Consumer complaint received 2016-10-29
Company: Aldous & Associates, PLLC
State: GA
Product: Debt collection
Sub-product: Other (i.e. phone, health club, etc.)
Issue: Cont'd attempts collect debt not owed
Sub-issue: Debt is not mine

Complaint:
On XXXX XXXX, 2016, I purchased a brand new XXXX XXXX XXXX at a full price of {$750.00} from a XXXX XXXX XXXX at XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX, MA, XXXX. As part of the transaction, I traded in a used XXXX XXXX for a value of {$9.00}. This credit was applied to the cost of the new phone. Even though I was able to, I was told that I could not pay the entirety of the full amount at that single transaction. {$600.00} of the total cost was financed through XXXX, and I paid the remainder ( minus the {$9.00} credit, plus a tax of {$46.00} ) which came up to {$180.00} to XXXX XXXX. I went home that night and paid the {$600.00} which had been financed ; I paid it online through my XXXX account. This completed payment of the full cost of the phone. On XXXX XXXX, 2016, I switched my phone service from XXXX to a more affordable service, and did not incur any penalty fees with XXXX, because my plan with XXXX was on a month-to-month contract and I was free to switch anytime. I received the first letter from XXXX XXXX dated XXXX XXXX, 2016 ( letter attached ), stating that I owed XXXX XXXX {$200.00} for terminating my service. I wrote them back on XXXX XXXX, 2016 ( letter attached ) disputing this claim and asked for proof of my debt. XXXX XXXX wrote back on a letter postmarked XXXX XXXX, 2016 ( letter attached ) reasserting that I owe {$200.00} and falsely claimed that they had sent me the purchase agreement I signed during the purchase of my phone. I wrote back again on XXXX XXXX, 2016 stating that they did not send the document and I reasserted that I do not owe them {$200.00} and asked for them to send the document if they have it so that I can address the matter further. In the meantime, XXXX XXXX retained a law firm, Aldolus & Associates, to collect this debt from me. The law firm reached out by phone and when I asserted that I was incorrectly being asked to pay a debt I did not owe and that I was not going to pay it, they threatened to report the debt on my credit report. I told them I needed proof of the debt and they told me to send a written request before proof can be sent to me. I received a follow-up letter from Aldolus & Associates dated XXXX XXXX, 2016 ( letter attached ) about the debt and I sent the written request for proof of the debt on XXXX XXXX, 2016 ( letter attached ). I am yet to hear back from Aldolus & Associates, but XXXX XXXX finally sent the purchase agreement which I signed, postmarked XXXX XXXX, 2016 ( agreement attached ). The Wireless Device Agreement section of the purchase agreement ( beginning at the bottom of page XXXX and ending at the top of page XXXX ) clearly states that only if a customer receives a discount on the phone from XXXX XXXX and also terminates service with XXXX before the end of 185 days, that customer would owe XXXX XXXX an early cancellation fee of {$200.00}. I never received a discount on the phone from XXXX XXXX, so this section of the agreement does not apply to my transaction with XXXX XXXX and I have been wrongly charged a fee of {$200.00}.

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