when you drop off the vehicle. They tell you the receipt will be emailed to your email account on file. From the time we left the XXXX counter till we returned the vehicle was 4 hours and 25 mins and per the receipt we drove 77 miles. 

Tuesday XXXX XXXX, XXXX While filing my travel claim I realized the receipt showed they had charged me {$120.00} for 14.0 gallons of gas at {$9.00} per gallon. Total amount due on the receipt was {$230.00}. I immediately contacted XXXX by phone and was told that they would have to reach out to the XXXX facility in XXXX XXXX to see if there was an annotation that the vehicle was checked out on empty. I was provided case # XXXX and told to call back on Friday XX/XX/XXXX. Attached is the email with the XXXX receipt. 

Friday XXXX XXXX, XXXX Contacted XXXX by phone and was told that it could take up to 7 business days for the facility in XXXX XXXX to respond. Call back on XX/XX/XXXX. I logged into my XXXX account and discovered that my credit card had been charged {$150.00} for the rental. Per the details of the charge on my XXXX account it shows the total charge of {$150.00} but that {$0.00} of this charge was for gas. I went to XXXX webpage XXXX Request a Receipt and attempted download a copy of the receipt for {$150.00} using both my drivers license and credit card and received an error message. I immediately disputed the charge online on my XXXX account, because I didnt know what it was for or why it was {$150.00} vice {$84.00}. 

Wednesday XXXX XXXX, XXXX Received the attached billing statement dated XX/XX/XXXX for {$80.00} notifying me of my rights. 

Thursday XXXX XXXX, XXXX Contacted XXXX by phone and was told that because I had disputed the charge with my credit card company they could not refund me for the gas money. A very rude customer service agent informed me that I needed to remove the dispute or I would never receive the funds. 

Friday XXXX XXXX, XXXX Reached out to XXXX agent and submitted the attached email. As I was preparing this response I went to the XXXX Request a Receipt to see if I could pull up a receipt and was able to print a receipt with an invoice date of XX/XX/XXXX for an amount due of {$80.00}. 

Wednesday XXXX XXXX, XXXX I sent the attached letter and attachments to XXXX. 

Thursday XXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXX received the XXXX  per the attached delivery confirmation. 

Monday XX/XX/XXXX Submitted the attached letter by USPS requesting that they respond to my original letter of XX/XX/XXXX. 

Saturday XX/XX/XXXX XXXX received the USPS letter per the attached USPS XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX Monday XX/XX/XXXX Received the attached notice from Media Collections , Inc. DBA Joseph , Mann & Creed for collection of {$80.00} Per my billing rights, on the back of the invoice, XXXX must acknowledge my letter within 30 days unless the error has been corrected by then. The error has not been corrected. XXXX was also responsible to either correct the error or explain why they believe the bill was correct withing 90 days. XXXX is also responsible to notify me if they refer me for collection and tell the collection agency that I questioned my bill. As of today the only response I have received from XXXX is the attached letter dated XX/XX/XXXX notifying me that my XXXX rental and authorized operator privileges, as well as any memberships have been cancelled. XXXX has violated my rights by not acknowledging my original letter within 30 days, correcting the error or explain why they believe the bill was correct withing 90 days, and for referring to a collection agency without notification. 

I have done everything in my power to work with XXXX to resolve this issue. Help!

Company response to consumer: Closed with non-monetary relief