Beware of Spectrum
 

We signed up for Spectrum TV in May, decided that we didn't like it, and set up cancelling it on June 27, the last day of the billing period. We disconnected Spectrum on that date and set up Dish network on June 28th. Spectrum sent us a $126.70 bill for July anyway, claiming that we had the service on the 28th and thus owe for the whole month. We have been back and forth ever since, with it now escalated to a collection agency.

Sequence of events:

June 16: I Called Spectrum at 1-844-504-9266. Talked to Jen. and she agreed to discontinue service on 6/27.

June 27: The Spectrum internet and TV signal went off. I packed up the equipment and returned it to the local Spectrum office.

On July 8. I Got a bill for Spectrum service in July. Called Spectrum. Talked to Tara. She said the account was discontinued, She said she canceled the bill, and will refund the money for the Cloud DVR (Separate issue)

August 3: Got a bill from Spectrum dated July 31 for $126.70 for the period 6/28 - 7/27 which includes the $10 refund for the cloud DVR we never got. Oddly, this is over a month after we lost the signal.

August 31: Called by Spectrum debt collection saying that we owe for the month of July as we did not cancel the service until June 28th, the start of the billing period. I argued that we asked to have the service cut off on the 27th, that we lost the signal that day, and had already returned the equipment, and she transferred me to billing. I talked to Karen. I repeated the same statements. She said she will have to send this to the phone records department and it will take 7 days.

September 9; Called again by Spectrum Rep wanting the $126.70, I explained again the sequence of events. Lost connection in the middle of the call.

October 28 we got a letter from the collection company. I called and explained again.

November 5: sent an email to the collection company outlining the above.

December 15: Another letter from the collection company, this time threatening to bump it to a national credit bureau. Sigh.

You are dealing with computer monsters. To get it resolved you need to find a HUMAN.
These collection agencies are the lowest of the low. Simply a boiler room.

I am not an advisor but were it me, I would stop playing the game by their rules. I would not do phone calls and e-mails and resort to return receipt letters. Phone calls they can deny or spin. E-mails I don't think are LEGAL proof. You may want to contact our state representative. They can be and are very helpful. Just by power, they will not pull this nonsense with the state representative.

Re: reporting to the credit bureau. It is time to go on the attack. They are bullying you.

Just like Cablevision. After much fighting paid it. They still sent to collections even though I had proof of payment. Disgusting

I always stop service in middle of billing cycle that way there no change they wait till next billing cycle to drop it. Agree when computer kicks this stuff out it’s hard to find any person who will take effort to resolve the issue. They look in the computer which probably didn’t get cut off till next day even though the computer cut you service.

I had a similarly disgusting run-in with Spectrum when we tried to cancel one of their services earlier this year. The 'cancellation specialist' we were routed to became very irate with us saying 'we thought we needed their service before, why do we think we need to cancel it now' and other garbage like that. He literally refused to let us cancel so I just hung up and my wife called back at the end of the month and cancelled all our Spectrum services at both our houses. If I have a choice, I'll never use them again.

Comcast same!!!!

Part of the business model of large businesses , how much can we ignore the complaints before it causes problems, many people will pay anyway rather than bother to fight it. perhaps register complaints with the FTC and FCC, they will have to respond ,I think, and that would entail a human some where and cost them more than they would make harassing you

Turn the tables on them, contact one of the Orlando television stations, they seem to love these kind of stories. With any luck you will get satisfaction and Spectrum will get some bad press.

Highly doubt it. Spectrum couldn’t care less about bad press. They are used to it

If what you say is accurate just provide them with the equipment return receipt dated June 27th. You did get a receipt didn't you or did you just hand it to some 18yr old kid at the front desk and left? If you read their terms they ALL say no pro-ration if you cancel. Exact same thing goes for all cell phone providers as well as DirecTV (who I used to work for) and Dish. 1 day into the month and you own it. Like renting. If you move out on the last day of the month but leave some property behind and pick it up on the 1st of the following month you (legally) owe for the month.

I save every equipment return receipt for at least 5 years. I learned that from working for DirecTV. They can ding you for non-return 3 years later (it has happened).

If collections comes after you just say it’s not a valid debt. I had two collection agencies come after me even after I presented everyone with documentation. They need to show it’s a valid debt. Eventually they went away but it was highly annoying

If you really want to do them over, first file a small claims action in court and then also write them a return receipt letter to the president of spectrum. By the way they will never see you for that small of an amount and as well whether or not they send it to a National Collection Agency means absolutely nothing. I've had this happen to me for quite a while in the worst of it is simply getting phone calls that you can stop

They are all a rip off, especially Comcast. Just don’t pay them.

Same thing happened to me. You cancel, return the boxes and they keep billing you like nothing happened. You need to get your receipts for the returned equipment then call and escalate the matter and they will resolve it.

Sorry about your problems. I haven't had any issues with returning equipment to Spectrum and having it removed from my bill right away. One thing I have learned, and it applies to credit card payments also, is never wait until the last day to cancel or pay. Even with automated systems it can take a day or two to get thru the system.