Fraud

🤦🏼‍♀️

This isn't how any of this works.

Also not how you dispute a debt.

AT&T is not trying to extort anything. They sold a debt to a debt collector and the debt collector is now trying to get someone to pay it off. Whether they have correctly or incorrectly identified you as the debtor.   Simply dispute the debt with the debt collector. This forces them to prove it is yours and since you never had service with AT&T they can't.

@Pnshafer 

Dispute with the collection agency requiring them to prove it is yours.

In case it is not just the collection agency's mistake, but someone did use your information to open an AT&T account, you can also report it to their fraud department. https://www.att.com/support/article/wireless/KM1159583/

Keep a close eye on all your accounts and credit history for anything else.

Did both, no results

If AT&T verified that an account was opened in your information, and their fraud department couldn't do anything, then file a BBB complaint. That sends the issue to the corporate level.

A written dispute should be sent to the collection agency. For more details on that process from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau: 

https://www.consumerfinance.gov/ask-cfpb/can-a-debt-collector-still-collect-a-debt-after-ive-disputed-it-en-338/

What do you mean no results (from the debt collector)? They didn't respond or they had evidence the debt was yours?

You can also obtain your credit report from one of the 3 credit bureaus and dispute the item there. 

AT&T IS trying to extort payment by turning over a debt to a collection agency they KNOW was fraudulent, I have a letter from them to that affect. I’ve gone all the normal dispute avenues, Experian simply asked ATT if it was legit and answered my dispute using that saying it was justified. That’s why I’m on here, if I make enough noise and enough people see this maybe they’ll stop their pursuit. Again, never had anything AT&T!!

@Pnshafer 

Like what?  Crickets?  🤦🏼‍♀️

This is not a place for "noise". 

Clearly AT&T hasn't been listening before why are they going to listen now?

You're posting on an old thread that belong to somebody else.  Completely pointless this is not how you dispute a debt. 

You have a letter from them? That should have made this easy. As soon as you got notice from the debt collector, send in a demand to prove the debt is yours with a copy of that letter. 

I'm sure it's too late for that now. At this point, your only avenue left is to file BBB complaint. That will get you escalated to the Office of the President. If there's anyone who has the ability to determine the debt isn't yours and contact the debt collector & credit bureaus, that's who it will be. 

If that doesn't work, you'll have to pay the debt and try to recover the funds in small claims court.

Is that coming from ATT?? Just pay it?? Stupidity. 

@Pnshafer 

First of all that part about paying and trying to recover from small claims was the last option AFTER exhausting everything else. There was even the BBB complaint to try first as well as further clarification for demanding the collection agency prove the debt was valid. So read all the options and not just focus on the one part you don't like.

This is NOT coming from AT&T. If you read the signature at the bottom of the posts, as well as details about the forum when you signed up, you will see that this is a public forum. The forum is populated mostly by other customers. Anyone who works for AT&T will be marked as a moderator or the official forum help team. Those with the "employee" tag are employed by AT&T but are posting on their personal time and not in an official capacity. Those of us marked as "ACE" are community members who over time have been recognized as providing correct info and guidance (even if the answer is not always what one wants it to be), but are NOT employees.

So follow the dispute with the collection agency (including demanding proof), then if needed file a complaint with the BBB. In the end if that still doesn't work in your favor then paying and going with small claims is the last option to recover those funds.

In any case your "noise" on this forum is just that as is effective as throwing a tantrum in the street. It does not affect a debt. You want resolution, then follow official channels.