Consumer complaint received 2023-01-12
Company: The CBE Group, Inc.
State: IA
Product: Debt collection
Sub-product: Other debt
Issue: Attempts to collect debt not owed
Sub-issue: Debt was already discharged in bankruptcy and is no longer owed

Complaint:
XXXX XXXX has once again hired yet another collection agency to try to collect on a debt that is more than just " filed under chapter XXXX bankruptcy '' but also the amount is unjust and illegal. The new company they hired ( after the first collection agency refused to collect on this debt from me and returned the account ), The CBE Group , Inc., is now their new collection agency. I will reiterate what I have sent them as every point is in fact undisputed and no response from the company at all. 
" I received your letter dated XX/XX/XXXX, about an alleged XXXX XXXX debt totaling a staggering {$4700.00} that you and XXXX say Im responsible for. I submitted a complaint to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau on XX/XX/XXXX, number XXXX. The issue of complaint was to then debt collector XXXX, XXXX and XXXX saying that XXXX is trying to collect on a debt that is not owed. 
On XX/XX/XXXX, XXXX, XXXX responded to my complaint and made the business decision to cease communications with myself and no longer collect on this account. XXXX then turned to you, The CBE Group , Inc., to then try again to collect on this debt I do not owe. I will continue to object to this alleged debt. 
Based on correspondence from myself and XXXX ( attached ), youll note that my account was closed on XX/XX/XXXX, as we moved all services to XXXX. On XX/XX/XXXX, XXXX somehow put us on another unwanted plan on a line with XXXX usage that Ive requested cancellation of numerous times. Interestingly, on XX/XX/XXXX, XXXX states the amount due on device payment agreements is {$390.00}. There should be NO other charges or connections to XXXX XXXX after these device charges. Further, what is this new added charge of {$710.00} in fees for that you list on this letter? 
Your client did not resolve several issues with canceling cellular lines and continued to charge us for lines we never activated and never had any usage on. Within the past XXXX to XXXX months, Ive talked to XXXX XXXX XXXX and Customer Service representatives multiple times pleading that they remove the XXXX unused lines with XXXX resolution. I was in disbelief looking back at months of charges I wrongfully paid. On a separate but very pertinent issue we still have not received any reimbursement for amounts wrongly paid pre-bankruptcy with our XXXX-chapter XXXX bankruptcy. I have still received no response to letters to XXXX bankruptcy department. Please note attached chapter XXXX debtor list sent in XXXX when filed ( attached ). 
After XXXX  years of loyal service to XXXX ( yes, XXXX  years! ), paying an average of $ XXXX, we were shocked to receive this right to cure ( attached ) which had no merit since account was completely canceled and lines we thought we were only paying for were moved. Repeated attempts to figure this out with representatives and repeating myself over and over not only wastes time and money, but I have yet to receive an explanation for how we got these XXXX lines and why do I keep paying on them when we have never used them? I have tried to sign into XXXX which every statement and letter tells me to do for more information with XXXX success. As of the date of this letter I still have no access to my account to go back further searching for documents and receipts to discover where the confusion started. How is it legal to close off my access to my account? How are we supposed to prove that XXXX is wrongfully charging us for months? I called Customer Service after receiving the XX/XX/XXXX letter from XXXX because I couldnt log into my account. XXXX suspended my account instead of canceling it and added unwarranted charges. The rep said he had no idea how to get into my account other than re-opening and activating XXXX of the lines they decided to assign to my account. I chuckled because I couldnt believe he was asking me to re-activate a line I never had. it. He told me to call financial services when theyre open on Monday to see what the deal is ; their own rep didnt know why or how to handle this. 
I called financial services and spoke with a woman who gave me XXXX time access (? ) to my account, so I was able to get in and start printing out what I could. After that session timed out, I again was unable to log back in. I called XXXX back and asked why this was happening. She gave me short answers that werent addressing my issues and told me she didnt know why I couldnt use the XXXX XXXX XXXX that was paid for yet currently locked. She advised me to go into a XXXX store to get it unlocked. 
Because the store has been nothing but trouble for XXXX years, I doubted the information she was giving me was correct. I did not visit the store nor will I as I know that locking this phone was possible without a store visit and can be unlocked without returning to the store. Maybe she didnt want to explain everything, maybe she lacked the knowledge needed, or maybe she didnt want to take a long call. Either way, I was brushed off ( again ). This all seems nonsensical ; nevertheless, I still have NO access to important statements, documents, or receipts because they have blocked my access to my account and device ( s ). Why is my XXXX XXXX XXXX locked and repeats the message Sorry you cant switch carriers right now? XXXX website also falsely claims they do not lock devices. Again, why is my device locked? 
Also, why is it that I canceled XXXX services as of XX/XX/XXXX, yet I am charged through XX/XX/XXXX? Either way, I need all the following information via postal mail to give to our attorney : The amount of the total alleged debt, detailed and itemized line by line ( not just the past XXXX years XXXX spent over {$10.00} to send me ( note that not all pages were sent of each bill ). Full name, mailing address, and contact address of the original creditor with the alleged debt ( with return correspondence available from the company ). Documentation showing you have verified that I am responsible for this debt and reasons why I havent received federal bankruptcy relief for payments I made pre-bankruptcy that you illegally asked for and accepted payment on, and, finally Documentation showing you, The CBE Group , Inc., is licensed to collect debts in XXXX. 
Note : As Im writing to you within XXXX  days of notification by your company about this alleged debt, kindly cease all collection activities until weve received the correct, requested information and XXXX proposal for resolution. 
Further, the alleged debt shouldnt be able to accrue any fees or interest, right? Especially beyond whats allowed by state law or contract with the original creditor ( theres a new {$710.00} charge you placed on this notification dated XX/XX/XXXX ; what is this for? ). 
Finally, and directed more toward XXXX customer service and financial service representatives, who can not explain the reason for the locked phone and account, disconnecting chats and calls just put off serious issues. I have spent entirely too much time trying to prove this huge company has taken advantage of me and my XXXX kids for years. I do not want to waste another second trying to explain that this debt is unjust. 
I pray that no one else is falsely charged for years and then treated like garbage when theyve come to their wits end and decide to switch to a provider who can be trusted with legal, fair and accurate pricing. Please respond at once. '' ******* I will update you with any response I receive that doesn't come through this complaint but I'm not hopeful.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation