Being Billed for Service after Cancellation and After transfer to another carrier.

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@stopchargingme wrote:

I had a post-paid account with AT&T.  I transferred to a different carrier and took one of 3 numbers with me.  I now have no way to access my account online.

I spent hours on the phone with customer service in February and was assured my account was closed and that I would receive no further bills.  I paid the remaining balance in full.

I am now receiving suspension notices for new charges.  I called for support again to the number on the notice but was told I need a security code.  I have never had any security code with AT&T.  If one was sent, I did not receive it and I have no way to provide this information.  I just want my account cancelled.

I am now preparing a social media blitz about this predatory behavior.  It is highly illegal to bill someone for services not provided and then refuse to speak with them about their bill and threaten them with collections.

I see that AT&T was successfully sued for this exact kind of thing in 2004.  I am looking around to see it any law firms are interested in a new class action lawsuit.  I also plan to file a complaint with my states AG.

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All AT&T accounts have a security code and have forever. The default is the last four of your social security number, I believe, but hopefully you changed it. I would be incredibly shocked if someone would actually have canceled a line without you providing it. 

Since I never actually signed up with AT&T (my carrier was acquired) how would I have received this code?

Since I never actually signed up with AT&T (my carrier was acquired) how would I have received this code?

There have to be situations where people have lost/forgotten their code.  You can't just lock people into a monthly bill for the rest of their lives because they don't have a code.  That's not legal.

You had to have your account number and PIN code to port your numbers out of ATT.  So yes, you DID have the information as an ATT customer. 

"You had to have your account number and PIN code to port your numbers out of ATT.  So yes, you DID have the information as an ATT customer."

Nope. Completely false.  The other carrier dealt with it.  I have never had a code.  And it is completely irrelevant.  There's no legal basis to keep me in a plan because I don't know a code.  This is theft.

One recommendation that I was given is to contact the FCC.  That is something I will look into too.

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@stopchargingme wrote:

"You had to have your account number and PIN code to port your numbers out of ATT.  So yes, you DID have the information as an ATT customer."

Nope. Completely false.  The other carrier dealt with it.  I have never had a code.  And it is completely irrelevant.  There's no legal basis to keep me in a plan because I don't know a code.  This is theft.

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There are other ways to get around that (like taking an ID to a company-owned location), but AT&T absolutely can refuse to process an order if they can't confirm the identity of the person placing the order. Can you imagine if just anyone could call AT&T and say "Cancel 825 555-4820, I promise that my phone."?

When I try 'forgot my username' on the account site (since my old phone number is no longer accepted as my Id) I get an email with some code that it says to enter into my profile page but no username.  Brilliant!

There are other ways to get around that (like taking an ID to a company-owned location), but AT&T absolutely can refuse to process an order if they can't confirm the identity of the person placing the order. Can you imagine if just anyone could call AT&T and say "Cancel 825 555-4820, I promise that my phone."?

Yet they can send notifications to my address all the same.  There's plenty of information on that bill that no one else would know.  But do they ask? No!

"There are other ways to get around that (like taking an ID to a company-owned location),"

The last time I went into one of these places, I stood around for 45 minutes and couldn't get anyone to talk to me (in order to buy a new phone) that's why I switched in the first place.