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Complaint Details
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Initial Complaint
02/06/2024
- Complaint Type:
- Billing Issues
- Status:
- Answered
This is the first time in my 75 years that I ever got a collection notice, and it is due to the business incompetence and almost fraud of the Bellingham Herald. Let me explain.
1. In November 2023, we decided to cancel our annual subscription to the Herald, yet the Herald renewed us for another year in early November 2023 without notice or ~~r1sent. ~The
annual subscription was $142. I did NOT consent to the use of my Capital One Master Card for a renewed annual subscription of $142.
2. In early November, I called the Herald to cancel and request a refund of the $142 to my Capital One master card. The customer service representative said the Herald's policy is
not to give refunds, which surprised me. The customer representative said she would nonetheless send my refund request to finance for their determination.
3. I received no response from the Herald in November, and I called twice in December and no response. Each time they said they had sent my request/demand to finance, and the
refunded might be $141 because I didn't call to cancel for 3 days before the renewal would have been started. I said, whatever.
4. On January 2,2024, I called again and demanded my refund. They were again sending the request to finance. No adjustment in the MC January bill, had been made to my REI Capital One Master Card.
5. On January 6, 2024, for the first time ever, I protested the charge to my REI Capital One MasterCard. Immediately, Capital One card adjusted my account and gave me a credit for
$141 on my card's account.
6. On January 9, 2024 without notice, the incompetent Herald finally refunded me $142 to my Capital One card.
7. This week, Bellingham Herald sent me a bill for $141 for a debt on December 9, 2023, and said if I didn't pay, they would turn this bill over to collection. The letter was dated January
22,2024
8. Yesterday, I received from you, ARM Solutions collection a letter dated January 23, 2024, a demand for $141.Your demand letter of January 23,2024 is in error. It is not possible that lowed you or the Bellingham Herald anything on December 9,2023, since I did not protest their bill until January 6, 2024. I had paid them $142 in December on my Capital one card, even though it was processed without my consent. At that time, I wanted $141 back for my cancelled subscription. I fully paid my Capital One card amount, as always, which included their $142 charged amount. I would not have owed the Bellingham Herald anything until I protested the $141 amount on January 6 (and adjusted by Capital One in January) and only then did the Herald refund me $142 to the card in January. The Herald fraudulently misrepresented to ARM what lowed on December 9, 2023 any amount, and misrepresented what lowed in a bill to me on January 22, 2024. In addition, the Herald gave me one day between the time they sent me the bill and they sent ARM a demand for collection on January 23. 2023.
Per your letter, I am requesting specifically what the $141 identified on December 9, 2023 of debt is for? Is it for last year's (2023) subscription, or something else. As I described above, on December 9,2023 the Bellingham Herald had been paid $142 by Capital One Master Card for an annual subscription renewal, and I was requesting a refund, which the Herald was refusing. The Bellingham Herald is misrepresenting that debt. Because the Herald was not responding to my refund request, I protested the paid amount to Capital One Master Card.
I believe I owe someone $141, but it is not clear who I owe. The Bellingham Herald, without consent renewed my subscription, then refused to give me a refund, or communicate to me.
As of December 9,2023, they were owed nothing from me.Business response
02/16/2024
After a thorough investigation into the complaint made by Mr. M*******, we have determined that our client had referred this account to our company on 1/22/2024. We have reviewed the information and substantiated that it matches what was sent to our office by the client. On 2/7/2024, we received this complaint from the BBB website informing us that the account was in dispute and updated the account to reflect a disputed status. We reached out to our client regarding the statements made by Mr. M******* and they informed us that this account was set up on an auto pay renewal for every 52 weeks. Payment was posted on the account on 12/1/2023. On 12/4/2023, Mr. M******* contacted our client and requested to cancel the subscription. The subscription was officially cancelled on 12/9/2023 and a refund to cancel the subscription was requested, but required approval due to our client's Terms of Service, which include a no refund policy. On 1/8/2024, the refund was approved and processed in the amount of $142.26 back to the credit card that had been used for payment. On 1/16/2024, our client received information that Mr. M******* had disputed the charge from 12/1/2023 with his credit card company on 1/12/2024 which resulted in a second refund of $141.00. The customer should have only received one refund and therefore, the $141.00 from the second refund is owed to our client.Customer response
02/27/2024
Dear BBB:
In regards to your letter of February 19, 2024, let me correct some information provided to you by ARM solutions and the Bellingham Herald:
I contacted the Bellingham Herald in mid-November 2023 to cancel my subscription and refund me the amount of my subscription--$143.99 The Bellingham Herald had processed my renewal without my consent or permission. I called them a total of four (4) times to process my subscription refund—mid November 2023 via phone, December 4, 2023, approximately December, January 2, 2024 (twice). The Bellingham Herald never told me that I would be given a refund.
I paid in full my Capital One credit card on December 12, 2023, and this included full payment of the $143.99 charged without my permission by the Bellingham Herald for my subscription renewal, although I was told that I would only be refunded $141 for my subscription renewal, since I cancelled in November 2023. I had not given consent to a renewal.
On January 6, 2024, I disputed to Capital One the $141 since the Bellingham Herald was not providing me with a refund, nor responding to my phone requests (acknowledged by the Capital One letter of January 6, 2024).
ARM Solutions sent me a demand letter on January 23, 2024 which INCORRRECTLY stated that on December 9, 2023 I owed the Bellingham Herald $141. The Bellingham Herald incorrectly stated to ARM that I owed $141 on December 9, 2023, as I had paid in full my December Capital One credit card bill of $143.99 as of December 12, 2023.
The information provided by the Bellingham Herald on December 9, 2023 in a letter to me is incorrect, and fraudulently claims that I owed them $141 on December 9, 2023. They repeat their error in their explanation to the BBB. If they would have told me in December that a refund was being processed, or communicated what they were doing with this incorrect bill, I would not have disputed the Capital One credit card bill on January 6, 2024.
It’s clear that the Bellingham Herald provided ARM Solutions incorrect information, and put my account out for collection when I owed them nothing. On January 6, 2024 when I disputed my credit card bill, all they had to do was tell me or my Capital One account that they had refunded my $141, then no collection was necessary. The Bellingham Herald’s refusal to communicate, sending my account for collection when it was paid up, and refused to communicate with me now: To me, their actions are fraudulent.
Since I have demand letters from both the Bellingham Herald and ARM, and have already requested clarification, please let me know who I send a check for payment in full too: The Bellingham Herald? Or ARM Solutions.
******** M*******Initial Complaint
11/27/2023
- Complaint Type:
- Billing Issues
- Status:
- Answered
ARM Solutions is attempting to collect on a debt that was discharged in a bankruptcy. I have notified the original creditor and the collection agency continues to pursue collection. Bankruptcy was filed on 10/11/2022 and converted to a chapter 7 on 7/13/2023. This debt was incurred prior to that date. Furthermore, I cancelled my service with Magna Pest Solutions on 6/15/2023 after their initial service. We were having a fly problem and when signing up for the initial service, we were told the fly problem would be dealt with. However, we were later told that they do not take care of fly issues, so we paid for the initial service on 6/15/2023 but canceled future services. Needless to say, this account was included in a bankruptcy discharged on 10/23/2023. They should no longer be collecting.Business response
12/04/2023
After a thorough investigation into the complaint made by Mr. S******, we have determined that our client had referred this account to our company on 11/11/2023. We have reviewed the information and substantiated that it matches what was sent to our office by the client. On 11/27/2023, we received an incoming call from Mr. S****** in which he informed us that this account was included in his bankruptcy. Also on 11/27/2023, we received this complaint from the BBB and reached out to our client regarding the statements made by Mr. S******. Our client informed us that Mr. S****** signed up for their Premium Pest Program and started recurring services on 6/15/2023. The initial payment was successful; however, when the recurring billing started the 2nd month, the payment was declined and there were no further successful payments. Our client made numerous attempts to get in contract with Mr. S****** via email, phone and text to resolve the balance. On 9/13/2023 the account was frozen and the initial discount reimbursement charge was applied to the account. Our client stated that they received no notice or notification of bankruptcy from Mr. S****** prior to 11/27/2023. Although the documentation provided to our client regarding Mr. S******'s bankruptcy did not list them as one of the debtors, our client still closed the account in our office. This account was not credit reported.Initial Complaint
01/18/2023
- Complaint Type:
- Billing Issues
- Status:
- Resolved
A.R.M. Solutions has sent me a second letter regarding an incorrect debt owed to Responsible Pest Control. My account # is 319107. This is the second letter I have received from A.R.M. The first letter was received on January 10, 2023 which said if I disagreed with the debt I had 14 days to contact A.R.M. I called A.R.M. at 7:13am Phoenix time on January 11 and let them know that I was disputing the debt. A.R.M. said that their "Payment Verification Team" would be calling Responsible Pest Control to verify no late amount due. Today (1/18) I received the second letter from A.R.M. this one a "Statement of Account" saying I owe $105. Which is inaccurate. After three calls to Responsible Pest Control (12/13, 12/20 and 1/10) each time Responsible Pest confirmed that I have a $0 balance and there is (and has never been) any past due amount. Somehow A.R.M. and Responsible Pest need to get people who know what they are doing on the phone talking to each other so that this can be resolved once and for all. I am attaching with this BBB complaint correspondence from Responsible Pest confirming that there is a $0 balance and showing a detailed breakdown of all dates of service and all payments made, which further reinforces that there is no balance owed.Business response
01/24/2023
After a thorough investigation into the complaint made by Mr. J****, we have determined that our client had referred this account to our company on 12/27/2022. We have reviewed the information and substantiated that it matches what was sent to our office by the client. On 1/11/2023, we received an incoming call from Mr. J**** stating there was an issue with the client's billing department and the payment had been made in December 2022 and the agent notated the account as already paid. Although Mr. J**** received a second letter after this phone call, that letter had been mailed out on 1/10/2023, prior to speaking with Mr. J****. We reached out to our client regarding the statements made by Mr. J**** and they informed us that they had an error with their system updating the accounts in our office which caused the account to remain open in our office with a balance showing due. They have since remediated the issue. Our client confirmed that there is no outstanding balance in their system and the account is in good standing. The client has also updated the balance on the account in our system to $0 and closed the account in our office.Customer response
01/25/2023
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID 18832170, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
Regards,
**** J****
Initial Complaint
11/22/2022
- Complaint Type:
- Billing Issues
- Status:
- Answered
A debt went to collections. ARM mailed letters in an attempt collect. My wife called and paid in full on my behalf on 9/20/22. In the last 2 week I have received multiple text messages from ARM in an attempt to collect the debt that was paid in full. When I spoke to them the first time they said they have no record of the payment but would look into and get back to me. They asked for the last 4 of the card that made the payment but did not want a copy of the bank statement that I offered that showed a posted payment to ARM on 9/20/22. They never did call me back, but they continue to send me text messages in an attempt to collect the same debt.Business response
12/05/2022
We received this complaint from the BBB on 11/22/2022 which prompted an investigation into the matter. Upon further review, it was discovered that there was a payment received on 9/20/2022 for the full balance due. Unfortunately, there was an error in posting the payment to the account. The payment has since been located and the account has been properly updated and is now closed in our office. We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused.
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Customer Complaints Summary
5 total complaints in the last 3 years.
3 complaints closed in the last 12 months.