Alliance One Collection Agency ripoff They took more money than was owed Exton Pennsylvania
I owed a gas bill and alliance one contacted me to collect so I set up payments of $ 40.00. On December 29, 2006 I saw that they had taken a $ 45.00 payment then on the same day they took a $ 205.00 payment. The gas bill was a balance of $ 190.00 when they took those two payments and then they told me on the phone the next time they called me that they had not taken those payments.
They called me again and I sent them a copy of my bank statement to show them that they did take those payments. Today they called again and asked me when I was going to take care of this bill and I told them that as far as I was concerned they were paid in full and owed me $ 60.00. This is when they said they would get with their supervisor and call me back and that was an hour ago.
Howard
Marion, Ohio
U.S.A.
2 Updates & Rebuttals
Steve [Not A Lawyer]
Bradenton,Florida,
U.S.A.
This is why you NEVER deal with a 3rd party collector!
#3Consumer Suggestion
Sat, January 13, 2007
Howard,
First let me say I'm sorry to hear that they ripped you off. However, this is standard practice for these lowlife.
The first rule is to NEVER speak to any debt collector on the phone. NEVER!! Always get it in writing.
The second rule is to never give them any access to your banking info. If you do decide to pay them, ONLY use a money order or bank check. Never use your personal account.
You need to close that bank account immediately as it is no longer secure. You should open a new one at a different bank. And if you have proof of your deal with them and of what authorizations you actually made, file theft charges against them.
I would get a police report anyway, and do a dispute with your bank to get the money back. Tell your bank you NEVER authorized them to take any money out of your account, and you did not give them your account info. This is very important. You have to lie to win this one.
Don
Belleville,Illinois,
U.S.A.
$5 difference
#3Consumer Suggestion
Sat, January 13, 2007
I will only comment on the $5 difference in the amount you said you wanted to pay and the amount taken. Many collection agencies have a processing fee ( the 3rd party contract I used to work on was $5) for payments over the phone. Of course that only explains the difference between $40 and $45.
Just to ask, when did you set up the payments to the agency? If it was a few weeks before the 29th of december, they should have sent a letter confirming the date and amount of the payment. I am not sure if they send it if you set up a payment for the same day as the payment would already be gone when the letter was received.