Consumer complaint received 2021-07-08
Company: McCarthy, Burgess & Wolff, Inc.
State: NY
Product: Debt collection
Sub-product: Other debt
Issue: Attempts to collect debt not owed
Sub-issue: Debt is not yours

Complaint:
Dear XXXX XXXX c/o mcarthy burgess & wolff, collection agency RE : Your request dated XX/XX/XXXX rcvd XXXX regarding XXXX Billing XXXX  service started XX/XX/XXXX Acct # XXXX No contract was offered or required. Prior to authorizing service, I specifically asked the local installer agent for XXXX if I was obligated for a specific term of service. I was told that I was NOT. 
Service was borderline acceptable and when a viable alternative presented itself, I opted for a discontinuance of XXXX, now called XXXX, service on XX/XX/XXXX I phoned XXXX on XX/XX/XXXX to terminate. I spoke with an agent named XXXX, who told me that the contract I signed will owe ~ {$150.00} by XXXX XXXX this would be the balance of contract due at termination However : 1. I did not sign any ( ANY ) contract I have no copy. I requested that XXXX send me a copy indicating that I had agreed to the cancellation charge. 
2. XXXX said he would send copy of the contract in 24 hours to my email address : XXXX XXXX. He supplied a reference case # XXXX 4. I had received nothing received by XX/XX/XXXX so I called XXXX again. 
I spoke with a female agent, whose name I did not record, who informed me that XXXX had sent a copy of a contract (? ) to me at XXXX -- the WRONG ADDRESS! ) after I had corrected him 3 times on the phone. It is XXXX That is XXXX  as in XXXX. 
5. The new agent promised that a replacement copy of the missing contract would be sent pursuant to our conversation ( on XX/XX/XXXX ). Nothing has been received as of this date [ XXXX XXXX ]. 
6. A lost charge card in XXXX required a replacement. Since the number was different, the automatic XXXX payment to XXXX of {$79.00} failed. I was not notified at that time, but the XXXX bill was for {$150.00} : {$79.00} XXXX + {$79.00} XXXX. This payment was made with the replacement card, and payment was posted to my account, indicating XXXX had received the FULL XXXX and XXXX payments, and my account was up-to-date. 
7. Apparently, not having updated my account as cancelled, XXXX charged my credit card {$89.00} in XXXX. Since my account was cancelled as of XX/XX/XXXX, and I had received NO confirmation of any contractual obligations to continue payments past the termination date, XX/XX/XXXX, I disputed the charge with my credit card company. 
8. XXXX subsequently issued a refund of {$89.00} on XXXX ( ref # XXXX ) 9. I now am in receipt of a letter dated XXXX XXXX from the collection agency ( above ) indicating that XXXX is now claiming I owe {$89.00}. There is no explanation for this fraudulent charge. 
Since over the period of XXXX XXXX to XXXX XXXX, there was NO confirmation from XXXX that ANY further payments were due, and since NO evidence of any contractual obligation for payments past that date of cancellation were offered after repeatedly asking for same, this collection letter is harassment. 

Complaint has been filed with FTC, CFPB and FCC. 
Regards, /s/

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