Quote:
Originally Posted by
CharredPC /forum/post/12364223
Remember back when US Digital went out of business? How long ago was that? It seems like ages, well over a year anyway. I had their service near the end, and it was a real confusing mess. When they still had a viable phone number and the channels started dropping, I called them. I was told that they'd gone into bankruptcy, and according to their computer I was all paid up... it was just over. They said they didn't even care what I did with the box. I've kept the USDtv unit around (got it originally at a thrift store for $15), flashed with the latest OTA firmware. I mean, the new house has a roof antenna- so why not use it?
Today I get the mail and find a notice from a collection agency telling me I owe USDtv $103 and change- "pay immediately or it's going on your credit report." WTFH?! I call up the collection place and this is pretty much how it went:
Me: I don't owe this amount. I verified with USD when they were still around that I was paid up. Who do I speak with?
Them: We bought the billing from them, they are gone. There's no one to speak with. You owe us the $103 now.
Me: But I don't owe. I pay my bills. I specifically called about it. Do you know how many unpaid months of $20 service I'd have to use to add up to $103?
Them: All we have to go by is their billing information. It indicates you owe $103. So now you owe us $103.
Me: So what if I dispute this? I really don't owe anything.
Them: (and this is a direct quote) "I don't know. I can mark your account as being disputed, but I don't think it matters. They're out of business now, there's no one to resolve it. It's up to you to prove you paid; otherwise it goes on your credit report."
Seriously, WTH?
Does anyone else remember the last days of USDtv subscription service? It was chaos. No one I know got a bill (I just kept paying anyway). There was at least one 'reorganization' period prior, and now their shoddy bookkeeping practices are being valued as gospel so former dedicated customers can be screwed a little more. And $103? They're saying I got away with
five friggin months of not paying service?! I doubt that! USDtv would unauthorize your box after two months of missed payments, IIRC from my support calls when I first got it set up. So because they're gone, I can't dispute it. Because they didn't give final bills or keep record of payments, it shows I have a balance I can't prove I paid. And now because a collection agency has ownership of their billing, I'm either paying over a hundred bucks or dinging my credit.
This is seriously unfair, so I had to vent, sorry. I hope they don't all come after other people here.