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$142 Collection Bill Sent To Couple's Dog - KCRA News Story - KCRA Sacramento
70,000 Consumers Complained About Debt Collectors In '07
POSTED: 9:23 pm PDT July 9, 2008
UPDATED: 9:11 am PDT July 10, 2008
SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- More than 70,000 consumers complained about third-party debt collectors in 2007, but one Sacramento couple said they have good reason to bark about the bill they received.
Steve Fanelli received a bill from AFNI collections claiming an Andy Fanelli owes Verizon Online $142.34.
And although Steve Fanelli does indeed live with an Andy Fanelli, there is a small, furry problem with the bill.
Andy Fanelli is Steve Fanelli's dog.
"The point is that Andy has never had a Verizon account. We were just curious why this showed up," Steve Fanelli said.
After some "dogged" detective work by Call 3 Problem Solvers, Verizon said the debt is owed by a guy on the East Coast named Andy Fanelli.
"Just because there's an Andy Fanelli back east doesn't mean you send a letter to an Andy Fanelli in California," dog owner Shawn Donovan said. "There has to be something else to connect it."
Andy Fanelli, who is Steve Fanelli's and Donovan's Lhasa Apso, has its own American Express card that Donovan got when it was offered for "family members."
"It's an active card. From time to time I take my girlfriend's to lunch on Andy," Donovan said.
Consumers have complained about AFNI online and to the Illinois Attorney General, claiming AFNI tries to collect outdated or incorrect billing.
AFNI told Problem Solvers that it is a large company and diligent about debt verification.
The company said it thinks the problem with the Fanelli's happened because of the American Express Card.
Verizon Online cancelled Andy's debt, which he just shook off.
Gosh, talk about incompetent companies!
70,000 Consumers Complained About Debt Collectors In '07
POSTED: 9:23 pm PDT July 9, 2008
UPDATED: 9:11 am PDT July 10, 2008
SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- More than 70,000 consumers complained about third-party debt collectors in 2007, but one Sacramento couple said they have good reason to bark about the bill they received.
Steve Fanelli received a bill from AFNI collections claiming an Andy Fanelli owes Verizon Online $142.34.
And although Steve Fanelli does indeed live with an Andy Fanelli, there is a small, furry problem with the bill.
Andy Fanelli is Steve Fanelli's dog.
"The point is that Andy has never had a Verizon account. We were just curious why this showed up," Steve Fanelli said.
After some "dogged" detective work by Call 3 Problem Solvers, Verizon said the debt is owed by a guy on the East Coast named Andy Fanelli.
"Just because there's an Andy Fanelli back east doesn't mean you send a letter to an Andy Fanelli in California," dog owner Shawn Donovan said. "There has to be something else to connect it."
Andy Fanelli, who is Steve Fanelli's and Donovan's Lhasa Apso, has its own American Express card that Donovan got when it was offered for "family members."
"It's an active card. From time to time I take my girlfriend's to lunch on Andy," Donovan said.
Consumers have complained about AFNI online and to the Illinois Attorney General, claiming AFNI tries to collect outdated or incorrect billing.
AFNI told Problem Solvers that it is a large company and diligent about debt verification.
The company said it thinks the problem with the Fanelli's happened because of the American Express Card.
Verizon Online cancelled Andy's debt, which he just shook off.
Gosh, talk about incompetent companies!
