Debt Collection Letter To Business

[KYBOSH]

There isn't much on here about business debt collection issues.

 

I am in the unlucky position to have a small debt in collections.

 

 

What happened is a freight carrier delivered some goods to my home for my business.

They got the delivery mixed up somehow and had to redeliver the next day.

 

Low and behold I start getting letters from their internal collections department stating that I owe a redelivery fee (less than $100).

I call and contest it, stating that the reason for the redelivery was their (or the senders) and had nothing to do with me.

I also noted that I did not agree to any extra charges for the delivery. Only thing that I signed was the BOL once the items were delivered (this is normal).

I have no accounts or any other relationship with the carrier.

They insist that the redelivery fee is my responsibility. Normally recipients would have to pay the fee before delivery. But I was not asked to do this nor was I informed of any fees.

 

Fast forward a few months I get a letter from a collection agency who demanding payment. The problem is they have increased the amount do by more than 8X.

 

I instantly sent off a DV letter via CMRR and am waiting to see what (if anything) becomes of it.

My business file (as well as my personal file) is for the most part clean.

 

I'm miffed about the whole thing because the debt is not legit, the debt is a trivial amount and they are messing with my business credit which I have patiently and methodically worked hard at to protect and grow. Im no new kid on the block and I know my way around JDBs but the business side is very vague.

 

Any advice and insight would be much appreciated.

 

I have not contacted the freight carrier in several months and from our last conversation they not interested in doing anything other than asking me to pay.

I'll provide any additional info you guys and gals deem pertinent to handling this in the most timely and cost effective manner.

 

THANKS IN ADVANCE

[KYBOSH]

Today I get a response from my DV via regular first class mail.

 

I basically contained the same information I have seen from the freight carrier (BOL, signed delivery receipts etc) and an ACH authorization form for my convenience as well (gee thanks).

I am actually very surprised about the turn around time on this. Either they had this information there with them or they contacted the carrier and the information was emailed to them that same day. Neither scenarios are very likely. Feels to me that I am dealing with an internal CA for the company but I looked them up and they seemed like a stand alone CA.

Worth noting the amount due is now back down to the original amount in dispute (less than $100).

 

The initial asking amount due of several hundred dollars was either a trick by the CA to get my attention or one of the ways they make extra $$$$ as some people may just pay the amount due without question in the face of collection activity.

 

Nevertheless, my situation is still the same (its only been brought from the back burner)... do I pay a redelivery charge that I am not responsible for?

 

If I continue to not pay it (ignore it) what could happen now that the CA is involved (internal or not)?

The idea of a lawsuit by them is nonexistent (even laughable) but its easy for them to ding your credit report.

Hard to clean it up I imagine.

[KYBOSH]

I finally got this taken care of.

 

I WAS going to write them a check at the end of last year even though it did not seat well with me.

Then I got a call from another CA asking for payment.

 

I was a little miffed about that call but I keep my cool.

A new tactic was needed obviously.

So tried a tactic that has served me well when the usual method of talking to customer no-service has failed.

 

I turned to social media (facebook/twitter/etc) and got a hold of a social media customer service rep.

They had me email them directly with the details and asked for a little time to research the issue.

By the next morning they wrote me back stating they had gotten the collections department to write it off the little charge and the matter is now resolved.

 

I am not a social media kinda guy but there maybe something to this thing.

This is just an idea for anyone finding themselves on the wrong end of an unjust charge and unreceptive reps.

 

Good Luck