MCI Worldcom Wireless - trouble with phone cancellation after expiration of contract period

# 13 for January 9, 2002

Complaints.com received the following e-message on January 8, 2002:

From: Boeglin, John [Email User]

MCI Worldcom Wireless - trouble with phone cancellation after expiration of contract period I moved from Texas to Alabama in June and have been trying to discontinue service on a cell phone. I agreed with Worldcom Wireless that I am responsible for charges through Nov. 3 2001. We agreed that my charges were $286.46 and I wrote them a check which cleared my bank on Nov 27th. This is where my problems began: We received a statement on 12-9-2001 that showed not only the $286.46 due, but additional charges of $29.18. My wife also received a phone call from Worldcom saying that they had a credit and needed to know where to apply the funds. In my efforts to contact them at 1-800-254-8991, I needed to make multiple calls due to holding times greater than 1 hour.

In one case, I put it on speaker phone in my office with my employees listened for 3 hours on hold. I also wrote a letter and faxed it on 12-18-2001 to 1-800-335-7338 to discontinue service as well as mailing it to Customer Service at Worldcom Wireless, PO Box 5211,New York, NY 10087-5211. Last week I received a service suspension notice(at least they shut off the phone) and a collections notice from Dun & Bradstreet, Receivable Management Services.

I called 1-866-877-3186 and they show no record of the payment nor do they recognize the account number that is noted on my cancelled check. SB211424T10 is written over the memo section of the check. They did acknowledge that the phone was shut off on 11-3-2001 but the additional charges of 29.18 are now due.

They couldn't help me with any billing issues and referred me back to 1-800-254-8991(another hour wait). Their only suggestion is to fax a copy of the check to 516-228-1389 and advised me that my service is still active. All I want is this phone cancelled as of 11-3-2001 and charges paid to that date. A simple request that is about to damage my credit report and cost me legal fees as well as massive frustration! What can I do? Isn't following instructions and paying my bill once enough?