Verizon sending a debt they said was cleared to a debt collector five months later?

Question

Here's the short of it:
I called and changed my account from a home phone and internet to just internet through Verizon home services about five months ago. At the time I was VERY behind (Ashamed to admit but hey, it happens) and I was trying to catch up. So I paid the past due amount and was rather surprised to see a credit on my next bills, so I called and confirmed that that was indeed correct, and was assured that I did not owe them any more money and have not since received any bills or notification stating I owe them any amount.

Now that I've gone and cancelled them they informed me over the phone that I will have to pay an early termination fee for a contract I never knew I agreed to and was never informed of AND I got a letter five days after that from a bill collector on their behalf stating I owe them the money I was previously assured had been paid off.

Of course I stupidly did not keep receipts from this or ask for any sort of email or written confirmation that I was squared away, does anyone know of ANY sort of action I can take to alleviate either problem (The early termination fee for the contract I was not notified of or the sudden charge I was assured was cleared) even partially?

This has been by far the worst customer service experience I've ever had the displeasure of taking part in.

STEVEN F · Accepted Answer

Unless you have it in writing, they NEVER said the debt was cleared.  More likely, they sadi they had ALREADY sold the debt to a collection agency, and the collection agency just got around to harassing you.

Wolf Harper · Answer

There's ALWAYS a contract when you do business with a company like that.  It would be neat if you could "secretly not agree" to contracts by not reading them... but the world doesn't work that way.  I'm sure they sent you a copy and I'm sure you threw it out.  Grats on not being a pack-rat, now learn to save at least some stuff.   It doesn't matter what they say to your face, the only thing that matters is what's written down.   

Or to quote Jack Ryan's wife:  If it's not written down, it didn't happen! 

You haven't really been keeping tight track of things, so there's a good chance Verizon is in the right here.  However they may still be wrong.  These kinds of mess-ups with collections happen ALL the time.   People suffer identity theft, file a police report, get the cell company to agree, yes, all this is erased, and blam a year later a collector is calling them.  So I would call them back and press them and say it's their mistake.

Anonymous · Answer

You did not read the fine print because they VERYT, VERY clearly let you know there are early termination fees associated with most of their services.

Unfortunately for you, unless you presnet a debit transaction on your checking account or a cancelled check you do not have proof of payment.  Do or can you go online and get back statements that might show their records to show your payment?  Good luck.

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Verizon sending a debt they said was cleared to a debt collector five months later?

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