Got a question, Apparently I went several months past due on an AT&T long distance bill. I disputed a bill and their rates with then back in June 08 some time, was going to cancel, but they talked me into some weird plan for only $2.99 a month. I agreed and also could have sworn that I made a payment at that time as well. Well, I ignored a couple of bills because the balance seemed wrong - thought they were still showing a past balance I had paid ... apparently I didn't pay anything. Anyhow, I just received one of those letters from NCO Financial saying the AT&T debt was turned over to them for collection, it is for around $56.00 and it has that standard statement at the bottom that if I think they are wrong to write to them within 30 days. I've read some threads about Validation letters, but most seem to be old,outdated and I think I've read that recently, Validation doesn't do much good. But, I looged into my online AT&T account and it appears I could still pay off the bill/balance of $56.00. Should I do this, or call AT&T on the phone and explain my mis-understanding of the bill and see if they would take payment? I think they would say yes but not sure if they would still allow NCO to show that they collected the money and it hit my credit report as a paid collection action. Not sure what AT&T might say, do, or allow/not allow over the phone ... they may tell me it's not in their office no more - I have to call NCO. But, if I can pay on the AT&T website - should I? If I'm able to pay AT&T directly, can NCO still report to the Credit Bureau's that they collected the money or have a Trade Line entered that I had a collection account but paid off to a Zero balance? If I paid on the AT&T website, would AT&T be able to show a Trade Line on me that this was a collection account and then got paid off? What should I do?
First off, Hi all! This is my first post on this site, but I've been reading avidly for almost a week now! I'm neither an accountant nor a lawyer, but I believe I'm fairly adaptive, versatile and a quick study! For FedUp2003: In your position, I would do check back and FIND that payment from June (if it was made). A lot hinges on that! If you can find proof that the payment was made (and funds are available), pay it again through the internet. Yes, you read that right, pay it again!! Once done, they then owe you an apology AND a refund, a strongly worded letter to AT&T explaining that you paid the bill to keep a clean credit slate, but disputing their billing and providing proof of the original payment is going to make it extremely difficult for them to ding your credit for it. If you can't find proof, pay it anyway, and make sure you keep the confirmation numbers. In this case, a slightly milder letter stating that you believed the matter closed and were paying the bill again in good faith in order to maintain your credit rating, asking them to review their records and provide confirmation that the amount was indeed a valid debt or to issue a refund. In both these instances, you suddenly switch from debtor status to _good_guy_doing_the_right_thing_ status, which is going to earn you a lot of bargaining power when it comes to keeping the ding off your credit. If it comes down to suing them for that, guess which way the judge is going to lean? Either way, I'd send a verification letter to NCO Financial, after the payment is confirmed, and without giving them any hints about the payment to make them do the donkey work. With the payment made already, they will be unable to get that verification which puts you in the enviable position of having 1 up on the CA, which you can then use to harass them for your own pleasure
After pushing the "submit payment" button (when you pay online) you shuld be getting a verification within a minute or so saying something like :"thank you for your payment. Your account will be credited once the funds are received". Print out this verification, and later the actual verifivation that the anount was applied towards your account. Once you get these printouts send them to NCO, and tell them to FO.
Thanks!For the help and advice, I just submitted the payment over the Internet on the AT&T website ... so surely I should have the argument should I need one in the future, that "how can NCO or even AT&T report this as a collection account or paid collection from a CA, if my account was still current enough that I was able to log into my account and pay my 'current' bill that was showing up on their webpage."I'll definitely still follow-up with a letter to NCO informing them that I have no idea what they are talking about, that I have no outstanding bill or balance with AT&T and that they are wrong, have the wrong person, better not take any further action nor report anything to any CRA's and if they have already done so, they had better get it removed/deleted immediately."... does that sound about right?Then I'll call AT&T later today and ask for their billing dept., explain that I just paid what they show as my current balance, then explain that I didn't realize this was the balance, that I swore I paid it off a couple of months back when I changed the service. I'll say that, isntead of delaying payment to them any longer while tring to settle the issue with them, that I went ahead and paid the current balance showing and am now following up with this phone call to figure out what has happened.Hopefully like you say, this will garner some "good guy" points with them. I really am a good person and this was truly an oversight or mis-understanding that I thought it was already paid ... so maybe I'll be okay.It's been a while since I've been to this site - don't know if i can attach a file or Word doc or not - if so I made some screen prints and put them in a Word doc. I'd like to post it so you can see what was still showing/available thru AT&T's website.I did get a confirmation screen, it said something to the effect "they received my payment authorization, it may take up to 5-6 days to post and I can check back then on the 'account status' or 'payment history' link to view the information."If worse comes to worse though and NCO or even of AT&T reports a Trade Line on my CR, would I have a good chance of getting it removed since afterall - I was able to log into my online account with AT&T and pay it like normal.???
Anyhow, I can't figure out how to attach a file, I don't have that "manage attachments" button at the bottom as is mentioned on the FAQ help page.
