If you’re a Minnesota consumer who does business with CenturyLink, there’s a good chance that you’ve had some problems. The internet, phone, and cable television provider is in hot water right now over fraudulent billing issues. In fact, Minnesota Attorney General Lori Swanson is suing CenturyLink for its deceptive trade practices. Allegedly, CenturyLink sales reps have quoted inaccurate rates to customers. Swanson has received hundreds of complaints from Minnesota consumers who received bills from CenturyLink for much higher amounts than they expected to pay. Unfortunately, some of these customers now have accounts in debt collections because of their refusal to pay these inflated prices.
St Paul, Minnesota – June 28, 2014: CenturyLink building exterior. CenturyLink is the third-largest telecommunications company in the United States.
Why Minnesota Consumers Deserve Restitution for Fraudulent Billing Headaches
It’s easy enough to say, “Well, anyone who signs up for any type of service should get the offer in writing.” That’s the thing, though. Attorney General Lori Swanson cited 37 specific cases of over-billing in her lawsuit against CenturyLink. These consumers were also denied the opportunity to have the charges reduced – AND they were able to produce the original offers in writing.
If these truly are the facts, CenturyLink doesn’t have much of a leg to stand on. The company brings in hundreds of millions of dollars annually, so their reputation is important. To make matters worse, a separate $12 billion class-action lawsuit was filed against CenturyLink before Swanson filed her case. She is the first attorney general to take action against the company, but others are likely to follow suit.
Swanson seeks restitution for Minnesota consumers allegedly overcharged by CenturyLink. So, hopefully, they will get what is coming to them. However, there’s also the issue of credit score damage. If some of these CenturyLink customers now have accounts in debt collections, their credit scores have dropped. This will make it harder for these Minnesota residents to get competitive interest rates on new loans and credit cards. They may also see a rise in their insurance premiums. In addition to receiving money back, these consumers should also get help with cleaning up their credit reports.
How CenturyLink Fraudulent Billing Victims in Minnesota are protected by the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA)
Some Minnesota consumers with CenturyLink accounts in debt collections can claim Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) violations. Under the FCRA, accounts listed on credit reports must be accurate. Therefore, if any CenturyLink consumer has written proof that the price they were quoted was less than the amount they were charged, they can dispute the debt collections on their credit reports.
If you are a Minnesota resident who had dealt with the CenturyLink fraudulent billing lawsuit, you can get FREE legal help with cleaning up your credit reports. The seasoned attorneys at Minnesota Credit Lawyers will answer any questions that you have and provide you with necessary services, and it will cost you nothing out of pocket. This is true for all Minnesotans with credit report or debt collection issues. We’re here to offer cost-free credit report repair help to ALL Minnesota consumers.
The Free and Legal way to Get Better Credit
Don’t let errors on your credit reports bring your credit score down. At Minnesota Credit Lawyers, we’ve been cleaning up credit reports for consumers since 2008 for free. How do we do it? The law allows us to collect our fees and costs from the defendants in any successful action. This is why our clients pay nothing for the work we do.
Let’s start the conversation about what we can do for your credit. Set up your free consultation today by calling Attorney Gary Nitzkin at (612)235-4458 or sending him a message through our contact page. Sue. Settle Smile.
