Consumer complaint received 2019-08-25
Product: Debt collection — Other debt
Issue: Attempts to collect debt not owed — Debt was paid
Company: Credence Resource Management, LLC (GA)

I have been corresponding to XXXX/XXXX for slightly over a year re a disputed charge - several phone calls and multiple escalation letters. 

The circumstances surrounding the dispute, in a nutshell, are as follows : 1 )  When I ordered XXXX at the subject location, I specifically stated that I wanted XXXX equipment capable of displaying 4K resolution programs. 
2 ) I wasn't aware until a few months later, after I purchased/installed a 4K capable tv, that the equipment which XXXX had installed was NOT 4K capable and, per XXXX, they needed to replace the primary receiver with a 4K capable one to which I agreed since this was what I requested per the initial XXXX service order. 
3 ) Upon replacement of the non-4K receive with the 4K receiver, I signed paperwork not knowing that I was, in effect, committing to a 2-year contract extension, as the XXXX service technician did not explain such. 
4 ) In the XX/XX/XXXX time-frame, due to incredibly poor customer service and extremely limited 4K programming, I replaced XXXX with XXXX and cancelled the XXXX account. 
5 ) XXXX customer service was very irritated and threatened me with a {$200.00} cancellation fee if I cancelled to which I responded my disagreement with such given the above circumstances ; however, they refused to drop their demand that I pay the cancellation fee. 
6 ) Soon thereafter, I received a statement from XXXX indicating that I owed {$200.00} - i.e., the {$200.00} cancellation fee and {$3.00} for prorated services. 
7 ) At that time, I wrote the first of five escalation letters indicating that I did not agree, under the circumstances, that I owed the {$200.00} cancellation fee but that I had no issue with the {$3.00} prorated service fee. I included a check for the {$3.00} with the letter which was subsequently cashed by XXXX and which cleared my bank account on XX/XX/XXXX. ( See attached processed check ). 
8 ) I continued getting pressed by XXXX to pay the {$200.00} amount even though they had cashed my {$3.00} check but yet they refused to show credit for such on their subsequent statements! Even as of today, XX/XX/XXXX, XXXX states that I still owe a balance of {$200.00}! 
9 ) I subsequently wrote several other escalation letters but never received a reply from XXXX. 
10 ) On XX/XX/XXXX, in the spirit of trying to bring this issue to closure, I wrote my final escalation letter to XXXX ( attached ) pointing out once again that they had already been paid the {$3.00} even though their statements didn't show such PLUS I offered to meet them half-way ( as had been suggested to me by a XXXX Customer Service Rep in a call weeks before ) - i.e., I would pay half the {$200.00} cancellation fee if they would credit me for the other half. I felt this was a fair proposal given that the XXXX technician who installed the 4K receiver and I obviously didn't communicate well and, as such, I didn't know that by installing that equipment I was committing to a 2-year contract extension. 

As of today, XX/XX/XXXX, I still have not received a reply from XXXX to my XX/XX/XXXX, letter - which is over 9 months since they received my letter! However, a few months ago, I don't recall the date, I received a letter from a credit collection company stating that they were contracted by XXXX to collect the {$200.00} amount which XXXX stated that I owed on my account. I immediately called the collection company and explained the situation as described above. The collection company agent was very courteous, apologized for any misunderstanding, assured me that she would document our call and that I should hear back from them in the near future. 

However, as of yesterday, XX/XX/XXXX, I received an alert from the XXXX credit bureau that my credit score had just dropped 43 points due to a negative report received from Credence Resource Management - the  credit collection company hired by XXXX. I immediately called Credence and once again explained the situation as described above. The collection company agent escalated our call to her supervisor where I had to again describe the situation and my frustration that it had reached this level where it was now being reported to the credit reporting agencies, that I had offered to resolve the issue over 9 months ago and that I never received a response from XXXX, etc. The supervisor was courteous, sympathetic, and apologetic, and offered to settle the issue for an amount of {$100.00} which I agreed to and which I paid via my bank checking account during the call! 

The frustrating thing about this whole situation is that XXXX ignored my XX/XX/XXXX, proposal to 1 ) acknowledge that I had paid the undisputed charge of {$3.00}, and 2 ) accept a settlement of {$100.00} for the disputed {$200.00} cancellation penalty charge. Instead, XXXX turned this over to a debt collection company which, in turn, reported to the credit bureaus that I had refused to pay the {$200.00}! They have now ruined my credit rating which was an almost perfect score beforehand ( Excellent rating which has now dropped 43 points overnight to Good rating )! And this comes at a time when I'm considering refinancing my home which, with the lower credit rating score, will result in my having to acquire a mortgage at a less than favorable interest rate costing me thousands more over the years to come! 

Lastly, it's VERY important to know that I have been a loyal XXXX customer for over 20+ years, currently have 5 other XXXX accounts ( 2nd home and 4 vacation rental properties ), have NEVER missed a payment and have NEVER been late in making a payment! XXXX can attest to these facts!