el.en.i logo    
[ media gallery | griffin | wasabi | odd projects | stuff for sale ]
 

Reprint of a letter I sent to Sprint after being discontinued for non-payment over some charges I tried to contest as fraudulent.

to: Sprint PCS Customer Care
PO Box 8077
London, KY 40742

cc: Posted to personal web site (minus account information)

re: Laura Hamill & Keith Rettig

Cell nnn.nnn.nnnnn
Cell nnn.nnn.nnnnn
Cell nnn.nnn.nnnnn
Account number nnnnnnnnnn-n
Account number nnnnnnnnnn-n


On March 15th, 2001 we called to discuss what our options were for my wife given that we had lost her cell phone (we actually think it was stolen because it was used by someone else on the day I reported it missing). At that time we were advised that we could change our accounts to reflect new pricing with my wife's company. We were offered more minutes for lower monthly rates. We accepted; who wouldn't. That is all we were told.

For three months we received weird invoices from two different accounts with disparate amounts. Due to the confusion, I paid to one account for both invoices and you applied the whole amount to only one of the accounts. I called several times to clarify and was inadequately helped. Due to this and the invoicing problems, I didn't pay any more invoices until you solved the problem (which was apparently in time for our July 13th invoice).

Our service was disconnected on August 5th over the unpaid amount. I called and explained the invoicing problem and reported the extra amount on the first account. My service was reinstated with the understanding I would pay the next invoice (the extra amount from the closed account was to be corrected) that was to come on August 14th.

On the 25th of August I called and spoke with customer care about the excessive charges on our bill and that it appeared that Sprint had incorrectly removed our 'first incoming minute free' feature without telling us. He checked it out and concluded it had happened on March 15th. I was told that since the sales person did not tell us this feature would be removed I should calculate how many incoming minutes were not given free of charge and compare that to how much I was overcharged given those additional minutes since then and that I had been billed for. I called back a few hours later and gave such information. I was told that since I was asking for reimbursement for more than 1 billing cycle back, that it would have to be passed on to billing dispute department (or whatever it is called) and that I would be contacted in 3 to 5 business days about a resolution or with more questions.

On the 28th of August, our service was once again disconnected. We were asked to commit to paying at least $360; which we did. During the call the customer service agent became quite odd and began saying to my wife that "she was a hottie" over and over again. However the person's dialect was hard to understand and she gave the phone to me to decipher. He continued to say to me "that my wife was a hottie". I asked him if there was anything else he needed to resume our service and he asked to speak to my wife again. He said he had to speak with the account owner (my wife). I gave the phone to her and again he harassed her with the same statements. She gave the phone back to me and I once again asked if there was anything else and he once again asked to speak with my wife. I declined and ended the call. Once the shock was over that he had sexually harassed my wife we called back to complain. The new customer care person took the complaint and told us that Sprint would reprimand the individual, they would call us with a follow-up (since I requested one), and that he had correctly set up our account to be turned back on. There is evidently no recording of this event in your notes (according to later customer care people I spoke with). We have never been called for further investigation. I am in disbelief that your company would not follow-up on complaints of sexual harassment by your customer service people.

I have repeatedly (once a week for the last 5 weeks) called to see what the resolution on our billing dispute was and was told that nothing had happened and that I should wait. Now I have received my September 16th bill and still no resolution. I once again called to see what was wrong and how could I get this moving. The customer care person indicated that since I was asking for more than 1 billing cycle that I wasn't able to contest the charges. He said that I couldn't speak with a manger. I indicated that I felt another charge of wireless web on my wife's phone was in error since she a) didn't know how to use it and b) had no interest in using wireless web and how could I challenge that charge. He explained since that it was so hard to use wireless web we must have used it and that we had no recourse. Also he said there was no way to tell what was done on the wireless web call either (there are no logs he reports). I find this quite hard to believe; a) there are no logs and b) I can't challenge the charge.

He offered to reimburse me for the "incoming free minutes" for the August 15th bill and the calls between that and up to the August 25th (the day I called). He has evidently credited my account for $65.45. Unfortunately this is $134.05 ($186.90 requested on August 25th + $12.60 for August 15 through August 25th - $65.46 credited on October 2nd) short of the amount you bilked out of me by removing features without my agreement. I think it is reasonable to also request the $1.17 for the wireless web charge until I can be shown we actually used the wireless web (via a method other than the argument of since it is on the bill you must have used it). He also told me if I wanted to continue with my request my only chance was to complain in writing; hence this letter.

So I am now requesting reimbursement for the $134.04 of incoming minute charges fraudulently applied to my account and not yet reimbursed. These stem from the following overcharges to the indicated invoices.

Invoice date Number of
incoming calls		 Computed over charges
(based on minutes over limit)
May 13, 2001 108 $17.85
May 15, 2001 0 $0.00
June 13, 2001 0 $0.00
June 15, 2001 161 $50.40
July 15, 2001 198 (20 & 178) $69.30 ($7.00 & $62.30)
August 15, 2001 141 $49.35
September 16, 2001 36 $12.60
Total   $199.50

If I had known you were removing the feature I could have curtailed the use of calling my number while the phone was on to set the call forwarding from my home to my cell phone. Since August 25th I now turn off my phone before calling; that is because I know I am being charged for each of those calls (something I do 3 or 4 times most days). I might also have taken other steps to limit my calls.

Now on October 8th, I received a text message stating you were going to disconnect my service for non-payment. I called to find out what was wrong. The customer care person told me I had no more recourse and that it was true, I would be discontinued if I didn't pay my charges. I asked when Sprint was going to reimburse the over-charges. She said that wasn't going to happen and too bad for me "I had no recourse other than to write a letter". I asked in disbelief that Sprint could fraudulently over-charge me and that I couldn't do anything about it? She said evidently yes. Given the ridiculousness of these events I remarked in exasperation that "I couldn't believe that Sprint didn't give a fucking rat's ass about its customers" and she now said "my account was going to be discontinued for profanity". I use one curse word after hours of frustration and my account gets discontinued, but your customer service person can sexually harass my wife for several minutes and Sprint doesn't even call to apologize? Does Sprint even know what customer service means? Do we really have to sue the company for sexual harassment to get attention to our complaints?

In the spirit of your invoice, no reply to this complaint within two weeks will constitute agreement to the argument and release of the requirement to pay the disputed charges.


Keith Rettig / Laura Hamill




Updates on what has happened;


Spoke with Sprint basically every three weeks to see if anything was being done. Nothing.

Received proof that Sprint received above letter (signed and dated via Postal Service on October 18, 2001 by ACS).

No calls. Called back for three week checkup and no evidence of letter in their system. Explained to person that letter was sent and received and I couldn't believe I wasn't immediately called. Person said to give it time since I had mentioned sexual harassment; their legal department would have to review and that is why they were likely taking too long. I waited another three weeks. Nothing.

Talked with Sprint three times in November. Nothing comes of it other than person says they will call back. They never do.

Sprint called in December to request payment. I again explained all that happen and the person called (Scott I think) said he would get back to me in an hour to work things out. He never did.

Later another person called me back (Veronica - #vhorto01) after I called Sprint after I received an invoice for the disputed amount that included an additional $100 for having my account discontinued for non-payment. The insaneness is that I asked them to close my account back in November, when I told them I was no longer using their service due to this problem and that I had not used it since October. She said her supervisor would call me back on Friday December 28th. They never did.

Here comes the real shocker.

Early in January, I received a letter from CollecTech (a collection agency) notifying me that they now had my account and that I owed them the $284. I called to ask them to explain, they said they would let me off the $100 discontinued charge. I explained to them what had happened and that I guess I had to now go to court to sue Sprint. They thanked me and said good-bye.

Three days later, they called again (different person). I explained yet again what had happened and that I didn't want them to call me again because now it had to go to court. They said they would have their dispute resolution team call me in a few days. I agreed to hold off on sueing until they called me.

I called to a lawyer and spoke with him for about 15 minutes about what I should do next and how it would likely play out. I received some pertinent advice on what to do and how Sprint would likely respond and that the collection agency would likely try to countersue.

Monday, January 29th, 2002, 10:40 AM, CollecTech calls again. This time, I asked him immediately if he read the notes on my account. "Why should I?" he said. "Because all of the answers are there. Why are you calling me again? I asked you not to call again unless you were the dispute resolution team." He told me to send in a "cease and desist" letter to get them to stop calling. I asked why I had to do that when I already told them to stop calling and they said they would. "How could I now trust him when all of the other employees said they would stop calling and would have the dispute team call me. Neither event happened before, why should it be differrent now?"

He kept going around and around about how he was different and that he was saying the right thing and that if I wanted them to stop calling, I would have to send in the letter. I asked why he couldn't get the dispute resolution team on the phone now. He said he couldn't. "Hang up and get them now. Walk over there and have them call." He finally said a dispute package had been sent to us (we haven't received it yet so who knows if they actually have already sent it). After more heated discussion, he asked if I was going to keep complaining. I said I would stop when they start doing what they say they are going to do. I hung up on him at this time.

Will update when something next occurs. Probably in three days when CollecTech calls back.




Well it should comes as no surprise that Collectech called several more times, hanging up on some and asking to speak with my wife and refusing to leave a message when I explain she is not in. The "dispute resolution" package came! All it contained was copies of the invoices that Sprint PCS gave them. No letter of explanation, no envelope, no directions on what to do. Pathetic.

Then they called again today (2002.02.07). I asked once again if they had read the notes. I asked again what the dispute resolution team actually does. Nothing of consequence evidently. They told me to send in a letter of dispute and to call the dispute resolution team to get directions on what to do. I did, all it was an inbound number that reached them again. No dispute resolution team whatsoever.

So here is the letter I sent them today.



to: Collectech Systems
PO Box 4157
Woodland Hills, CA 91365

cc: Posted to personal web site (minus account information)

re: Laura Hamill & Keith Rettig

Account number nnnnnnnnnn


Please find enclosed a letter explaining the continuing saga of my dispute with Sprint PCS's fraudulent charges and sexual harassment.

Also, as allowed by law, please stop calling me at work (425.nnn.nnnn) regarding this problem; except, and only except, you are calling regarding resolution of my dispute and not a request for payment and most importantly stop calling and hanging up when I answer the phone (you have done it three times now plus several additional times asking for Laura and refusing to leave a message).

Given the following:

  1. Sprint PCS believes I owe them $184.12
  2. I requested a month or two prior to Sprint PCS disconnecting my service for non-payment and subsequently charging me $100 for it for them to actually stop my service, I clearly do not owe the additional $100.
  3. I clearly show how Sprint PCS fraudulently overcharged me $186.90 and have not reimbursed me for $134.04 of that total.
  4. The fact that Sprint did not respond to my letter of dispute within the allowed two weeks, and therefore constitutes agreement with my argument and release from payment

I will settle this dispute with you for the remaining difference of $50.08.


Keith Rettig / Laura Hamill

I also included a copy of the original complaint letter I sent to Sprint PCS and a copy of this web page.
I am sure they will call several more times before the letter gets to them.



Wow, I made it to the 22nd of February without a call from CollecTech (however, I know they called several times before and hung up when I answered since their number comes across as a "private number" (none of my friends or clients comes across as this and it happens every time they call and don't hang up, so I know it is them)). But this time, they asked again for a settlement and I asked them if they read the notes or the certified letter I sent them. They said "you should know you can't send a certified letter to a PO Box" to which I replied "you told me to send a letter to that address and I did, now you are telling me the process you told me to do is incorrect? And besides I know the Post Office puts a card in your PO Box telling you have a Certified Letter waiting for you. So go sign for the letter." I stated that I sent them a letter outlining why I only owed $50.

I was then moved to a "supervisor" who proceeded ask me to pay the $50 now and then they would get on the dispute resolution process. No, I said, dispute resolution first then I will pay the $50 when we come to that agreement. Long conversation where I happened to swear twice (not at them mind you, just using one of the many adjective versions of the word "fuck" in regard to the situation). It is quite interesting how fast these CSRs (both at CollecTech and at Sprint PCS) jump on the cursing and try to change the tone of the conversation to something where you are the harassing party.

Once again, I had to explain the entire story to the CSR. He accused me of lying about Sprint PCS sexually harassing my wife ("oh come one sir, you know that didn't happen"). He asked why I didn't take care of the situation immediately upon knowing of the problem. More semantic arguing. I explained the entire story of how as soon as I noticed the problem I called to solve it, Sprint said yes, we will take care of that, how I called back to take care of it, they said again fine but it will have to move to billing, how I was told two months later that nothing could be done unless I sent in a letter, how nothing was done when I sent the letter stating the problem, how nothing was done despite each subsequent CSR calling and saying they had to move this to a supervisor to solve and that they would call me back in "10 minutes", "one hour", "on Friday", etc., and that nothing seems to take place when I do the same with them [that is, CollecTech]. He said he would take care of it and hung up. Every time I lay out the facts they shut up and say they will call back. They never do.

They will certainly call back soon and I will have to start over once again. The way this is going, it unfortunately looks like it will end up in court. How sad. However, I will give CollecTech a week or two more to see if they can actually solve the problem. They won't; but since I am an optimist I will give them additional chances.



Added 2002.04.02. So today I called to see how my dispute resolution process is going. Right now I am on hold while Cory gets someone in "dispute resolution" to help me. 10 minutes and still on hold!

Got to hand it to these people. They are claiming they don't have my letter (despite my many calls and a signed confirmation card from the post office). I FAX'd it to them. I will call them tomorrow.



Added 2003.12.22. Well, well, well. Here I thought the story was over. Lo and behold another collection agency (Anfi, Inc.) contacted us today. Nicer than CollecTech but just as annoying given my position. Explained to them the story and that they should come to this web page to see all the facts and all the data. Will be interesting to see if they come. Noted to them that I was contesting all but $50.08 and she asked how I would pay for it today. Nice try. Told her that given the past performance of SprintPCS and CollecTech, I was not going to pay the amount until I received a statement that the issue would be finally settled when I made the payment. She said I wouldn't get that from them and that if I didn't pay the $50.08 the note on my credit report would not say that I was contesting the $116.70 and would pay the $50.08. She stated that the notation on my report would say I owed the whole amount. I didn't see the difference and noted that I had already told the credit agency about this and that I noted on it that I was contesting the charge with SprintPCS.

The collection agency woman told me that I should have check the whole plan that Sprint offered me back in March of 2001 before accepting; I shouldn't have assumed that my incoming minute free feature wouldn't be removed. Valid point now. The only reason everybody knows to do this now is because the wireless companies caused so much trouble doing this back then and people complaining about it. I noted that the person didn't even explain that I was changing plans (again remember the time period); he merely said that the plan my wife was currently getting through the deal at work was now offering more minutes and less of a monthly fee.

She noted that I was contesting the charges and said thank you. She double-checked my address information and asked for a phone number. I told her that given the behavior of the last collection agency that I wasn't going to give it to her and that using my mailing address would have to be the only acceptable form of contacting me for these matters. She noted it and said good-bye. I am sure I will be hearing from them in the future and that nothing will change.