COMPLAINT - DEFERRED BILLING AFTER MOVE - UNKNOWN 67$ BALANCE - NOW ON CREDIT REPORT!

[vatcher35]

In searching this board, I've notice that my subject is not unique, however, I will relate the facts here.

In August of 2011, I canceled my FIOS home account as I was moving.  To that point I had made all payments at approximately 150/month.  I moved to a location not serviced by FIOS.  Evidently, in August, after my move, I was evidently billed for $67.  However, I never received any bill whatsoever for this charge.  Believing my account to have been cancelled and paid in full, I had no occasion to check the "MY VERIZON" page, where I assume i would have seen the balance.  Despite the fact that I've been a custome of Verizon Wireless for 10+ years and my new address was on file, no bill for this amount was ever sent to me.  

On June 4, 2012, i reviewed my credit report and apparently in April of this year, Verizon reported a $67 uncollectible write-off that had been sent to collections.  Since the $67 balance was not all that significant, out of pure panic I immediately just paid it off without ever investigating whether or not it was accurate.  Frankly, I didn't care.  My credit report indicates that the account was sent to collections, however, it seems as though Verizon still owned the account which caused me further confusion.  

I am desperate to have Verizon remove this balance and activity from my credit report as it is seriously damaging my credit.

Between FIOS and Verizon Wireless, in the past 10+ years I have paid bills totaling at least 15,000$.  That may actually be a conservative number.  To think that for a $67 balance, they would go this far in destroying a supposed valued customer is beyond upsetting and disturbing.  This is a company that literally controls my primary phone number (and i used my cell phone as my primary contact number on the account as well).  One would think that if this company was so interested in 67$ even an automated phone call would have taken place.  Not even that.  

I will also point out that coincidentally, when I moved in August 2011, the Verizon strike had just begun.  As any customer from then can remember, the company from all standpoints was in chaos.  Perhaps this explains the lack of proper and timely billing.

At any rate, i am in shock that this company would treat someone who should objectively be a highly valued customer that obviously enjoys the use of its products and pays for them in such a way, knowingly destroying credit over a 67$ balance that, if a person actually looked at my account history, would know could not have been intentional.  

Sorry for this rambling account, but now, having paid off this balance, I feel completely helpless as to getting Verizon to request the removal of the collection account.  I never thought to use the payoff as a negotiating tactice to get Verizon to comply.  Since I feel that FIOS is a great product and would've signed up for it in the future, hopefuly they'll recognize that my value as a long term future customer far exceeds whatever value they obtain in hurting my credit.  

Any advice would be appreciated.  Thanks.