Fuck Columbia House!!!!!

The BBQ Pit
1

My husband had the misfortune of belonging to the Columbia House music club a few years ago. He was in it for about a year. He ordered some CD’s, paid for them, then eventually decided he didn’t want anything more from them and asked them to cancel his account. They did, and all was well and good.

Then suddenly, a few weeks ago, he got a letter from them claiming that he had a SECOND account, started 2 years ago, which he had ordered some CD’s on, and had never paid for. The bill was $97.00.

Hubby was positive he had never had another account with them, but he was concerned and wanted to make sure, so he went through every piece of mail he had gotten from them, as well as all his music. He could find NO evidence of a “second account”, or even CD’s he had gotten during that time period. He called them and explained the problem, and asked them to tell him what CD’s had been ordered. They refused to tell him! So, he said that unless they can provide proof that he ordered this music, he’s not paying that money. We have trouble as it is making rent some months, so every dollar counts.

Well, the next week, they sic’d a collections agency on us. We’ve been getting harassing phone calls every day, two or 3 times a day, from this agency demanding money. On one call that Mr. AFG answered, they asked him for his bank account info. He’s between banks right now, and currently doesn not have an account; I handle all the finances. So he told them this. And the motherfuckers then asked him for MY bank account number!!! He refused to tell them, of course. But it made me so goddamn mad that these cocksucking bottom feeders would try to get money out of ME, who was never involved with them in any way (me and Mr. AFG weren’t even MARRIED at the time this supposed account was open!!!) So now I’m right pissed at this agency and Columbia House for doing this to us.

Hubby wrote a letter to the Better Business Bureau about this issue; we’re still waiting for a response. In the meantime, is there anything we can do to protect ourselves? And what’s the worst they can do to us, especially considering they have no proof that this account exists?

2

Lord I hate Columbia House!

I had a membership years ago and really found it a pain to send the stupid cards in all the time, so after I bought my quota, I quit.

Then, in the last couple of years, I read one of their letters begging me to rejoin, in which they say that you can now answer your mailing online. Well, damned if you actually can. I have tried probably about 20 times, from about 6 different computers, and it always tells me my code is invalid (though it does work when I call it in on the phone). Each time, I sent an email through their online email system which claims you will receive a copy of your email as well as a response within a certain amount of time. Not once have I gotten a response, or even a copy of my email.

I’ve since talked to about fifteen people who have had the same issue. Not one of us has been able to respond online, and not one of us has received any kind of reply. Between the lot of us, we’ve spoken to reps at least 50 times, telling them about both problems, and now, over two years, the problem persists.

I think that bloody sucks.

3

Well, IANAL, and even more so NACanadianL, but it seems that anybody who claims you owe something has an obligation to document it and bears the burden of proving that it is indeed a valid debt.

My advice would be to stick to your guns, and demand documentation. And unless the laws are radically different in Canada, I can’t imagine they would ever have a legitimate right to ask about your banking situation anyway.

It sounds like they’ve sold the debt to a less-than-honest collection firm. Next time they harass you, starting pumping them for information. What their location? Have they purchased the (invalid) debt outright, or is this a contract service for them? Get all the dirt you you can, cause information is what you need to fight this.

<Schoolhouse Rock Voice>
Knowlege is Power!
</SRV>

Good luck, and don’t let them screw you. Most of the collection agencies are utter sleazeballs, and Columbia House sucks too.

4

This site has a pretty good breakdown on what is and isn’t allowed under the Fair Debt Collections Act. It’s a law firm’s site. You can just Google “Fair Debt Collections” to get a link to the actual text of the law, if’n you want.

I’ve had various debt collectors after me for three years, all for a $67 fee that AT&T claims I incurred. I have proven multiple times that I did not incur the fee, and even had an AT&T rep agree with me and (allegedly) remove it from my (now closed) AT&T account. And yet I still get a letter, every six months or so, from a new collection agency. I just send them copies of all the correspondence and tell them not to contact me again. I’ve never had one respond after that.

5

Sorry, I got so riled up I didn’t answer your question. (Not that I have anything helpful to say, sorry)

I find it really interesting, actually - I would think that they would be the ones who would need some kind of proof, not you guys… I know they aren’t giving you any information, but I wonder if they’re claiming that he ordered the CDs online, or over the phone, or by mail, or what, and I would think for any of those they would need some kind of proof. I mean, surely I can’t just pick up the phone and send 800 CDs to my worst enemy and then just sit and cackle gleefully while they get stuck with the bill… I hope…

6

Aaaand of course, the OP is in Canada, where U.S. laws usually don’t carry a whole lot of weight. Don’t mind me; I’ll be over here in the corner, playing with my moron toys.

7

I was a Columbia House member several years ago. Once during my membership, I had someone from CH call me and offer to give me the 11 for 1 deal again (or whatever it is they do). I had money to burn at the time and agreed. However, in order to “help me out” so I didn’t lose my bonus points (or whatever it is they have) they opened a second account for me. Took me forever to cancel both accounts.

Any chance something similar might have happened to Mr. AFG?

8

Nope. Not that we can tell, anyway. He kept all the correspondence they’d sent him in the past, and it only ever indicated the one account.

We did think it awfully strange that they wouldn’t tell him what albums were ordered. You’d think, if they want payment so badly, wouldn’t they jump at the chance to prove you were in the wrong?

And I agree with picker in that the collection agency is less than honest. The fact that they’ll try to suck money out of me, who this has nothing to do with, proves that they’re leeches out to get the money any way they can. Truly devil-spawn, they are.

9

This site has info regarding guideline for canadians involved with collection agencies. If they are calling multiple times per day then they are effectively committing harassment:

Hope things work out for ya, (AND Columbia House gets sodomized with the CN Tower (just to keep it in the Pit)). :cool:

-DF

10

A Better link, with contact info for complaining in Ontario:

http://www.cbs.gov.on.ca/mcbs/english/2692_3ea.htm

It appears they are definitely violating the regs trying to collect from your account when you are not the alleged debtor…

Nail them to the wall.

-DF

11

Pretty much the fist thing to know is that they cannot call you until they sent written notice of the collection. (They can call to verify your address)
When you get that notice, write them back right away that they are not to call you. Use registered mail. Trust me.

Some other things to know as best as I can recall.
They must have an office in ontario or the provice they wish to operate in.
they **cannot call you ** after they have received your written notice of do not call.
they cannot call before 8am and not after 9pm and never on national holidays.
Never try to reason or negtiate with the agent that calls. They can do nothing and they are not interested.
They cannot call employers or neighbours after they have a means to contact you.
They cannot reveal details of your debt to anyone but you.

When called,
The caller must identify themselves clearly.
Hang up right away. They cannot call twice in the same day.
Document every call and every detail.
Never give them money you don’t owe. Never.
In your letter to them, invite them to sue you. (they won’t)
keep a copy of that letter.

Complain today to the CBS AND to your MPP about their practice.
The MPP is important because CBS is really bad at following up on collection agencies. Call the CBS every day to check on the status of your complaint.

In a couple of month check you credit report. Start legal action.
I went through something like this and I ended up with a fair cash settlement in the end.

12

Great post, Brendan!

13

I’ve said this about a billion times, and although I have no ‘proof’ that my strong feelings on the subject are accurate, I just ‘know’ this to be true–at least since the last time I dealt with them:

They do not want you to fulfill the contract. They do not want you to send the cards in on time. This is why they make being a member so difficult (like returning a damned card every month yet make you get a stamp as well–actually they are lying there as well because it is more frequently then once a month).

If you do not honor your end of the bargain they turn you over to collections, North Shore Collection Agency to be specific. They harass you for a while, then they just stop. They make it all a major pain in the ass process from start to finish.

The North Shore Collection Agency is owned by Columbia House, in case you didn’t know.

I strongly believe that this is nothing but a major tax write off for Columbia House. They do not retrieve Social Security Numbers from you so they do not report to the credit bureau and cannot come after you like creditors can (unless this has changed in the last couple of years). They harass you for a bit then write it off. This tactic probably saves them many thousands every year in taxes.

If you try to honor your contract, they just do things to piss you off like pretend they didn’t get your return card, send you more than one a month, etc. I have been a member in the past and it was always as if they were trying to piss me off.

Then I got semi-confirmation of the fact a couple of years ago from a friend that had worked in processing for Columbia House in the DVD club portion. She said that I would be amazed to know that The North Shore Collection Agency has no employees, just computer generated threat letters that are mailed out periodically. If you contact this agency for any reason you are simply corresponding with someone from Columbia House. She said the CD club has a default rate of about 70%. The DVD club is another story. They get a credit card from you; they’ll get their money on that deal. I believe that the DVD portion is a whole other shop, and not a write off at all.

Mind you, this is a couple of years ago. I do not know if these policies have changed.

I have friends who systematically rip them off by re-subscribing under different names and then ignoring the threat mail until it goes away. They get hundreds of CDs for nothing and never look back. This is mail fraud by the way so I do not recommend you follow in their footsteps, and I want to go on record that I am in no way advocating such behavior.

Euth

14

Columbia House sucks all the way around. I cancelled my CD and Video accounts years ago for the same reason I cancelled my DVD account two months ago. I ordered a 3 DVD for $25 dollars deal with no shipping charge. Columbia House decided that they were out of The Meaning of Life, sent me the other two, and charged me $35 for the them, including shipping. I paid it and cancelled. Fuck 'em.

I must admit, I have had no problem with mystery charges from any of the accounts. I wouldn’t be surprised if I’m just lucky.

15

I joined the Columbia House Laser Disc Club back in the early 90’s. I got my initial shipment, bought my required discs and got out. No problems.
The LD club morphed into the DVD club. I’ve been in it for about 5 years and have never had a problem other than a double shipment. I returned the discs and it was properly credited. I can now go online and refuse the monthly choice. As soon as I do, I get an email verifying it. So far, no problems.

16

Reminds me of a “Weird Al” Yankovic song:

One day she said to me, “Honey, do you want to join the Columbia Record Club?”
I said, “No way baby. I’m not ready for that kind of commitment.”

17

You folks actually return those cards? Why bother?

Today you can either:

  1. Go to the Columbia House website and refuse the latest shipment there, without spending money on a stamp, or

  2. Just let them mail you the damn monthly shipments. When one arrives, write “REFUSED - RETURN TO SENDER” on it and drop it back in the mailbox. Eventually they’ll get tired of paying to ship everything two ways and will “upgrade” your membership to one that doesn’t require refusing the monthly selections.

18

Maybe it’s just a problem on the Canadian site, but as I mentioned above, that doesn’t seem to be working properly.

Again, might not work this way everywhere, but when I joined I had to provide a credit card number upfront, so if I miss responding to a mailing, I’m automatically charged for whatever they end up sending out, my returning it wouldn’t bother them one bit.