Alright, here is the story:
I completed my 1 year contract with Sprint way back in 2002, so I was month to month from then on. In January 2004, I switced carriers to verizon, with my number. Well I got a collection agency letter for 87 bucks that I "owe" sprint. I'm trying to figure out why I'd owe this money, if I do indeed. Sprint says they no longer have the actual billing history and the collection agency has nothing at all, except the amount I owe. I am tempted to just pay the 87 bucks, to save it from making my credit report (for some reason it hasn't made it, though this has been going on for a few months). If I really do owe the money (somehow), I definitely want to pay it, but I hate to think of paying 90 bucks because of their error.

Should I just chalk this one up to "I shoulda kept better records" and pay it?

 

Can cell phone places charge against your credit?

I used to get those "collection agency" things from Columbia House, and magazines saying they'll do whatever measures.

Well, obviously, if you owe $87 to Sprint, they have contacted an agency to get a percent of that back. I think if you ignore it, it will go away. I've never paid when an agency has mailed me letters, and I've never seen it on my credit history.

If sprint can't provide documentation, screw them.

 

If they don't have proof write a letter stating that you don't owe this money with a threat to turn them over for mail fraud if they mail you another bill. Done it before works wonders. Had a video membership with a small mom and pop place and they "never got the video back" well they did I turned it in directly before the time of drop boxes they just lost it or something. Well they turned it over to a collection agency and I sent back the letter, never heard from them again. If it finds its place on you credit report then threaten to sue Sprint if they can't find proof they will remove it because without some kind of bill they have nothing.

 

Pay them the money, NOW. Principle be damned and tossed in the trash can, it is NOT worth it to wreck your credit over something so trivial.

 

I havew an 813 and i wouldn't pay it of I didn't owe it. There's plenty you can do if they try to put it on your credit. Just writing a letter to the credit reporting agencys will take care of the majority of "offences".

 

If you're pretty sure that there is no legitimate basis for the $87 charge, then you shouldn't pay it. A big company like Sprint not having the billing history to back up their invoice is ridiculous and they have no leg to stand on if you were to press the matter.

At any rate, $87 isn't even a speck on the radar for the collection agency. For the 25-30% cut that the agency typically gets to keep, it would be surprising if they were very adamant about collecting it anyway.

 

What I think happened is that I called and cancelled in January, but for some reason they still charged me for Feb and March. Then late fees started acruing in April (this part they did tell me). That would add to about 87 bucks. I think I'll call them back and tell them if they can send me proof that I owe them I will, otherwise tell them to get their goons off my back.
But I also sort of agree with you Pakisho. Is it really worth 87 bucks? I'll see what Sprint says, and if they won't call off the colllection agency, since I myself have no proof of the charges, I think I'll just pay it to the collection agency. Perhaps since it hasn't made my credit report, if I pay it off soon, maybe it never will.

 

oh, I also thought it was funny.. When I called the coll. agency, I told them I was trying to find out why they thought I owed them. He was right away like, "We'll let you settle now for 50 bucks". I told him that if I really owed Sprint 87 bucks, I'll pay 87 bucks.. It's not that I'm unable to pay the 87...

 

He He forgetaboutit. Call sprint tell them you dropped them and they screwed up and that any further contact is harassment. Tell them about the mail fraud and that you'll have them for lunch if they cause any problems with your credit report. That'll get them off your back.

 

If everyone in America just pay similar amounts to big corporates because of potential bad credit history, even if big corporates claim that he/she owes them without any proof, they will get free billions dollars in their coffers.

I had similar problem with my Credit Union about 2-3 years ago. They contacted me about 1 year after I deposited some checks into my account, they said that one of the deposit on that day was an error and demand that I showed them the receipt of the one they said was error, I told them I did not kept deposit receipt more than 2 months, all receipts were destroyed after verified with monthly statements. They threatened to give it to collection agency and report to credit bureaus that I owe them $250 and refuse to pay. I told them I will report to Federal Credit Union Agency, and sue them if they do anything that effects my credit history. I did not hear anything from them again about that $250 deposit.

If you have documents to prove what you said you did, then do not pay them any penny. You have to stand up for your principle, do not let big corporates intimidate you to give them your hard earned money for nothing.