Collection Agency Error May Have Sent Bills To The Wrong People
More than 200 Scranton taxpayers might have be mailed a letter from a debt collection agency they didn’t deserve. The notices are for garbage fees supposedly unpaid that may have actually been paid. According to officials, the garbage bill for 2009 could be at fault for more than 200 collection notices sent to city taxpayers in error last week.
Officials think the issue might be the way the bills were folded into the envelopes. The bill comes attached to a perforated line above a bar code that identifies the debtor, but because a crease made by the folding of the envelope, a second line under the bar code was formed, causing people to tear the bill off without the bar code.
Bills lacking a bar code would cause a bank not to register the payment. The mailing house that Scranton hired to stuff the envelopes was fingered. If the bill was mailed to the bank, it would be the pay stub in their payment that goes directly to a lock box. The stubs are then scanned and the bar code is read. After that the bank sends the town a list of those who had paid up based on the bar code readings.
Representatives from the collections agency who mailed the letters say that they are taking every dispute from people who may have paid very seriously. Company protocol allows consumers to dispute a collection letter within 30 days of receiving a collections letter. Representatives said that no cash will be collected while they are still sorting out the issue as well.
The company will put research into each claim from people who said they had paid and received the notice. Those that they believe have paid will be absolved from their debt and will no longer receive collections notices and will not be pursued by the collection agency.
Mallory Megan works for a debt collection company. She also writes stories on business and finance, consumer spending and collection agencies.