Consumer complaint received 2022-08-11
Company: Collection Bureau of the Hudson Valley, Inc.
State: CT
Product: Debt collection
Sub-product: Other debt
Issue: Attempts to collect debt not owed
Sub-issue: Debt is not yours

Complaint:
XXXX has been predatory sending us false bills and wrong information- I will start back in XX/XX/2022. My husband sent in our cable equipment and cancelled our cable service. XXXX sends a full bill cable/phone/internet for {$390.00} including billing us for 4 DVR cable boxes. I was furious and decided I would handle the matter as my husband has a busy and demanding finance job. We didn't see a cable bill for XXXX or XXXX but they insisted we owed them for XXXX. 

I called them several times and no one helped. We decided at this point after over 12 years of being their customers that we wanted nothing to do with them. After looking into different options we decided we were going to switch our internet service to XXXX for XXXX. 

We called XXXX and had our appointment scheduled so that at the very start of XXXX we would have Internet Service and immediately return our modem and cancel service with XXXX. At this point XXXX offered us several free months of service and a rate less than what we were paying XXXX. I explained we had a contract with XXXX and they explained we had a certain amount of time to cancel the contract. After the headaches we went through with XXXX I decided to not accept their offer and just move on. 

In XXXX XXXX sent my husband a bill for {$210.00} for a billing cycle XXXX for Internet when I had CANCELLED. That was it for me. I decided to look back at what was claimed to be owed and what we had paid. 

I have the receipts still with my husbands name proving he returned the cable equipment so that we would not be billed in XXXX. I also kept the receipts showing I returned the modem at the start of XXXX. I finally complained to corporate and cc : XXXX the FCC. Of course then I heard from them. Corporate was going to do an " investigation '' XXXX in their investigation claimed that I " ME '' sent back the cable equipment when I still have the receipt from XXXX showing it was my HUSBAND. Also, we no longer owe {$210.00} but now {$45.00}. Meanwhile I had looked back at all the receipts/paid service etc and they owe us {$170.00}. We over-paid!!!! 

28 days after XXXX XXXX XXXX investigation '' we received a letter of notice of intent to collect by the Collection Bureau of the Hudson Valley XXXX I reached out to them, XXXX and the FCC with all of my receipts and evidence supporting that XXXX actually owes us. 

After YEARS of paying close to $ XXXX for service by XXXX and declining a service with them for less than what I am paying XXXX I would not make a big deal out of {$45.00} except that is unethical to just go and bill and send to collections whatever you feel like. Not to mention my husband is in finance and sending him to collections can hurt his credit score and any potential job offers. 

I have since sent a detailed description of what transpired and CC : XXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXX of the Hudson Valley and the FCC on this matter. 

The form says do not include personal information but if you want the receipts or emails I would be more than happy to provide this to you. I have all the PROOF!!

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation