# Credit Question; Account with No Contract
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/credit-question-account-with-no-contract/650878
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [February 20, 2013, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/credit-question-account-with-no-contract/650878 "2013-02-20T15:09:48Z")
**Posts on this page:** 8
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@AnthonyElite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AnthonyElite)
#### Post date: [February 20, 2013, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/credit-question-account-with-no-contract/650878/1 "2013-02-20T15:09:48Z")
Greetings fellow dopers!
I recently had an account with Frontier Communications go to collections. I had it installed, used it a few months, and every month my bill was higher. I contacted them about it and they informed me that since they didn’t use contracts - I don’t have a contracted/locked in rate of service - I could expect variations in the bill. I didn’t like this or the service so I called them to disconnect it and promply had another company come in. I handed in my modem and paid what I thought was my last bill, but unfortunately they kept coming. I got a bill every month despite the fact that the cable was disconnected. I called several times to explain this but I kept getting bounced around, promised change, and no results.
I noticed it on my credit report and disputed it as soon as it came up, but it was denied.
Is there anything further I can do? I do not have a contract with these people - how can they bill me?
Could I send them a bill and send THEM to collections if they don’t pay it? Because they wasted quite a few 9-5 hours for me.
Would it do my any good to contact some type of consumer advocacy group?
Thanks for taking the time to read,
Anthony
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### Author:  [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)
#### Post date: [February 20, 2013, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/credit-question-account-with-no-contract/650878/2 "2013-02-20T15:42:02Z")
Somewhere you must have signed or been issued something that contains terms?
Did you get a receipt when you turned in the modem?
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### Author:  [@AnthonyElite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AnthonyElite)
#### Post date: [February 20, 2013, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/credit-question-account-with-no-contract/650878/3 "2013-02-20T15:48:25Z")
I did get a receipt but…I’m not even sure who to give it to. Credit seems so unfair at times…Frontier decides I owe them and its my job to prove I don’t. What!!!
I received terms, but I am very certain that I never signed anything, and never had a monthly contract.
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### Author:  [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)
#### Post date: [February 20, 2013, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/credit-question-account-with-no-contract/650878/4 "2013-02-20T15:54:47Z")
Write a concise letter with all details to the highest “desk” you can find at Frontier.
Alternately, find the highest name you can within the (local?) hierarchy and call them, by name, not by call type.
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### Author:  [@FrankJBN](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FrankJBN)
#### Post date: [February 20, 2013, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/credit-question-account-with-no-contract/650878/5 "2013-02-20T20:23:40Z")
Would it do my any good to contact some type of consumer advocacy group?
Well, maybe not as much as asking a bunch of people on an Internet discussion board…
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### Author:  [@AnthonyElite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AnthonyElite)
#### Post date: [February 20, 2013, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/credit-question-account-with-no-contract/650878/6 "2013-02-20T20:31:37Z")
Frank, I was more asking if any grounds could be made by dealing with consumer advocacy groups. In other words; had anyone been successful in a similar situation utilizing a CAG.
Nitro you were right. I got in touch with the branch manager and after discussing the situation they waved it for me. My error was in dealing with corporate instead of local to begin with.
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### Author:  [@UltraVires](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UltraVires)
#### Post date: [February 22, 2013, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/credit-question-account-with-no-contract/650878/7 "2013-02-22T19:35:03Z")
IANAL, (yet), and not your lawyer, but it seems from what you are saying is one of two things:
1. that you did have at least a month to month contract. And it sounds like whoever in charge didn’t get the message that you were cancelling your month to month contract.
2. Whoever told you that you didn’t have a long term contract was lying/mistaken and that you really do.
I would talk to an attorney in your jurisdiction. Most states have consumer protection laws with civil penalties and attorney’s fees (so if your case has merit, an attorney might take it for free). Good luck.
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### Author:  [@solosam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solosam)
#### Post date: [February 22, 2013, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/credit-question-account-with-no-contract/650878/8 "2013-02-22T20:08:41Z")
Sounds like it is time to talk to a lawyer.
I don’t understand how they can do business with you if they “don’t have a contract.” Any business or collection agency is required by law to furnish you with a contract and invoice that describes what you are being billed for.
You might also want to start sending them certified mail. Saying they don’t keep records (such as contracts) is just giving themselves free reign to screw people over. Dealing with them on the phone allows them to say “we never got your call” whereas getting certified mail allows you to demonstrate what date you contacted them. It’ll be important in court.