Consumer complaint received 2020-02-14
Company: Eastern Account Systems of Connecticut, Inc.
State: WA
Product: Debt collection
Sub-product: Other debt
Issue: Attempts to collect debt not owed
Sub-issue: Debt is not yours

Complaint:
XXXX XXXX  XX/XX/XXXX When I cancelled my XXXX internet service on or about XX/XX/XXXX, two invalid charges occurred : 1 ) I was 'crammed ' into a new internet service contract with XXXX  without my consent. 
2 ) I was charged for equipment that I returned. 

XXXX handed off my account to EAS for collection. XXXX still shows I have a balance due of {$290.00}. EAS at least removed {$200.00} from my credit report related to the returned equipment. EAS will not remove the negative credit report entry related to {$97.00} of 'service ' for which I did not subscribe and did not even receive ( I had returned the equipment to Frontier by that time. ) In trying to remedy the error, I'm given the run around by both companies. EAS wants me to get XXXX to acknowledge there is no debt and XXXX wants me to work through EAS. That is a completely unacceptable, Kafka-esque situation for the consumer. 

HISTORY OF ACTIONS I'VE TAKEN ( from most recent to original observation of the issue ) XXXX XXXX  XX/XX/XXXX Eastern Account System still has a negative thing on my credit report ( at TransUnion among others. ) for the XXXX bill I dispute. 

I chatted with XXXX who explained that the only way she could close the account is by receiving payment or proof of payment. Because it is not something I owe, I would not have paid for it and will not pay for it. She insisted I must get XXXX  to stop telling EAS that I owed the debt. I was getting the run-around. 

Chatted with XXXX at XXXX. XXXX at XXXX gave me the run around as well. He claims I *must* dispute the debt with their external debt collector : EAS. 

XXXX XXXX XX/XX/XXXX Hand-written letter on back of EAS letter disputing debts mailed in their envelope using my stamp. Scanned copy saved. 

XXXX  tracking number provided to dispute the equipment charge. 

XXXX XXXX  XX/XX/XXXX EAS put negative items on credit report for the XXXX I already disputed ( and for which they failed to provide a judgement ) and {$97.00} which is an invalid charge for Wi-Fi/Internet service because the XXXX rep played shenanigans when I cancelled by service and re-upped me for a Wi-Fi subscription. I did NOT agree to re-subscribe. I was crammed/slammed into the XXXX subscription service in XXXX of XXXX. 

XXXX XXXX  XX/XX/XXXX I received a notice of my XXXX account having been placed with Eastern Account System of Connecticut for collections. 
I need to send a letter disputing the validity of the debt : Eastern Account System of Connecticut , Inc . 
XXXX XXXX  XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, CT XXXX www.easternpayments.com Notice Date : XX/XX/XXXX EAS Account Number : <redacted/> Creditor # : XXXX Creditor : XXXX Communications I dispute the validity of the debt in its entirety. I have returned all equipment to XXXX XXXX. Here 's the XXXX Tracking Number proving that : XXXX Tracking Number <redacted/> Delivered On Friday XX/XX/XXXX Delivery Time at XXXX XXXX 
XXXX XXXX, IN, US Left At : Dock Received By : XXXX  XXXX XXXX   XX/XX/XXXX Tracking Number XXXX calling XXXX XXXX ( collections ) for the last time to give them the tracking number. 

XXXX XXXX  ( later the same day ) I got the tracking number communicated to a rep earlier but I now have to call Frontier back to get my account marked as disputed because I got the hand-off/run-around treatment from the rep earlier. 

Speaking with XXXX of XXXX : Customer Care/Billing are the same thing and they should be able to mark the account as disputed. 
XXXX XXXX is Customer Service/Customer Care/Billing transferred by XXXX to Customer Care XXXX at Customer Service actually marked it as disputed! 
22 mintues total spent on phone with XXXX reps. 

XXXX XXXX XX/XX/XXXX Calling XXXX XXXX *again* to resolve disputed charges which are now reported to be {$290.00}. 

I received shipping container ( s ) to send the set-top box and modem back and did via so XXXX store. 

speaking with XXXX : He's guessing that it might be non-returned equipment. He appears to have read something in the account history that the charges are related to non-returned equipment fees. 

XXXX sent me over to the " money department ''. 

XXXX - payments - she said what XXXX should've done was to ask a supervisor to show him how to do it - so I need to call back to XXXX So ... calling XXXX XXXX leaned a little further forward and talked offline with a supervisor ... she asked me to provide the tracking numbers to open a dispute which is legit so I'll track them down - I definitely got receipt ( s ) from the XXXX  Store next to the old XXXX XXXX when I returned XXXX XXXX equipment. 

17m 33s spent just on the 2nd call with XXXX. 

XXXX XXXX XX/XX/XXXX Calling XXXX XXXX *again* to make sure this is resolved. Automated system reports my balance is still {$48.00}. 

XXXX transferred me over to the dept to get another box sent for the modem. 
XXXX then transferred me over to customer service to get the box sent. 
XXXX was able to get it sent - should be here in the next 2-5 business days. 

32 minutes spent working through XXXX XXXX bureaucracy to resolve a debt I do not owe. 

XXXX XXXX  XX/XX/XXXX Last week, I called XXXX to cancel all of our services because I had switched us to XXXX. I could not have been more clear that I wanted all services cancelled but the guy apparently left or reestablished internet. 

I got an ebill from XXXX that indicated I owed ~ {$49.00} which tipped me off to the issue. 

I spoke with XXXX and she said she would note the issue on my account in addition to closing it. 

conf code XXXX XXXX early term fee - because it shows I signed up for a new term of service starting XX/XX/XXXX XXXX fee broadband disc charge XXXX

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