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From: bzs@bu-cs.UUCP (Barry Shein)
Newsgroups: net.consumers
Subject: A typical utility story and a proposal
Message-ID: <865@bu-cs.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 16-Jan-86 19:56:10 EST
Article-I.D.: bu-cs.865
Posted: Thu Jan 16 19:56:10 1986
Date-Received: Sat, 18-Jan-86 08:29:18 EST
Organization: Boston Univ Comp. Sci.
Lines: 58

A while back I got this overdue charge letter from AT&T for a little
over $20, sounded pretty strong. The problem was, there was no clue
as to what the charge was for. I called them and they told me it was
for phone equipment (two touch-tones) and agreed that the note should
be changed to explain why it was sent (and of course informed me that
it never really would be changed, at least not as the result of this
phone call.) So, I sent them a check on 10/28. Early Nov I get another
note that because I haven't paid this charge my account was being closed
and please remit the cost of the equipment. Well, I figured the payment
and the check passed in the night and ignored it. Yesterday, I get
a note from the Kneebusters Collection Agency Inc that I owe AT&T 47.xx
bucks and to pay them immediately.

I called AT&T again and with this nice service rep we figured out that
most of that was equipment (ie. because they closed the account they
wanted me to pay for the phones) and that in fact my account had been
closed because somehow $5.xx had been missed last time I called.

We both agreed that this was incredibly stupid and certainly cost AT&T
more than $5.xx, a lot more. As consolation she offered "Oh, those
computers will do this even if it's only $1.00". [hrmmph I say]
Note that they credited me the $20+ dollars, I am not even sure how
they decided the missing fiver was the most overdue part, neither could she.

Ok, this sort of stupidity has happened to many of us, what I wonder is:

Why can't I do something like sign a form which says look, here's a
credit-card number, if you are about to do something stupid like shut
me off over less than (pick a number, $25) then I give you authority
to just send in a charge slip and we can settle it later. Add a reasonable
service charge (say 1 or 2 dollars) if it costs you more to do that.
Furthermore, in no way do I give up my right to contest such a paid charge
at a later date.

I assume the nuisance caused by dealing with this should be offset
by their getting their money and not having to go through all that dunning
nuisance etc, obviously whether or not that's true is anyone's guess,
perhaps as I stated a nuisance fee could be added also.

Now, obviously there are those of you out there who wouldn't sign such
a thing, as for me I'd be willing to gamble $25 or $50 against ending
such stupidity as I described above, if I got annoyed I assume I could
just cancel their right to make charges, but usually they have the charges
right (if you can just figure out how they got them right.) I bet there
are a lot of people out their who also would be willing to sign this
nuisance insurance, and what could the harm be. If the card is no good
they are back where they started (and they could add a charge for that.)

I can imagine objections (gee, now we'll never find out if you died)
but I emphasize that it's for those of us who consider the $25 and
a dollar or two service charge reasonably trivial, if that's a lot
of $$ to you then don't sign it.

Any thoughts why? I notice you can't pay utilities in general with
charge cards as far as I can tell (but you can take a cash advance and
then pay...), maybe there's another law involved.

	-Barry Shein, Boston University