What to do regarding collection agency

[Mar]

If you don't pay your gas bill and get sent to collections, what can they do to you? I already switched my gas to another provider and I'm disputing my gas bill since I wasn't living there at the time. Neither company has my social insurance number, they have only my address, phone number and name.

What's the worst that can happen? I told the woman at collections there's nothing she can do without my social insurance number, she said she can still put it on my credit report. How is that possible?

[ipeefreely]

Originally posted by Mar
If you don't pay your gas bill and get sent to collections, what can they do to you? I already switched my gas to another provider and I'm disputing my gas bill since I wasn't living there at the time. Neither company has my social insurance number, they have only my address, phone number and name.

What's the worst that can happen? I told the woman at collections there's nothing she can do without my social insurance number, she said she can still put it on my credit report. How is that possible?


How did you pay your bill before the dispute?

[revelations]

AFAIK all they need is a full name and DOB to enter a strike in your credit history.

[JustinGTP]

Do you have proof that you were not living there? IE bills from another address during the time they are trying to charge you?

[2Valve0]

Did you call them and cancel services with them when you left the adress? Atleast let them know you were leaving? They can hurt your credit without the SIN number, they just need name and DOB, as above, and they have more info on you than that it seems.

I deal with people everyday that think they can move to another home and not tell the companies they are with they have moved or even planned on moving. These people are complete retards that get angry when its their own fault. If this isn't your situation and you informed them, then bring hell on the company harrassing them every which way you can calling 50 times a day speaking to every manager possible until they do something. Don't take no for an answer; If one manager says no, call another.

[bubbley]

Pay the damn bill, the only bills that should not be payed are blood suckers like Impark (tickets)....IMO

[barmanjay]

yes, pay the bill

I got screwed years, and years ago with epcor

I was on a gas contract,.. I moved to a place (rented a basement so utils supplied)

They then decided to ding me $2000 for breaking the contract because I didn't switch my service over to the new addy.

I didnt find out till years later when it showed up on my credit report

[Mar]

I'm pretty sure they don't have my date of birth.

[barmanjay]

Did you give them any ID number?

They can track you with your Drivers License number if needed and put things on your credit report

[Mar]

No, I'm pretty sure they just have name and address.

[yellowsnow]

^^ They have your last known address, your full name, and your payment information. Doesn't every utility company do a credit check prior to activating services? I'm sure they will be able to access your credit bureau somehow.

I would call them, explain you weren't living there, and tell them you have proof of that.

[2Valve0]

I'm guessing by a lack of response to my post you did not inform them in any way you were moving adressses. So, as I said I deal with same situations like this everyday and it is completely the customers fault and I have no sympathy and either ruin their credit score or make them pay. Pay the bill.

[Mar]

Originally posted by 2Valve0
I'm guessing by a lack of response to my post you did not inform them in any way you were moving adressses. So, as I said I deal with same situations like this everyday and it is completely the customers fault and I have no sympathy and either ruin their credit score or make them pay. Pay the bill. My lack of response is because you misunderstood. I didn't move out, I moved in. The previous owners cut off their service early so I got charged from that point on, when I wasn't living there yet.

[2Valve0]

Originally posted by Mar
My lack of response is because you misunderstood. I didn't move out, I moved in. The previous owners cut off their service early so I got charged from that point on, when I wasn't living there yet.


Ooohh my...I do apologize. Well in that case, screw the company. Do you have evidence which day you took possession? or moved in>?

[Mar]

I do but I got charged starting on date A. I moved in on date B. I called and ordered the gas service on date C.
They're trying to charge me starting from date A and I'm arguing saying I don't want to pay anything prior to date C. It's a difference of 2 months.

[barmanjay]

Mar,... this place you are getting charged for

Did you buy it or rent it?

If you bought,.. then you get charged the day you take possession - no exceptions.

rent will be determined by your rental contract/agreement as you can prove your move-in day with that.

[quazimoto]

Actually Direct Energy doesn't do any sort of credit check at all. I'm convinced the government must of revoked their authority to do so for some reason since they have a mandatory deposit now.

If they send the bill to a 3rd party collection agency tell the agency when they contact you that the bill is in dispute with their client and anything they place on your credit bureau will be reported directly to your attorney.

Most creditors really don't want to touch your credit rating unless your 100% ignorant. Fact is the UPS bloodhounds have wanted me to pay a bill for 2 years now that I refuse to pay. They tried to modify what I was supposed to pay after they already delivered it so I outright refused to pay it especially when said difference was $213.

A friend sent me a camera in the states and marked it as a gift. Since I was purchasing the camera myself he marked the value as gift and $1000. UPS brokerage company decided to change the value to the "actual" camera value even though it was marked as a gift just to charge me the extra brokerage.