AT&T Cellular ripoff continued billing 3 months after cancellation Anaheim California
To avoid paying an extra month of service to ATT and T-Mobile I decided to switch to T-Mobile a few days prior to the end of my ATT service March 21 to April 22. On April 20th, 2004 I logged on to attwireless.com/ and sent secure email to ATT Customer Service Cancelling my account (4 phones - effective April 21). I included my security information (name, phone, address, last 4 of SSN).
On April 21st I went to a T-Mobile store,established an account, service for 5 phones, had them set up and took them home and distributed them to the family. On April 27th I received the AT&T bill. There were no calls on the bill after April 20th but it said nothing to indicate it was a final bill.
I checked my old phone and found the service still on so I sent another email to AT&T Customer Service, referencing my first cancellation notice and email reference number, to request, once again that my account be closed and service terminated.The reply I received a few hours later stated that I needed to call customer service to "complete" my cancellation. They needed to verify my security information before they could process it. I emailed back (included my security info) that I had included my security info on the cancellation order and that my account is no longer being used and that I had notified them to cancel it" Several emails later I realized that this was their way of not letting me cancel just before the service period was over. I had been told that they needed to verify security info, that service could not be cancelled by secure email, that service could not be cancelled with an outstanding balance???? and that I was required to call on the telephone, according to the terms of my contract, in order to cancel. I sent one last email informing them that none of these requirements were in the service contract and that a secure email request in writing held more weight than a phone call which could be disputed. I received an email from a different AT&T Customer Service rep stating thst if I provided my security info, she would cancel service.
I responded with that information and received a telephone call from another rep on July 15th. She verified my security information and said she was terminating service at the end of my july service period, July 22nd. Itold her that was unacceptable. She said that was all she could do. I should have called like I was told to do. I told her I had a contract that made no reference to methods of cancellation, only when I had to cancel to avoid additional billing or penalties. I asked why didn't they call me if they felt they neede to like she had done now. She told me the only reason she called was to finalize the cancellation and get my account to collections for the three months of past due service.
For the months of May, June, and July I was billed $119.00 for the service plan and tax on mandatory fees. My delinquentcy was reported to the credit agencies. I wrote two letters to AT&T in Anaheim, California without receiving a response. I provided this information and copies of the bills and emails to the collection agency and they stopped calling me. On March 29th I received a collection notice from LDG Financial Services to collect $326.13 on behalf of AT&T. Here we go again!
Andrew
Corona, California
U.S.A.
2 Updates & Rebuttals
Andrew
Corona,California,
U.S.A.
The Phone Call to Complete the Cancellation into the next service period is a Ruse
#3Author of original report
Fri, April 01, 2005
I have had cellular service since 1988 when you phone was either mounted in your automobile or you carried a setup much like the military did in WWII. I have been with L.A. Cellular, Verizon, AT&T and T-Mobile. Customer loyalty meant nothing to any of them if you were canceling service. I paid an extra month's service with the first three and the first month's service with their replacements. During the 5 years that I had this National Business Account, I never spoke with a customer service rep.
Changing services, as well as reporting defective units and return authorizations were done via their (very sophisticated) support email system that links every email together so you have a picture or a story of the issues. I simply transacted business with them as I always have. The call they want you to make to complete cancellation is a ruse to get you to cancel again into the next billing cycle, and there they have you. I had bought into that nonsense I would have participated in screwing myself.
Everything in life is a judgment call, weighing the benefits and consequences of every decision. The important thing to remember is to make sure that you act in a way that works for you and your principles. Never cut off your nose just to spite your face. There are many battles in life. Pick those that you can win or at least not hurt you if you lose or until the battle is over.
My attorney has only sent them one letter. Their main collection agency dropped the collection after I submitted my documentation. UPDATE!! I spoke with the new agency this morning and faxed them my documentation this afternoon. I anticipate like results. I am waiting until their derogatory has a negative affect on me.
Thus far, it has not. I refinanced from 30 to 15 years @ 5% this past September and purchased a new Corvette convertible in November and added another company credit card in March with an extremely high limit. On the refinance I had to submit a brief letter of explanation for the collection account. My credit score dipped somewhat after the refinance but it is back in the high 700's now. The % of my balances to limits is very low and I don't have too many of them. Every account except AT&T shows "never late." I am just mentioning these elements to demonstrate my last points.
I thought this out before I made my decision. Can you image what their bills look like with no usage on them? For three months? Coupled with the chain of their emails? I never say, Never say "never" and never express an opinion about a situation I have no knowledge of. I never suggest to someone that they should have given in to a rip-off. Those that do not are the very ones that pay the price to make the changes that the ones what don't have the guts to stand up for themselves benefit from. I believe that's what this web site is all about. Knowledge is power! Be smart, be powerful. However, I may be wrong. Think about it and decide for yourself.
Tracy
Anoka,Minnesota,
U.S.A.
Why didn't you just call?
#3Consumer Suggestion
Wed, March 30, 2005
That really sucks that this happened to you, but I have also tried cancelling things via email and most companies do require you to call. I don't mind having to call them when I want to cancel only because I know it's being done when I am on the phone with them. Every time you send an email to Customer Service, it goes to a different person, if you would have called, you would have been able to cancel right then and there. Just some advice for the future!