DV Response from Verizon - need help, please

[Anonymous]

The address I sent the DV to was the one on my credit report.  This is the response I got:

Dear Valued Customer,

Thank your for contacting Verizon Customer Support.  Your letter appears to be a request for debt validation under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, 15 USC 1692g.  However, under the FDCRPA, a creditor collecting its own debt is not a 'debt collector'."

If there is specific information contained in your clients credit report that you contend is inaccurate, please advise of the same, and we will be happy to investigate further.

In order to receive itemized charges or past bills on your account, please contact your local billing department.  Contact numbers are located on page 2 of your/your client's bill.

Verizon furnishes account status information for deliquient customers to the major credit reporting agencies.

We appreciate this opportunitiy to serve you

Verizon Customer Support

(1) I had paperless billing and my account has nothing tied to it - have screen shots of this to back me up.  I can't get a bill - and I am not calling them.

(2) Since they are 'reporting' - are they not considered to be a creditor/collector - legally or is that still to be determined?  

(3) My service address is the same address that they responded to - so why not just send the info?

(4) What is the appropriate next step?

How this occurred I had service with them including internet - the internet went down and I spent 15 hours going thru their 'system' to get disconnected on 11 phone calls.  Decided to can them and moved everyhting to comcast including my phone.  Had paid the bill perhaps 1 week before this (can check for exact date since it debited from bank account).  I had paperless billing and when my service went so did my acount access. I even called them to ask about any final bill and was told it would generate about June 20th - they never sent it by USPS.  Boom - on my credit report (actually all 3) in August.

Message Edited by Lady_Scarlet on 09-27-2007 04:23 PM

Message Edited by Lady_Scarlet on 09-27-2007 04:23 PM

Message Edited by Lady_Scarlet on 09-27-2007 04:25 PM

[SmartCookie]

hi Lady_Scarlet

Can you post the link to your original post or one with the info on the Verizon problem? 

Thanks!

[Anonymous]

Hi Lady Scarlet

I have some info for you about Verizon I contacted them through PFB and actually got a response from the Ceo and recovery dept...Will tell you more in a hurry right now will respond soon...

[Anonymous]

letter ti send to OC     make changes  do not sign

HSBC Card Services
Attention: Bureau Dispute Processing
PO Box 19360
Portland, OR 97280

August 2, 2007

Re: Acct #xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

To Whom It May Concern:

I recently pulled my credit report from Experian, Equifax and TransUnion and noticed this account was listed on each of my reports as a collection/chargeoff. I immediately disputed this information with Experian, Equifax and TransUnion and the results of the investigation came back as "verified". I did not have an account with HSBC during this time period.

Since I have disputed the account with the credit bureaus, and you have verified them, I would like to see what sort of records you have for this alleged account. Under the new FACTA laws, you are required to conduct an investigation on this account, and I am now requesting it.

I will seek legal action under § FCRA 623 (b) for violations of the FCRA if you do not comply and respond to me with the results of the investigation whithin 30 days of your receipt of this letter.

In order to clear up this matter, I would like to see, a signed contract showing me that I indeed had an account with your company. If you don't respond with the results of the investigation (as is required per the FCRA), I will assume you have no documentation and therefore you were negligent in providing the credit bureaus with accurate information. At this point, you would also be in violation of the FCRA merely for not responding within the 30-day period.

To avoid a lawsuit, I request that you remove account from my credit report. Please delete this listing or I will be forced to seek legal action.


Sincerely,

[SmartCookie]

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Lady_Scarlet wrote:

How this occurred I had service with them including internet - the internet went down and I spent 15 hours going thru their 'system' to get disconnected on 11 phone calls.  Decided to can them and moved everyhting to comcast including my phone.  Had paid the bill perhaps 1 week before this (can check for exact date since it debited from bank account).  I had paperless billing and when my service went so did my acount access. I even called them to ask about any final bill and was told it would generate about June 20th - they never sent it by USPS.  Boom - on my credit report (actually all 3) in August.

Message Edited by Lady_Scarlet on 09-27-2007 04:23 PM

Message Edited by Lady_Scarlet on 09-27-2007 04:23 PM

Message Edited by Lady_Scarlet on 09-27-2007 04:25 PM

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I'm a previous (thank god!) employee with VZ.  When you pay a new bill, you are actually paying for the upcoming month of service.  You are were entitled to pro-rated credit your account from the day your billing date up until the day you cancelled service.  If you had paid the bill just a week before, I can't imagine what on earth could have been on your final bill other than a credit.  That's not all inclusive though, but my immediate thoughts.  A suggestion to you is to call the PSC and start a complaint.  When a Verizon PSC supervisor receives it, they will darn sure scrap that bill and delete any negative info relating to this from your reports as it costs VZ over $1000 to handle a PSC complaint... and that's before any extra bonus they give you on your account to 'statisfy' you.

[Anonymous]

PSC = Public Serivce Commission?  The total is $66 that they claim - I have never seen a bill for this.

[SmartCookie]

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Lady_Scarlet wrote:

PSC = Public Serivce Commission?  The total is $66 that they claim - I have never seen a bill for this.

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Yes that PSC    I actually should have said that if you threaten with VZ to go to the PSC, they will of course want to prevent that beforehand.  I had said lodge the complaint...

They can send you a new bill even if you moved or you were using online billing.  I don't know if you want it or not though, KWIM? ... these are just various ways to handle it.  Get anything from them in writing though of course if you decide to write them a letter threatening PSC and settle it that way with a courtesy credit and CBR removal, or a PFD etc.  

As for the $66 all or part could could even have been charges for other carrier services too.   

[Anonymous]

I think the approach will be:

 A letter to verizon 'making my case' including the screenshots of my online account.  But I will cc it to the PSC - no threat of PSC action, just that suble "I am not rollling over and playing dead". A request that since the 'creditor on file' which is listed as 'Verizon of Maryland' refused to provide any documentation (sent me to my local whatever) that as a responsible public company that they should remove any and  all references (past, present or future) from my reports that involve this account; and courtesy credit if applicable for the diservice they have done to a customer.

BTW - Verizon for local and LD - so no other carriers involved.

[SmartCookie]

I think a letter CMRRR will settle things really.

In the letter... first off do NOT cc the PSC or make it look like you did.  There goes most of your negotiation to get it settled and removed quickly if you do.  Explain the full situation, your dissatisfaction with all customer service and communication, and that you were forced to get service elsewhere because of this and that cost YOU more money.  Do not phrase them zeroing out the bill as a courtesy credit here, tell them that for all reasons stated you are requesting that the account be satisfied as full and returned to good standing (though closed with them yes) and for VZ to remove any and all negative or otherwise derog credit information. At the end of the letter, as for a written acceptance and response within 7-14 days (you pick) or you will at that point proceed to a PSC complaint.

That should do it.  Retain all of your paperwork in case you ever need to DV etc.  I honestly thing this will fix it the fastest... if for some reason it does not... the DV route etc.

[SmartCookie]

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bren39 wrote:

Hi Lady Scarlet

I have some info for you about Verizon I contacted them through PFB and actually got a response from the Ceo and recovery dept...Will tell you more in a hurry right now will respond soon...

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Please still post this!