Consumer complaint received 10-04-2017 about Debt collection (Other debt) with GC Services Limited Partnership (OH).
Issue: Took or threatened to take negative or legal action
Sub-issue: Collected or attempted to collect exempt funds

Complaint: GC Services XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX TX XXXX, ( XXXX ) XXXX I do not recall speaking to this company about a XXXX XXXX bill for {$240.00} ( they charged {$240.00} on my credit card ). The company I did speak with, whose name was not given - so could be this company - asked me to pay 2/3rds to settle the account ( on a debit card ), but I did not have the funds. They asked if I received SSI, SSDI, or Social Security and I replied I received XXXX. I also asked for a copy of the bill, because XXXX never sent me a bill. I thought I had paid in full. The first I learned was when a collection agency called - a year after I left XXXX 's cell phone service and never receiving a notice of payment due from XXXX. 
Today I noticed that on XXXX XXXX 2017, XXXX ( or GC Services ), charged my credit card ( the one I used to pay my monthly bill ( on a NO contract, month-to-month cell phone plan ). This was a complete surprise to me. Had XXXX contacted me about an outstanding bill, it could have been settled, but to do this without giving me the chance to see the bill, or to pay what I might owe, is unfair. To charge on a credit card without my authority is also unfair ( illegal? ). 

Can GC Services ( or XXXX ) do this? Can they also keep this on my credit report? 

Seems a steep price for dealing with XXXX. A final bill I never receive notice of - even when asking for such from the collection agency calling on XXXX 's behalf ( said could n't do that ) - and a charge onto a credit card I was not made aware was going to occur, PLUS a negative on my credit report? 

If XXXX made the charge, why the collection agency and why the negative in my credit file - they took what they claimed I owed ( without showing me I owed it )? 

If GC Services made the charge, or advised XXXX to do so, is it legal for a collection agency to -- 1. refuse to send information on the account when asked for it 2. not allowing me time to read said information or to call XXXX to verify ( when I called was told I no longer had an account -- could n't find me in their system ) -- yet I owe money?! 
3. tell me the name of their company but DID demand money for XXXX THAT day 4. Allow me any proof I owed XXXX anything. Just because they said so did not make it true given the number of scammers calling to cheat people. How else could I know it was true without information the collection company refused to send and XXXX not having me on their service ( per the person I called - customer service ) all BEFORE putting this on my credit record? 

Whoever called on XXXX 's behalf called over a year since I left the company 's cell phone service. XXXX neither called or wrote during that year either. So I was surprised to be told I owed money and more surprised to be told no information " could not '' be sent to me to verify this debt. 

I was with XXXX 's cell service for three months on a month-to-month plan. The collection agency said the money owed was for EARLY TERMINATION, though this never applied to my month-to-month, non-contract service, and when told this changed the amount due to a PHONE COST, which I had returned to XXXX as instructed, then went back to the early termination explanation, but would take " only '' 2/3 's of the bill if paid tha day with a debit card ( only a debit card ). Seems they only wanted to take my money without any clear oral or written explanation.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation