United Parcel Service - Fraudulent Billing by UPS

Posted by Alain on 2012-11-15:

You may want to enlist the help of your credit card company on this. Challenge the charge and also contact the California Dept. of Consumer Affairs via http://www.dca.ca.gov/about_dca/contactus.html

Posted by trmn8r on 2012-11-15:

This is strange. It is disappointing to hear that the customer service counter person's only response was "not to worry about it." That's bogus. Of course you need to worry about it.

Contacting the fraud unit was the right way to go. Fraud investigations can often take weeks with banks, don't know about UPS. When did you file the report? Institutions often refuse to give you any information until fraud investigations are complete. Unfortunately, you usually can't call and speak with anyone.

Alain suggested contacting your CC company, but it doesn't sound like they are involved - you are receiving bills, not charges on the card. Maybe I misread it.

Personally, I would let at least 3 weeks or a month to go by after the fraud report to pursue the matter further. Good luck.

Posted by At Your Service on 2012-11-15:

There is a federal law that will help you. It's called the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act. Instead of sending them a payment, send them a letter instructing them that you dispute the amount and not contact you further about the alleged debt. This sample letter is from Clark Howard's website:

(Date)

To Whom It May Concern:

I have been contacted by your company about a debt you allege I owe. I am instructing you not to contact me further in connection with this debt. Under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, a federal law, you may not contact me further once I have notified you not to do so.

Sincerely,

(Name)

(Account No.)

Make sure to send the letter certified and the nonsense should come to an end.

Posted by DebtorBasher on 2012-11-15:

The FDCPA is for collections, not billing disputes. If the account ends up in collections, then the FDCPA would apply.

This is a fraud issue and needs to be handled as fraud. If you're not getting responses from UPS' fraud department, keep trying to contact them. Sometimes, a fraud department won't contact the customer until they have information for them or need information from them. Keep on them. If you can, get them to give you something in writing, stating this is not your responsibility.

Posted by madconsumer on 2012-11-15:

the account number will be the location where the package was sent from, not the individual sending it. if the packages were sent from pennsylvania, and not california, it could be someone stole the credit card number and used it. from what location were they shipped from?

if the packages sent were across the boarder, there are tariffs involved. and the individual shipping is responsible for all tariffs and other charges.

Posted by At Your Service on 2012-11-16:

I appreciate the comment DB. Billing and collections, in this case, become one and the same. What you are telling the entity billing, and therefore trying to collect, is that you do not agree with the debt. Under the act, the entity has the option of being able to prove the charges are valid and proving it in court or, dropping the issue. They do not have the ability to continue to contact you about charges you are not in agreement with. I've used this same process myself.

I would very much agree that this issue could very easily prove to be fraud. If the OP wished, it isn't a half bad idea to pursue the fraud option.

Posted by DebtorBasher on 2012-11-16:

I understand what you're saying AtYourService, but the FDCPA is for 3rd party collections, not 1st party collections and they do not have to abide by the FDCPA rules. However, many companies will abide by them just to be on the safe side.

Posted by shirls3 on 2012-11-20:

Thank you to everyone who took the time to respond with helpful ideas. The saga continues...in the past couple of days I have been transferred to voicemail boxes that were too full to leave a message, left messages on other voicemail boxes and never received a return call. I did however, reach someone in the "billing" department who was able to tell me when this bogus account in my name was created - exactly 4 days after I mailed and paid for my packages via credit card at the UPS customer service center near me.

He also said he could see that the account was closed now. When I asked him to send me something in writing to confirm that he told me he wasn't able to do that and transferred me to someone in "accounts". The young lady there told she also was unable to put anything in writing and told me she would send my information to the "Email Division" and they would email something. Seriously....the "Email Division"??? I gave her my email address. Guess what.....right.....nothing....
Clearly UPS is not willing to stand behind their words. So I have written to the CEO with copies to all of the USP Customer Service Centers in the LA area with copies of all of the bills etc.
I think if I receive another bill, or find any notice on my credit report it will be necessary to hire an attorney. This is exhausting and UPS is obviously only interested in their shareholders - not individual customers...thanks again to everyone who responded