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AT&T Under Fire For Billing Customers For Returned Equipment

CHICAGO (CBS)—AT&T is under fire for accepting returns customers say were never processed.

Denise Kurelko of west suburban Downers Grove returned her rented TV equipment to AT&T three years ago. Kurelko said a collection agency later sent her a letter on AT&T's behalf demanding more than $1,000 for "unreturned equipment."

She has the shipping receipts to prove she sent the items back, but AT&T says she still owes the money.

"I'm afraid to look at my credit," Kurelko said.

Other customers posted messages expressing similar frustrations on AT&T's website.

One message posted by a customer named Marion said she shipped equipment back to the company at a UPS store.

"Four months later I have received a notice from a collection agency for non-return of equipment," she wrote.

Kurelko described the situation as "beyond frustrating."

"It was hours and hours of time trying to call to get through," Kurelko said.

Another post reads, "Lies, lies, lies. They did the same thing to me. This is clearly some type of scam. AT&T does not care and they are the worst."

After CBS 2 got involved, AT&T said they contacted Kurelko and wiped out her debt.

In a statement, an AT&T spokesperson said, "Only a small fraction of the packages customers send us get misplaced. If it happens, we work with the customer to look into it and resolve it."

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