Consumer complaint received 2016-02-20
Product: Debt collection — Other (i.e. phone, health club, etc.)
Issue: Cont'd attempts collect debt not owed — Debt was paid
Company: I.C. System, Inc. (CA)

XX/XX/XXXX Consumer Financial Protection Bureau I am being pursued by the XXXX Credit and Collections Office for a billing error from some time ago. This has been discussed and settled with XXXX Customer Service personnel several times. XXXX seems to be unwilling or unable to deal with this matter effectively ; now it has been turned over to debt collection agencies. This matter has gone on for so long without results, despite repeated attempts to deal with XXXX, that more effective action is required. 

The history is as follows : 1. We terminated service on XXXX account number XXXX XXXX XXXX for telephone and internet service in XXXX XXXX CA on XXXX XXXX, XXXX. An automatic bank payment arrangement was cancelled on XXXX XXXX. Both cancellations were confirmed in a telephone call with a XXXX XXXX of XXXX on XXXX XXXX. We opened a new XXXX ( telephone and internet ) service on XXXX XXXX in XXXX XXXX CA. 

2. On XXXX XXXX I received a bill for {$130.00} which included billing for another month of the XXXX XXXX service which had been terminated. In a telephone conversation with " XXXX '' of the XXXX Customer Service dept. we were told the charges will be removed, it was caused by a " system glitch ''. 

3. On XXXX XXXX I received a bill for {$120.00} which again included billing for the terminated XXXX XXXX service. Another telephone conversation with " XXXX '' : " do n't pay, a corrected bill will be sent. '' 4. In a new bill, dated XXXX XXXX I was again told I owed {$100.00} for the terminated service. Another telcon with a XXXX XXXX of XXXX on XXXX XXXX : " All charges are removed, your balance is XXXX, a final bill will be sent by mail. '' 5. A letter dated XXXX XXXX XXXX from XXXX Credit and Collections ( re account XXXX XXXX XXXX, as above ) states : " We recently sent you ... Failure to pay the outstanding balance on your bill by XXXX XXXX XXXX may cause your account to be referred to an outside collection agency. This could result in reporting your debt to the credit bureaus which may affect your credit standing. " Please pay, etc. 

6. A letter, dated XXXX XXXX XXXX, from debt collector XXXX XXXX, XXXX informing me that the bill for {$100.00} had been referred to this collection agency. Please pay, etc. 

7. A XXXX on XXXX XXXX with a XXXX XXXX XXXX of XXXX Customer Service : " The balance is XXXX ; ... with the next bill - XXXX - this will show. Do not worry about the debt collector, he will be informed by XXXX. '' 8. A telcon on XXXX XXXX with a XXXX XXXX XXXX at XXXX XXXX : " They will notify XXXX that the debt had been disputed, no further action needed on your part. '' 8. A letter dated XXXX XXXX XXXX from XXXX XXXX collection agency, states : " The account information is scheduled to be reported to the national credit reporting agencies in your creditor 's name ( listing XXXX XXXX ) if you fail to fulfill your credit obligations. '' Amount due : {$100.00} ; on XXXX XXXX Account no. XXXX ( sic ; note the difference from the no. in item 1. ) It is not credible that XXXX Credit and Collections Office is simply not aware of these cases, there must be many of them. It appears to be a practice of theirs to ignore the customer service inputs, and keep pursuing these settled cases in the expectation that they will eventually just give up and pay anyway, to avoid the nuisance and the repeated threats, and particularly to avoid a credit record problem. There seems to be no deterrent to them for such practice. 

These repeated attempts to bring threats by debt collection agencies, long after the original issue has been resolved, in fact amounts to a form of harassment and intimidation, and may even amount legally to a form of extortion. It needs to be dealt more effectively than simply by more letters or emails. The CPFB needs to get involved. 

XXXX XXXX.