Comments on: I Paid for Microsoft’s Mistake http://blog.whitepeaksoftware.com/2010/04/26/i-paid-for-microsofts-mistake/ Latest word on White Peak Software and our products. Sun, 12 Dec 2010 00:27:42 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.3 By: Luke http://blog.whitepeaksoftware.com/2010/04/26/i-paid-for-microsofts-mistake/comment-page-1/#comment-200 Luke Tue, 27 Apr 2010 15:00:09 +0000 http://blog.whitepeaksoftware.com/?p=242#comment-200 Sprint did the same thing to me. when customer service failed to activate my phone after 3 hours talking with them, I canceled the service and returned the phone. 2 years later, not only had they not returned my money, but they sent a collection agency after me for all those months of "service", plus the cost of the phone. I eventually was able to, after a great deal of time, effort, and emotional expenditure, get them to consider the case closed without charging me anything (at that point I didn't care about the refund on the phone). The real irony is that, due to some clerical error, my account now shows a credit of $.01, for which they send me an invoice every month. I tried to close my account, but they have to settle the balance to do that, but they don't send checks for that small an amount. At least this mistake is now hurting them, not me, but C'MON Sprint did the same thing to me. when customer service failed to activate my phone after 3 hours talking with them, I canceled the service and returned the phone. 2 years later, not only had they not returned my money, but they sent a collection agency after me for all those months of “service”, plus the cost of the phone. I eventually was able to, after a great deal of time, effort, and emotional expenditure, get them to consider the case closed without charging me anything (at that point I didn’t care about the refund on the phone). The real irony is that, due to some clerical error, my account now shows a credit of $.01, for which they send me an invoice every month. I tried to close my account, but they have to settle the balance to do that, but they don’t send checks for that small an amount. At least this mistake is now hurting them, not me, but C’MON

]]> By: bob jones http://blog.whitepeaksoftware.com/2010/04/26/i-paid-for-microsofts-mistake/comment-page-1/#comment-199 bob jones Tue, 27 Apr 2010 13:56:29 +0000 http://blog.whitepeaksoftware.com/?p=242#comment-199 There are no real people at Microsoft. There are no real people at Microsoft.

]]> By: Joe http://blog.whitepeaksoftware.com/2010/04/26/i-paid-for-microsofts-mistake/comment-page-1/#comment-198 Joe Tue, 27 Apr 2010 05:46:22 +0000 http://blog.whitepeaksoftware.com/?p=242#comment-198 Agencies have no rights. You will get a call from another one in a year demanding $150. You paid the agency, not msft. Msft still thinks you owe them. If an agency put a false debt on your credit they would be liable to you. You got screwed again by the collection agency to which you owed no money-- even if you had owed msft. Agencies have no rights. You will get a call from another one in a year demanding $150.

You paid the agency, not msft. Msft still thinks you owe them. If an agency put a false debt on your credit they would be liable to you.

You got screwed again by the collection agency to which you owed no money– even if you had owed msft.

]]> By: brett http://blog.whitepeaksoftware.com/2010/04/26/i-paid-for-microsofts-mistake/comment-page-1/#comment-197 brett Tue, 27 Apr 2010 04:28:29 +0000 http://blog.whitepeaksoftware.com/?p=242#comment-197 Look into the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act. The first time you heard from the collection agency, you should have disputed the debt, and made them get a judgment. Look into the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act. The first time you heard from the collection agency, you should have disputed the debt, and made them get a judgment.

]]> By: JP http://blog.whitepeaksoftware.com/2010/04/26/i-paid-for-microsofts-mistake/comment-page-1/#comment-196 JP Tue, 27 Apr 2010 03:03:45 +0000 http://blog.whitepeaksoftware.com/?p=242#comment-196 Paying was a very poor move. Often times companies will sell their debt very cheaply to these agencies. The burden of proof is on them, not you. In my experience, these small agencies don't report to the big three (Experian, Equifax, Transunion). Check http://annualcreditreport.com to get your free report. I'm not saying that they won't report, but you could have resolved this in a different manner. You've just validated their business model and have encouraged this type of thuggish behavior in the future. -JP Paying was a very poor move. Often times companies will sell their debt very cheaply to these agencies. The burden of proof is on them, not you. In my experience, these small agencies don’t report to the big three (Experian, Equifax, Transunion). Check http://annualcreditreport.com to get your free report. I’m not saying that they won’t report, but you could have resolved this in a different manner. You’ve just validated their business model and have encouraged this type of thuggish behavior in the future.

-JP

]]> By: Peter http://blog.whitepeaksoftware.com/2010/04/26/i-paid-for-microsofts-mistake/comment-page-1/#comment-195 Peter Tue, 27 Apr 2010 02:50:43 +0000 http://blog.whitepeaksoftware.com/?p=242#comment-195 Paying was dumb. Read about your rights. Before you paid, you could contest the bill with the collection agency, and Microsoft has to provide proof you owe them money. You probably still can, but it is much harder. Paying was dumb. Read about your rights. Before you paid, you could contest the bill with the collection agency, and Microsoft has to provide proof you owe them money.

You probably still can, but it is much harder.

]]> By: Peter http://blog.whitepeaksoftware.com/2010/04/26/i-paid-for-microsofts-mistake/comment-page-1/#comment-194 Peter Tue, 27 Apr 2010 02:22:15 +0000 http://blog.whitepeaksoftware.com/?p=242#comment-194 Hey Kirbyt, I'm sorry to hear your story. A tip with collection agencies, ask them if they will 'delete'. This is credit lingo for removing the offending record completely from your credit report. If they will delete from all three, probably your cheapest option is to pay them off, then if you like, take MS to small claims court. Could make a fun series of blog posts... Your other option is to document with the credit agencies that you did not actually owe the bill. With some nefarious (a-la Columbia House) groups,this is easy to do. Microsoft strikes me as probably harder, so for your own credit's sake,I might suggest you see if they'll delete, pay, and then sue the pants off them later in small claims court. Keep records of all the time you spend working on resolving this, and be sure to ask for extra damages! Hey Kirbyt, I’m sorry to hear your story.

A tip with collection agencies, ask them if they will ‘delete’. This is credit lingo for removing the offending record completely from your credit report. If they will delete from all three, probably your cheapest option is to pay them off, then if you like, take MS to small claims court. Could make a fun series of blog posts…

Your other option is to document with the credit agencies that you did not actually owe the bill. With some nefarious (a-la Columbia House) groups,this is easy to do. Microsoft strikes me as probably harder, so for your own credit’s sake,I might suggest you see if they’ll delete, pay, and then sue the pants off them later in small claims court. Keep records of all the time you spend working on resolving this, and be sure to ask for extra damages!

]]> By: Jeff Byrnes http://blog.whitepeaksoftware.com/2010/04/26/i-paid-for-microsofts-mistake/comment-page-1/#comment-192 Jeff Byrnes Mon, 26 Apr 2010 20:42:16 +0000 http://blog.whitepeaksoftware.com/?p=242#comment-192 @John - because having a collection agency chasing you, even for such a small amount, is damaging to one's credit. For such a small amount, it's better to just pay & satisfy the collection then try to wrangle it out. @John – because having a collection agency chasing you, even for such a small amount, is damaging to one’s credit. For such a small amount, it’s better to just pay & satisfy the collection then try to wrangle it out.

]]> By: kirbyt http://blog.whitepeaksoftware.com/2010/04/26/i-paid-for-microsofts-mistake/comment-page-1/#comment-191 kirbyt Mon, 26 Apr 2010 19:44:53 +0000 http://blog.whitepeaksoftware.com/?p=242#comment-191 I paid because Microsoft turned over the matter to a collection agency. The collect agency informed me that interest is now being added to the amount, compounded daily. My total due as of today is $134.07, so I paid today before the amount went any higher. I paid because Microsoft turned over the matter to a collection agency. The collect agency informed me that interest is now being added to the amount, compounded daily. My total due as of today is $134.07, so I paid today before the amount went any higher.

]]> By: John http://blog.whitepeaksoftware.com/2010/04/26/i-paid-for-microsofts-mistake/comment-page-1/#comment-190 John Mon, 26 Apr 2010 19:26:53 +0000 http://blog.whitepeaksoftware.com/?p=242#comment-190 Why, why, why? Why would you pay an invoice that you clearly did not owe? Now you have no leverage. At all. Good luck getting this "resolved". I predict deafening silence from the 800 pound gorilla now that they have your money. Why, why, why? Why would you pay an invoice that you clearly did not owe? Now you have no leverage. At all. Good luck getting this “resolved”. I predict deafening silence from the 800 pound gorilla now that they have your money.

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