OK, so I phone telus for a home line and they tell me I owe them $130 for an old phone line that went to collections. They gave me the company name to pay it off "CBV". So I call these people to find out my payment options and they treat me like a criminal. Even though they have made NO effort to contact me (as far as I know), and Its me calling them to clear it all up. So then they tell me its now a $200.00 bill. So i got a bit frustrated and they start threating to have my wages garnished and all that good stuff (once again, I contacted them). This young girl started freaking out on me and talking really slowly like i was stupid. I asked to speak with someone else and he was worse. He mocked everything i said and i could hear the girl laughing @ me in the background. Eventually he says he can settle @ 170. So i say ok fine and go make the payment right away. I then called back with the confirmation number and somehow get a supervisor who says there is nothing on my acct about any settling and that it is actually better to pay the whole thing off. So i go make another payment to pay it off fully and the whole time he is completely rude. I asked him how someone could settle an acct and not put any notes on my file? And He says - "u understand this not about customer service right? We r collectors!" and I said - "Yes I do. And I also understand that you are still a company that should treat ppl with respect and act professionally - especially since i contacted you!" Anyways, the bill was settled but I would really like to lodge a complaint against that company. It seriously sounded like a basement full of part time school girls chewing bubble gumm and pissing ppl off all day. She was EXTREEMLY unproffessional and if I worked for this CBV company in Van, BC - I would be completely emmbarrassed! Is there anything I can do?

ScottGem

Contact the local Better Business Bureau. Write a letter to Telus complaining about the treatment you received. But don't expect to make a difference.

You should never have made a payment without written confirmation of the settlement offer.

progunr

Yep, there sure is.

Do your best, to avoid having to deal with collectors, at all.

There are many bad collectors, but there are many good ones too.

Just imagine spending your entire day at work, trying to get people to pay, who won't, listening to every excuse imaginable, over and over and over, taking 15 promises to pay today, and seeing 1 of them show up, constantly being lied to, cussed at, and overall, being completely disrespected.

Yeah, it is a great job.

Try to keep in mind, the collector did not ask you to borrow the money. The collector did not prevent you from paying your debts. The collector is merely doing their job, as thankless as it may be.

I'm sorry you ran into this unprofessional company, but it happens. Best thing to do, is to continue your plan to get things taken care of, and do your best to keep things in order going forward, so you don't have to deal with a collector in your brighter future.

Fr_Chuck

bill collectors lie, they agree to make payment arrangements or settle just to get you to pay as much as possible, that guy just made a nice commission check off of you, and laughed all day that you had to come back and pay the balance.

Rule, any settlement or payment plan has to be in writing or there is none really.

progunr

"SOME" bill collectors will lie.

There are others who actually obey the laws, do their best to treat their customers with dignity and respect, and can sleep very well at night, after a long days work.

I am one of the second type of collectors.