@Anonymous wrote:Earlier this year I purchased a laptop from BestBuy.com. Instead of the laptop I ordered, they shipped me an iPad Pro. I called customer service and they provided a return mailing label to return the iPad Pro and told me that once they received the item I would be issued a refund. Tracking showed that they had received the returned item, but I never received a refund. I called customer service multiple times over the next couple months asking about my refund and they just said "keep waiting." Finally I called one last time and they said they had denied my refund. At this point I am without the product I ordered and without my money and this is all after they had previously authorized the return and promised a refund. So I call my bank and do a chargeback. The chargeback was successful. I had proof of returning the item thankfully, because Best Buy customer service refused to put anything in writing for me. FAST FORWARD to now... a debt collector is trying to collect this "debt." They sent me a letter requesting payment and within 30 days I sent a letter back asking for validation of the debt. They sent me the receipt for what I purchased and the tracking for when Best Buy mailed me the wrong item. This does not actually prove the debt! What do I do? Do I send another letter continuing to dispute the debt? Do I send them my proof of returning the item? Do I ignore them?
I don't want this to affect my credit score, especially since I did nothing wrong. I simply purchased an item online, was sent the wrong thing, and returned the item cooperating patiently with Best Buy the entire time. I've never heard of debt collectors collecting on online purchases. How do I handle this? Please help!! Thank you!!
Since you got the chargeback on your CC Best Buy is trying to collect or the item. However since you returned it and they did not issue you a refund or return the item to you I would dispute it providing proof that you sent the item back and that best buy recieved it.
I would consider opening a complaint with the BBB.
In addition to disputing the collection using proof of you returning and Best Buy receiving, I would also file a complaint with the BBB AND contact the executive office at Best Buy and keep contacting them until they resolve this for you. There's no reason you should have to deal with this.
@RobertEG wrote:You should definately first file a dispute with the CRA under FCRA 611, which requires the CRA to forward a copy of the dispute along with your supporting documenation to the debt collector, and the debt collector to then respond back to the CRA no later than 30 days from date of your filing of the dispute. If they verify, you then obtain the right to pursue civil action contesting their verification.
If you dont first dispute the accuracy of their reported collection, you dont have the right to pursue that matter via civil action.
See FCRA 623(c).
Your prior DV request is not a dispute under the FCRA, it is a debt validation process under the FDCPA, and actually requires no response.
It does not qualify as a dispute that then affords the right to pursue civil action.
I agree. @RobertEG is very knowlegeable when it comes to anything CRA related, as well as pretty much anything else. He knows what he is talking about. The other replies are definitely helpful info as well.
