Question about collections

So I have this old Alltel account where they billed me for my last month of service when they weren't supposed to. I had the phone cut two days after the billing cycle rolled over, and since I hadn't used the phone in those two days, the person on the phone told me I wouldn't be charged for the last month and to call them if I was. They billed me anyway, and when I called them about it, they acted like they couldn't figure out what I was talking about.


So naturally they got a collection agency. So I disputed the collection - in writing - to the agency and to alltel. I made my argument, and I requested alltel send me an itemized list of the charges.

But instead they just changed collection agencies. When I called to dispute it verbally on the phone, they told me I had to contact their legal department. Their legal department does not have a phone number. They only have an address. Its a fricking PHONE company, and their legal department doesn't have a PHONE.

So instead I just disputed it again on the credit report.

Instead of providing evidence for the charges - they just switched collection agencies again.


So I disputed it. And they AGAIN switched agencies rather than respond to the dispute.



The thing that sucks is that I could at least put a comment on the mark that is on my credit report - but you have to dispute an item first before being allowed to put a small "your story" on it. As soon as I dispute it, they drop the collection with that company and just get another collection agency.


Can they do this? I'm assuming if so, they can do it indefinitely, and I will perpetually have a disputed item on my credit report. Which means I have to pay for a credit report service because I can only get one free report a year.