Due to horrible customer service, we switched from Bellsouth telephone to Vonage. Bellsouth refused to release the phone number for two months (I had to call three times to get it released to Vonage). They finally released the number to Vonage but continued to bill me for the two months that I should have been switched off by them (I was already using Vonage with a virtual number rather than my normal phone number I'd had for 20 yrs). I finally paid the invoice (final billing) for $115.39 even though I disagreed that I should pay it. About two months later I rec'vd a check from AT&T for "overpayment of final billing". I thought 'great, they finally did the right thing and decided I didn't owe it'. WRONG! They then turned the account over to a collection agency, Focus Receivables. At first I ignored the calls because I knew it was incorrect. Finally I started calling the collection agency back. Again, it took several times to get through to anyone. They argued with me about the billing and told me I owed it. I again sent a check to AT&T for another $115.39. I AGAIN receive a check back for 'overpayment of final billing". So now, I call AT&T and ask them WHY I KEEP GETTING PHONE CALLS FROM FOCUS RECEIVABLES BUT GET A REFUND CHECK BACK TWICE. AT&T then proceeds to tell me that the three digit number after my phone number was the incorrect no. and was credited to an account that was not active so they sent me the check back. They didn't bother checking the phone number which, AGAIN, had been my phone number for the last 20 yrs. They didn't bother checking the name on the account. They simply sent the check back. What would YOU think? You are paid up and it's all a misunderstanding, right? No. Not with AT&T. Now after I find out why they keep doing what they do, and they tell me it's my fault because the three digits AFTER MY PHONE NUMBER OF THE LAST 20 YRS was incorrect that I was turned over to the collection agency. I told them that I disputed the collection handover and they will do nothing to clear this up. I complained profusedly but they will not rectify the problem on their end. Of course, Focus Receivables only sees this as a collection and will not clear it up with my credit.
I have a complaint on AT&T's customer service, their lack of due diligence in looking at the phone number and crediting my phone number account, and for not taking this out of collections even though I tried paying my bill in the first place (TWICE). I also have a complaint because they refused to turn the phone number over to Vonage for two months and charged me for it because of THEIR REFUSAL to turn over the number. This is a problem with AT&T anyway because they are losing customers to Vonage. Gee, do you think it might have something to do with their lousy customer service?

Vicki