Consumer complaint received 2022-11-16
Company: Convergent Resources, Inc.
State: NH
Product: Debt collection
Sub-product: Other debt
Issue: Attempts to collect debt not owed
Sub-issue: Debt is not yours

Complaint:
For years, when I lived in XXXX XXXX I had a landline number from XXXX : XXXX. My wife and I had XXXX monthly charge for this line set up on autopay with XXXX. Every month, XXXX would charge the billed amount to our XXXX XXXX ending in XXXX. It was usually around {$28.00} per month. We opted for electronic billing, so my wife would receive an email detailing the charge. We never got paper bills from XXXX. 

Part XXXX : Unsuccessful cancelation by XXXX In XXXX of XXXX we moved from XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX. Prior to moving, my wife called XXXX customer service number to cancel the line, which they said they did. As expected, we received a final charge via autopay to XXXX ( and an email ) for our XXXX service in XXXX, XXXX in the amount of {$28.00}, which we paid. 

However, a month later, in XXXX, XXXX, we received another XXXX charge, for XXXX service, in the amount of {$28.00}. I called XXXX to alert them to the fact that they were still charging us for an account they said they had canceled. They assured me that they would cancel the account properly and there would be no more erroneous charges. We disputed the charge with XXXX, who communicated with XXXX separately, after which their charge was reversed. ( See attachment A. ) From that moment on, XXXX never made automatic charges to our XXXX card, nor did they send us email confirmations for service. So we believed that the service had been successfully canceled. 

Part XXXX : Receivables XXXX XXXX XXXX effort We never heard from XXXX again until XXXX, XXXX, when we received a forwarded paper bill for {$550.00} for unpaid charges. ( See attachment B. ) Note that we had forwarded all mail from XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX in XXXX of XXXX, and so if XXXX had sent us anything prior to this, we would have received it. I called XXXX to try to understand what this bill was for but since they could not even tell me what account it was connected to, I ignored it. 

In XXXX of this year ( XXXX ), we were contacted by XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, who claimed I owed XXXX {$550.00} in unpaid charges. ( See attachment C. ) I disputed the charge in writing and asked to see proof of money owed from XXXX. ( See attachment D. ) I never received that proof, nor any additional collections notices, so I considered the matter settled. 

Part XXXX : Convergent Outsourcing collections effort Then, in XXXX of this year ( XXXX ) I received a collections notice from Convergent Outsourcing , Inc. ( See attachment E. ) Again I disputed the charge ( via an online form and via phone call ) and Convergent said they would communicate with XXXX on our behalf. XXXX persisted in their effort to collect money I do not owe them. Over XXXX separate calls with Convergent on the same day ( XX/XX/XXXX ) their representatives gave me conflicting information : At XXXX XXXX Convergent representative ( XXXX XXXX XXXX told me that XXXX sent a final statement of {$550.00} to the old XXXX address after we closed the account in XX/XX/XXXX. If this was true, then what exactly were these charges for? Our monthly bill was an average of {$28.00} and we didnt have any equipment from them to return. 
At XXXX another Convergent representative ( XXXX XXXX XXXX told me the same day that XXXX claims that we received service until XX/XX/XXXX, when the account was closed. Then she offered me a settlement amount of {$280.00}, but since we dont owe anything to XXXX XXXX I declined the offer. 
At XXXX a third Convergent representative ( XXXX XXXX XXXX transferred me to account specialist XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX told me he would be requesting a detailed explanation of the charges from XXXX. He also said Federal Law requires proof that I owe them the amount that they claim I do, and if they can not then I should contact the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to take up the matter with XXXX directly. 

On XX/XX/XXXX I received correspondence from Convergent claiming to have proof of a valid debt, again in the form of a XXXX bill. ( See attachment F. ) So here I am, asking for your help. 

Conclusion : Requested remedy A bill is just a bill. It is not proof of a debt owed. It is merely proof that XXXX can generate bills. XXXX has failed to provide service in the form of cancellation, and they have failed to prove that I owe them money. They have not even detailed what these charges are for. 

I have provided a paper trail showing multiple efforts to cancel our former service with XXXX, and behavior from them that indicates that they understood our desire to cancel. If they failed to properly cancel our service after all these efforts that is not my problem. 

I have spent, easily, XXXX hours on this issue including todays effort to document this case for you. I can not get that time back but I am hoping that with your help I can stop XXXX from robbing me of my time and energy going forward, and threatening to negatively impact my credit rating. 

I would like CFPB to tell XXXX to definitively close this matter, to send me proof of closure/resolution, and to stop selling this nonexistent debt to collectors. It is a waste of everyones time and at this point it is harassment. 

Please feel free to contact me with any questions you have about this matter.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation