4 ms·

But then that becomes unpaid bills and they send you to collections.

sudoshred 2y ago
You can dispute debt in collections by requesting proof of the debt. The consumer protections in that area (debt collections) are quite a bit more developed than any consumer protections about intentional procedural inefficiency when cancelling service.
- nodamage 2y ago
  If you never actually took the steps to cancel your contract won't they be able to prove your debt via the existence of a non-cancelled contract?
  - mrguyorama 2y ago
    The purpose is to take advantage of the sloppiness of the debt collection industry. They are designed around tricking financially illiterate people, harassing poor people, and lying. When they buy a debt, they rarely get comprehensive documentation.
- naijaboiler 2y ago
  you will end up with damaged credit. The only negative on my credit report is from a verizon phone I bought from a verizon store (actually ended up not being Verizon owned store,) which i returned within the 7 days return fee, even paid re-stocking fee. But which the store credits me for having returned it later than I did, which allowed Verizon charged me 1 month service fee, which I never got a bill or email even though verizon had both, until it showed up on credit as collection. Nothing I did could get it off.
xenospn 2y ago
Simple anecdote, but when I paid a medical bill and they still came after me and sent it to collections, I contested the bill and told the collection agency that this is not my debt. Never heard from them again.
danaris 2y ago
You can probably avoid this—or, rather, cover your ass legally—by doing something like sending them a letter registered mail informing them that you are cancelling and will be blocking further payments. It's far from a good solution, but it should at least put you in a better position vis-a-vis the courts if it comes to that.
- spiderice 2y ago
  Suddenly waiting on the phone for 45 minutes doesn't sound so bad, unless proving a point is your main goal.
  - breadwinner 2y ago
    Actually there is another option. Make a complaint to your state's Attorney General's Office. They usually have a website for filing consumer complaints, and AGO will contact the business, and the business is usually responsive when contacted by AGO.
    - eric-hu 2y ago
      How does this work? Do you provide the AGO with your name, phone and address? Subscription details?
      - breadwinner 2y ago
        Yes. Here's the Texas AGO's web site, as an example: https://www.texasattorneygeneral.gov/consumer-protection/file-consumer-complaint https://www.texasattorneygeneral.gov/consumer-protection/fil...
  - hiatus 2y ago
    It certainly takes less that 45 minutes to send registered mail. There are even online services to which you can upload a PDF or document of your message. I have done this on numerous occasions.
  - danaris 2y ago
LoganDark 2y ago
Since when? I've never used a subscription before that doesn't just cancel when my card fails to debit.

You can dispute debt in collections by requesting proof of the debt. The consumer protections in that area (debt collections) are quite a bit more developed than any consumer protections about intentional procedural inefficiency when cancelling service.

nodamage 2y ago
If you never actually took the steps to cancel your contract won't they be able to prove your debt via the existence of a non-cancelled contract?
- mrguyorama 2y ago
  The purpose is to take advantage of the sloppiness of the debt collection industry. They are designed around tricking financially illiterate people, harassing poor people, and lying. When they buy a debt, they rarely get comprehensive documentation.
naijaboiler 2y ago
you will end up with damaged credit. The only negative on my credit report is from a verizon phone I bought from a verizon store (actually ended up not being Verizon owned store,) which i returned within the 7 days return fee, even paid re-stocking fee. But which the store credits me for having returned it later than I did, which allowed Verizon charged me 1 month service fee, which I never got a bill or email even though verizon had both, until it showed up on credit as collection. Nothing I did could get it off.

xenospn 2y ago

Simple anecdote, but when I paid a medical bill and they still came after me and sent it to collections, I contested the bill and told the collection agency that this is not my debt. Never heard from them again.

danaris 2y ago

You can probably avoid this—or, rather, cover your ass legally—by doing something like sending them a letter registered mail informing them that you are cancelling and will be blocking further payments. It's far from a good solution, but it should at least put you in a better position vis-a-vis the courts if it comes to that.

spiderice 2y ago
Suddenly waiting on the phone for 45 minutes doesn't sound so bad, unless proving a point is your main goal.
- breadwinner 2y ago
  Actually there is another option. Make a complaint to your state's Attorney General's Office. They usually have a website for filing consumer complaints, and AGO will contact the business, and the business is usually responsive when contacted by AGO.
  - eric-hu 2y ago
    How does this work? Do you provide the AGO with your name, phone and address? Subscription details?
    - breadwinner 2y ago
      Yes. Here's the Texas AGO's web site, as an example: https://www.texasattorneygeneral.gov/consumer-protection/file-consumer-complaint https://www.texasattorneygeneral.gov/consumer-protection/fil...
- hiatus 2y ago
  It certainly takes less that 45 minutes to send registered mail. There are even online services to which you can upload a PDF or document of your message. I have done this on numerous occasions.
- danaris 2y ago

LoganDark 2y ago

Since when? I've never used a subscription before that doesn't just cancel when my card fails to debit.