Consumer complaint received 2025-08-08 00:00:00
Product: Debt collection — Medical debt
Issue: Electronic communications — You told them to stop contacting you, but they keep trying
Company: Associated Credit Services, Inc.
State: MS

Complaint narrative:
Hello, I am formally writing a complaint on Associated Credit Services , Inc and XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX. To be clear, I am writing this complaint after several months of my first notification. The company XXXX claimed I owed a balance of {$77.00} on XX/XX/XXXX. I Yet, my appointment scheduled for XX/XX/XXXX was a total of {$10.00} after insurance, which I did pay. I will attach all my receipts below. My usual thing to do in the dental office is to ask the cost of the appointment and pay before I am seen by the XXXX/XXXX, and the office workers usually communicate what services I need and how much it will cost. Thus, I was confused by this balance of {$77.00}. I had another appointment on XX/XX/XXXX and asked about the {$77.00} balance. I even asked two, separate receptionists because of my XXXX  around this. I was anxious because I usually ask how much my service will be and I pay before I receive services. I was told by both receptionists I did not have to worry about paying {$77.00} as it was attached to an older, defunct account, as XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX was formally known as XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX. Yet, I was reassured my current account with XXXX was paid and did not owe a balance at the time. 

Yet, my first contact with Associated Credit Services , Inc was on XX/XX/XXXX noting I owed a balance of {$55.00}! I have the copy of the first email contact, and compare it with the first contact from XXXX from a balance of {$77.00} on XX/XX/XXXX. I was so shocked! Yet, given it was holiday season, I couldn't immediately reach back out to XXXX. Therefore, I did respond to Associated Credit Services , Inc asking I would not like to be contacted until I can sort this issue out with my dental office. My next dental appointment was XX/XX/XXXX, so I asked about this contact from the Associated Credit Services then. I was verbally told again that I did not owe a balance, and even the receptionist was unclear as to why I was getting contacted. She told me it was possibly a scam, and I should not respond to that. Yet, now that I write this complaint, I should have asked, how did my data get out if it was a scam? 

I let the issue go for awhile given the advice the receptionist at the time gave me. If I didn't have a balance, and I have my receipts, why worry? Yet, Associated Credit Services , Inc continued to contact me. Then, oddly enough XXXX kept sending me emails saying I owed {$54.00} instead of the original {$77.00}. So again, around XXXX of this year, I went back into the dental office and asked about the changes. Remember I was told multiple times I didn't have a balance? I was told when I went to the office -- I do not remember the exact date -- but I was told I did have balances from earlier this year. Yet, I asked, " I paid the balances before I was seen, where are the balances coming from? '' and she advised I ask the billing department. Yet, if I had other balances, the question is why wasn't I charged upfront per usual? I tried to contact them, but with no response. I assumed the line was busy. Yet, given personal reasons, I couldn't immediately ask more in detail like I wanted, but I felt something wasn't right. 

Now, as of XX/XX/XXXX, I got a text from Associated Credit Services , Inc at XXXX asking about the {$54.00} debt. Yet, I feel there is something wrong, and I'm still not clear if this is a scam or not. To be clear, I did call the billing department this morning and got a response, and was sent copies of all my paid receipts dating back to XX/XX/XXXXXXXX Thank you for your time in reading my comment.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation