I have sent back AT&T's equipment (receivers), confirmed their arrival at their warehouse in Texas, and now the receivers themselves have disappeared a month and a half later. Ironically they do have record of pulling the smartcards out of my receivers at the warehouse, but someone "neglected" to log the receivers into their computer. I received a collections notice for the receivers a month and a half later. I called AT&T and they immediately asked for a UPS tracking number...before I even had a chance to explain that on my AT&T account they admit to receiving my boxes and pulling the smartcards out of them over a month and a half ago. The issue is not that AT&T did not receive my boxes (that issue would be cleared up with a tracking number) but that they received them and failed to properly log the contents at their warehouse.<br />
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That made me wonder. The, "what is your tracking number", question came out so fast and so automatic. So I did an Internet search on AT&T complaints and found several that matched my issue, including some people who had thrown away their tracking number already because in some cases months had passed since they confirmed with UPS that their package arrived safe and sound at AT&T's warehouse. I "gently" explained to AT&T that if I provide them with my tracking number their contention will be that I "removed the smartcards myself and only sent those back". Somehow I guess I have found a way to turn their receivers into planter boxers or something:)<br />
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I am getting the impression that AT&T sends out a blanket statement / collections notice to a random sample of their customers hoping to land on their former customers who cannot "fight" the allegation that they did not send something back. I am to understand that "fighting" this allegation is to provide a UPS tracking number. Period. What is even better is that they let a considerable amount of time elapse between when the equipment was returned and when the collection notices go out, therefore decreasing the chance that someone kept their tracking number. <br />
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It would be a great scam...the customers they affect are already former customers, time is the customer's worst enemy when it comes to trying to prove they sent back something, and UPS recycles tracking numbers (so even if you are able to provide this proof you may find yourself "recycled" two months or more removed from your shipment date). <br />
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Have you experienced one of the following regarding your equipment returns to AT&T:<br />
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1. Received a collections notice a month or more after you confirmed shipment.<br />
2. Received a notice from AT&T claiming that your equipment never arrived.<br />
3. Received a collections notice from AT&T that you could prove false by providing a UPS tracking number<br />
4. Received a collections notice from AT&T that you could not prove false because you do not have a UPS tracking number.