Consumer complaint received 2021-02-03
Company: Sequium Asset Solutions, LLC
State: AE
Product: Debt collection
Sub-product: Other debt
Issue: Attempts to collect debt not owed
Sub-issue: Debt is not yours

Complaint:
We are a military family and received orders to the XXXX in XXXX of XXXX. We contacted XXXX XXXX to let them know we were moving and they told us that under the military clause they could suspend our service until we return to the States and furthermore they would pay off our phones. We submitted all required paperwork to get the process started. We had to email several times and submit the paperwork several times because the departments within XXXX  can not communicate with each other. We finally arrived to the XXXX in XX/XX/XXXX to only find out our phones were not unlocked as promised. I stayed on the phone with XXXX  for over 3 hours trying to resolve the issue. I had to contact them at least 2 more times before we were finally to unlock two of the phones. We were informed that the 3rd phone would not be unlocked because I had switched an upgrade option with my son. We were never told about this when we did the upgrade that the phone would not be unlocked nor were we told about this when they made us the initial offer to pay off our phones.. Because of all the headache we decided to cancel our service with XXXX  altogether and in XXXX of XXXX while I was in the States to pick up our dog I went to an XXXX  store to pay of the remaining phone and cancel our account. I did this on XX/XX/XXXX in XXXX, GA. When I arrived back in the XXXX I discovered that they did not apply my payment to my phone but rather to my account. I once again had to go on the phone and spent over two hours trying to get the issue resolved. 
My son who remained in the States went to an XXXX  store in XXXX XXXX, Texas on XX/XX/XXXX to get a prepaid plan for his phone because we cancelled our contract. His phone was unlocked and paid for. He was told the system was down and to come back later. My son decided to get a new number and switched to XXXX that same day. 
We received a bill in the amount of {$160.00} in XXXX of XXXX. I contacted XXXX  to find out what the bill was for. I was informed it was for my sons number which was XXXX. I told them that we did not owe this and after explaining that he was no longer with them I was told that this would be taken care of. We received two more bills in XXXX and XXXX of XXXX and each time I contacted XXXX  trying to get the issue resolved. After receiving another bill in XXXX of XXXX we went to the military Judge Advocate Office to get some help. Staff Sergeant XXXX contacted XXXX  on our behalf. After spending another 2 hours on the phone with XXXX it was determined that the XXXX  store opened up an account for this number under my husbands name without our authorization. Staff Sergeant XXXX was transferred to the Fraud department and was told they would investigate this. We did not hear anything back from XXXX so we assumed the issue was taken care of. 
My husband received a notice in XX/XX/XXXX from XXXX XXXX that he had a collection on his account. After some research we have discovered that XXXX sold this bill to a debt collection agency and now my husband has a negative collection on his report that should not be there.

Company public response: Company believes it acted appropriately as authorized by contract or law
Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation