Shriek!!! TMOBILE!!!! HEEEELP!

[FerrisWheel]

I have a problem with TMobile - got a new phone service last year, found they had zero reception in my area, and switched before my two weeks was up. They billed me for top dollar for all services, and tried to charge me the penalty amount for cancelling. I arranged things over the phone with a billing guy, but they've been coming after me ever since.

Eventually it got to a CA. I just sent a verification request CMRR last week - and today citi credit service emails me that TMobile is putting the debt t on my Equifax credit report.

What's my next step, besides tearing my hair out? I could never find anyone at TMobile to deal with, I've tried. This is making me crazy, I'm just starting to repair my credit, and this will make it worse!!!

[Carlos]

This is a bad situation indeed.

Same thing happend to me with verizon. They neailed me withthe cancelation fee after I moved to an area with no reception. Then sent the cancellation fee to collections.

I wanted to make good with them and payed it off, to the effect of boosting my credit score not even a single point.

So they get to ride shotgun on my credit report for 7 yrs.

The only thing I can do in return is boycott their service.

Ironically I did have a fellow who I did some consulting for ask me to recommend a carrier to provide value added services and I told him to take anything but VZ.

[breathing_easier]

I have a problem with TMobile - got a new phone service last year, found they had zero reception in my area, and switched before my two weeks was up. They billed me for top dollar for all services, and tried to charge me the penalty amount for cancelling. I arranged things over the phone with a billing guy, but they've been coming after me ever since.

Do you have a copy of your contract? What does it say about premature cancellation? You say you "arranged things" over the phone, but that won't stand up in court.

The "verification" letter you sent...were you sending it to TMobile under the FACTA Act? No doubt you know that you can't send a debt validation letter (pursuant to the FDCPA) to an OC? Just checking.

What's my next step, besides tearing my hair out? I could never find anyone at TMobile to deal with, I've tried. This is making me crazy, I'm just starting to repair my credit, and this will make it worse!!!

You need to go straight to the top rather than deal with the TMobile phone jockeys. Write them a goodwill letter explaining succinctly the circumstances and asking that they extend you goodwill and forgive the charges for breaking tthe contract and a deletion of the negative TL. You can do a Google search for the name and address of the CEO of TMobile, or you might try sending it through PlanetFeedback.

[FerrisWheel]

No copy of the contract, but it's standard (I think required) to have a two week grace period in my state.

I sent the debt validation to the collection agency, not tmobile. I just spoke to a nice tmobile rep on the phone who said the account was likely sold to collections and t mobile had nothing to do with the decision to report. She was aware of the fact that responding to a dept validation request with a report to the CRAs was illegal, and said she thought tmobile's legal department would probably have something to say about it.

So I wrote a nasty letter explaining they were breaking the law and besides, they suck, and I'll send them to the ca and tmobile CMRR, plus I'm sending copies to the Better Business Bureau here and in the same city as the CA, as well as the FTC and the AG's office.

Yuck. Like I want to be doing this when I'm trying to clear the baddies from my reports.

[breathing_easier]

No copy of the contract, but it's standard (I think required) to have a two week grace period in my state.

You'll need to dig up the law on that and have it handy. You'll also need documentation to show the exact date you signed up for the service and the exact date you cancelled.

I sent the debt validation to the collection agency, not tmobile. I just spoke to a nice tmobile rep on the phone who said the account was likely sold to collections and t mobile had nothing to do with the decision to report. She was aware of the fact that responding to a dept validation request with a report to the CRAs was illegal, and said she thought tmobile's legal department would probably have something to say about it.

The sad truth is that if TMobile has sold the account, then they will have little to say about what the CA does and doesn't do. If it's a CA representing TMobile, and the account hasn't been sold, then they'll have influence over the CA.

So I wrote a nasty letter explaining they were breaking the law and besides, they suck, and I'll send them to the ca and tmobile CMRR, plus I'm sending copies to the Better Business Bureau here and in the same city as the CA, as well as the FTC and the AG's office.

You definitely want to send a nasty letter to the CA advising them of their violations of the FDCPA, but keep in mind that if the TMobile account was sold to the CA and you send a "you suck" letter to TMobile, then any goodwill letter you may want to send in the future will most likely get tossed in the "circular file."

Do your homework on the two-week grace period defense and you might be able to get both the OC's and CA's TLs to disappear. Only deal with the CEO's office here on out...no more talking to phone jockeys...and do everything in writing.

Yuck. Like I want to be doing this when I'm trying to clear the baddies from my reports.

I hear ya. Credit repair is a series of one step forward and two steps back. You'll get there, though.