First, checking your credit and/or disputing inaccuracies on your credit report doesn't hurt you. The only time pulling your credit hurts you is when you allow a third party (such as a merchant/bank/whatever) inquire into your credit history for the purpose of loaning you money. Inquiries themselves don't hurt you, if you limit them to a few times a year. Edit: Remember that you're entitled to one free credit report from each of the three major bureaus every year. Here's a helpful link for you.
The people at the AT&T store will not be able to help you. Seriously. It's the people you have to hold for, and even that's probably a waste of your time. Start practicing your penmanship - or typing, probably - because you're going to need to put things in writing. The store should be able to provide you with the correspondence addresses that you'll need. When you write your letters, make them as complete as possible. Be willing to fax them to about 50 different people within the same goddamn company, too, because no one's ever heard of walking a piece of paper across the room. (I have a friend who works at AT&T, I'll ask if she has any advice.)
As for AmEx, you want the contact information for their Adverse Action division. I know they have one. Everyone has one. If they have a contact number, spiffy. David will have to do this, btw. Not you. Because it's his credit. Even though you're his wife. Don't you love privacy laws? Anyway, if they don't have a phone number, write to their AA division as well. Explain the situation. Hopefully by the time you do this, you'll have some kind of resolution from AT&T. Adverse Action can fix it, if you can give them a good reason to do it. AmEx actually has really excellent customer service, so I see no reason not to be hopeful.
Customer Care is where I'd go, and just keep insisting on escalating until she gets to someone who'll fix it. It's really just a matter of cancelling one account and crediting the charges back afaik - the only weirdness would be if it's actually set up with equipment she doesn't have.
The thing is that as far as billing and such goes, Care is the only stop - there isn't really a separate billing department, and receivables management (collections) won't ever do anything but take payments.
I remember the correspondence group as being just Care by letter, so even if I could find an address for them, I think the direct escalation is probably a better way.
I stand corrected on AT&T, as far as writing in. But I stand by it, with AmEx.
The people at the AT&T store will not be able to help you. Seriously. It's the people you have to hold for, and even that's probably a waste of your time. Start practicing your penmanship - or typing, probably - because you're going to need to put things in writing. The store should be able to provide you with the correspondence addresses that you'll need. When you write your letters, make them as complete as possible. Be willing to fax them to about 50 different people within the same goddamn company, too, because no one's ever heard of walking a piece of paper across the room. (I have a friend who works at AT&T, I'll ask if she has any advice.)
As for AmEx, you want the contact information for their Adverse Action division. I know they have one. Everyone has one. If they have a contact number, spiffy. David will have to do this, btw. Not you. Because it's his credit. Even though you're his wife. Don't you love privacy laws? Anyway, if they don't have a phone number, write to their AA division as well. Explain the situation. Hopefully by the time you do this, you'll have some kind of resolution from AT&T. Adverse Action can fix it, if you can give them a good reason to do it. AmEx actually has really excellent customer service, so I see no reason not to be hopeful.
How's that for a lack of bullshit?
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Customer Care is where I'd go, and just keep insisting on escalating until she gets to someone who'll fix it. It's really just a matter of cancelling one account and crediting the charges back afaik - the only weirdness would be if it's actually set up with equipment she doesn't have.
The thing is that as far as billing and such goes, Care is the only stop - there isn't really a separate billing department, and receivables management (collections) won't ever do anything but take payments.
I remember the correspondence group as being just Care by letter, so even if I could find an address for them, I think the direct escalation is probably a better way.
I stand corrected on AT&T, as far as writing in. But I stand by it, with AmEx.
Reply
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