This is funny...but at the same time not so funny

[Exployer1234]

I finally log onto an old email account that I had not checked in 7 months. I see an email from AT&T. It says "your account has been reopened just so you can pay". I start thinking hum I have not had an AT&T account since July. I closed the account, paid what I thought was the remaining balance, and went on with my life. So I call them up. First to see if the email is true, secondly I am curious since I have not received any mail from them, nor have I received any phone calls. Well turns out they were saying I owed them 300 dollars. I sat on the phone for 45 minutes trying to figure out what is going on. Turns out they charge you for the whole 2 months of service if you cancel the service in the second week of the month. I actually laughed in the reps ear. I told him there is no way I will pay you 300 dollars for no service. I looked back through my bank statements and there was a month in which I did not pay. I have no idea how this was missed or how my phone was kept on. The rep did not know either. So after me laughing, the rep agreeing that the rule sucks, we came to a conclusion that I pay the one month that I missed and they would put a zero balance on my account.

I find this funny because of the fact that AT&T felt they were entitled to money on a phone that was not active, even after the phone is turned off. I am glad that it squared away, but lesson to all: check to make sure that your account is zeroed out on your cell phone if you cancel your plan. EVEN if your contract is up!

[AngelinaCat]

We had a similar problem with AT&T. While we were in the midst of our BK, our telephone service--with which we had unlimited long distance service--was taken over by AT&T. ('Hub calls them 'ATtack & Terminate'--but that's another story.)

Anyway, after we were discharged, AT&T hit us with a bill for $536.00 for long distance. They had not notified us of the change because of the Automatic Stay being in place. We had no intention of paying this bill, and didn't really owe it anyway, as we had NOT made any long distance calls during the period specified. We sent them a copy of the Discharge Order, with a C&D letter, and it to them via certified mail with return receipt. We also sent courtesy copies to our judge and trustee.

This debt has been sold a couple of times afterward, and each time we have been contacted, we send out the Discharge order, along with the C&D letter. So far we have heard nothing else. That has been about three years ago...

Good wishes to you!

[Exployer1234]

I had actually been out of BK for some time now since this happened. I keep pretty good records, but somehow I missed that one month. I have no idea why they even keep the phone on then. Once I found out it was just a month that I owed I was happy to pay that. I now have to pull up my credit report to see if they reported anything on this. I had my credit report pulled last month and nothing was on there. In fact my score had gone up to 702. So lesson learned.

Without going on a rant about this company I am glad you got it straightened out, but it does suck that once it is sold you have to go through that whole process again!