7 posts shown.
Sam Ramos85 said:That’s just nonsense.
What do you mean an agent? If you filled out the form online, there shouldn't be any "agent" involved.
Since you already submitted everything through the portal, nobody needs to show up at your house to finish the job. You gave them all your details and that's it. Period.
If they want to mail you the payment vouchers, fine. If they don't, they don't ☕ and honestly, they should just be grateful you even bothered to sign up and offered to pay the fee in the first place.
If you're having issues with collectors or random people showing up at your door claiming to be from some government agency, just call 911. There are way too many scammers and identity thieves running around these days.😉
Someone actually showed up at my place, but I didn't let them in... and they were trying to demand we pay a fine $160...(it was about computer stuff, they were working out of their car... I told them we don't have any of that, just a TV receiver which we registered properly).... then they sent me an email saying a collector would be coming to verify our receiver...??? it's clearly just some new scam to squeeze money out of people... they get inside your house, see you have internet, and try to hit you with a fine...
Ashley Anderson7 said:Hi everyone, good day to you all,
I’ve been scrolling through everything here, searching and searching, but I just can't seem to find a straight answer to my problem. So, two collection agents came by regarding my TV receiver registration, and since they noticed I already have a Comcast connection, they told me they’d "meet me halfway" and only charge me $160. The thing is, I didn't sign anything at the time, yet they still sent me a bill for that exact amount. Given that my initial registration was perfectly valid and timed right alongside when the TV was gifted to me, I find this whole situation completely baseless and frankly quite rude—and I absolutely DO NOT WANT TO PAY. Honestly, I'd be willing to sue the collector personally for falsifying information if I had to, since I actually have his details; an agent helped me out online and gave me the info on who would be coming to finalize the paperwork. To back me up, I have their SMS messages where they said they'd come to settle the fee based on the registration, followed by another text saying they'd send me a $160 bill to pay. Since they showed up at my door before that happened, the whole ordeal has left me feeling incredibly uneasy.
So... does anyone happen to have an example of a formal complaint, or does anyone know exactly where I should direct it? I’m planning to mail it to the standard appeals address if one exists, and I'll probably send copies to at least two board members via certified mail just to be safe. It makes me so angry to think some arrogant jerk is out there earning a commission just by intimidating people.
My second question is, are they actually allowed to pull data from Comcast to see exactly how long I've been using their internet? From what I've been reading, it seems like companies have a lot of access to that kind of stuff.
Thanks! Please, let me know what you think, because I believe I only have five days to file an appeal—though, of course, that deadline isn't even mentioned on this shady bill they sent.
Best,
The same thing happened to me... I even talked it over with a judge.... since we registered the TV ourselves, and now they're trying to shove a $160 fine down our throats (which they can only do if they catch you—but we came forward ourselves!), I'd say send a written complaint to the inspectors for deception, extortion, intimidation... whatever. Then just wait to see if they actually send the fine, and if they do, write another appeal... that way, the people who aren't willing to fight just give in and pay... but I'm not backing down!!! In this case, the only one breaking the law is the collector...
Sam Ramos85 said:Honestly, he’s just gaslighting you.
Get in touch with PBS using the info from his ID—just copy down his full name from his PBS badge😁
and tell them they're disputing a valid online registration. Also, if having him loitering on your doorstep bothers you—which it does for me—feel free to let him know he's got two seconds to clear out before you call 911.
And seriously, don't be intimidated by these collectors, Jehovah's Witnesses, or those Zepter cookware salespeople. Just don't sign anything during a visit. Ever. If you actually want to pay the fee, give them your info, but otherwise, keep your pen in your pocket.
Thanks, I'll try that... but since I use Comcast and have Max TV, is there any way for me to track down that data? I think I really messed up when I signed up...??
Sam Ramos85 said:Why do you even care if they work for NPR?
I mean, you aren't seriously going to trust every random person knocking on your door and sign whatever they tell you to, right?🙄
Just go online and register for the license fee and be done with it. If some sketchy guy shows up at your doorstep flashing various IDs, feel free to call 911 and report that someone is being aggressive and you suspect they're impersonating an official.😉
Honestly, you might want to think twice about that online registration thing. I did it myself and now I'm kind of in a mess... everything is laid out on their website, which is great, but then they can demand receipts from the actual date you bought your TV. Like, you have to prove exactly how long you've owned it. If you can't prove it, they'll charge you starting from the day you registered. I told them I just got a used set as a gift, and now I'm dealing with the fallout...
dustymarlin10 said:Same here... couldn't even get through it.
Maybe we’re just part of the problem...
On topic: this is what happens when naive people fall for fear-mongering...
Look, I’ll keep this simple: some collector is breathing down my husband's neck. Apparently, his name is out there somewhere—maybe the neighbors have been talking too much—and now he's being hounded because he has to settle some fine. $160 Look, we aren’t signing a damn thing. Seriously. This collector didn't hear a word about us having a TV, let alone see one. So, basically, me and my partner decided to just handle everything online tomorrow to get it over with. But then, out of nowhere, we get this email from the local broadcasting authority saying an agent is coming over to process our TV registration? Like, what? Then, ten days later, the guy shows up again claiming my online filing is totally invalid because apparently, we’re flagged for unpaid broadcast fees. I mean, come on. In the application, we were crystal clear—we didn't own a single TV set until January 15th, and we filed everything within the legal 30-day window. But no, this collector is just straight-up disputing my online info and demanding we pay up right now. It's ridiculous. $160Look, I’m just gonna say it... I haven't seen, heard, or even breathed near any kind of TV set. It hasn't been in my house, period. It couldn't be any simpler than that... hahaaaaa.
Sam Ramos85 said:If you handle everything through the website, there’s absolutely no reason for some collector to show up at your doorstep...
What is wrong with you people? Seriously, everyone here seems so incredibly gullible, almost like you're living under a North Korean regime where you just sign whatever garbage gets shoved in your face... I mean, honestly.
When one of those rude collection agents showed up at my house, I told him straight up that if he didn't get off my porch immediately, I was calling 911. On top of that, I sent a formal complaint to Chase Bank stating I'd be filing a lawsuit for harassment.
He showed up claiming we were behind on payments... which is a lie because we haven't signed a single thing. He tried to say my online registration didn't count because I submitted it on February 8th, but he claimed he caught us on February 7th. He didn't even step inside the house or look at our TV or anything...
I guess I should share my own nightmare experience too... back on February 7th, 2014... this inspector rolls into our neighborhood and starts handing out fines to neighbors, which they just sign away $160... then he runs into my husband out on the street (he apparently knows his name... probably from the neighbors... since the house we live in is technically in his father's name)... he warns him that if he doesn't pay up, he’ll be filing a report with the court... and then just leaves his cell number. He didn't leave any official paperwork or even show an ID (which, according to the rules, he's required to do >)... and he didn't see a TV or a radio or anything. Honestly, we've had enough, and I suspect someone actually reported us, because how else would he know my husband's name? So, we decided to take matters into our own hands and file a report OURSELVES online... and that's where the mess really started. In the report, we stated that we just got a used TV to use starting January 15th, 2014, and until then, we haven't owned any kind of receiver, and that we're legally required to report it within 30 days... February 8th, 2014... then on the 10th, we get an email saying the inspector is coming back to file a report for a TV. I sent a text to his cell saying we already filed ourselves starting Jan 15th, but he just says it's invalid because we have to pay the fine... February 22nd, 2014, the same inspector shows up again. I sit him down right in front of the house and tell my daughter to call her dad, and he tells me he saw him nearby and that he was the one who sent him (he even knows my name)... I ask him why our self-report isn't valid when I already did it online along with my grandfather... he claims we were caught committing a violation—that we have to pay the penalty $160... I told him, what violation? We reported it within the 30-day window allowed by law, so how did you even determine this? Do you think we have a radio in the car? We don't even have a car; it's a used one with three different owners... A computer? We don't have one, sir, nothing at all except this TV from Jan 15th... and we reported it within the 30 days. I asked if he was going to put the fee under my name, and I reminded him my husband already registered the TV using his Social Security number (even though on paper he doesn't even have one)... he just says he's taking this to court. I told him, go right ahead, my husband is unemployed and will gladly respond to a summons, but we aren't in any violation here—you are. This feels like straight-up extortion. Now we're just waiting to see what happens next. Does anyone have any advice... or should we just wait for the legal firm to start their process?