AT&T just called me about a PHONE BILL for a place I haven't lived in for 8 mos.

[The Fake Shemp]

I moved out of an apartment at the end of May/early June, to a new apartment.  I have been in Maryland since December now.  AT&T called about the balance of a phone bill from OCTOBER of last year for the apartment I moved out of in May/June.  Somehow, the line not only stayed active, but the tenants there were using it.  WTF.

[Tauntaun]

Sounds like a job for...

[The Fake Shemp]

All I know, is that AT&T was not very helpful in telling me how to dispute this.

[Tauntaun]

Well they probably just want their money and don't care who or how or why.  Do you have any mail from your new address that you could send to them?

[G The Resurrected]

If you canceled it with AT&T and they contnued the service its their fault. All you'd need to do is provide them with something from the apartment complex stating that you moved out on such and such a date.

[The Fake Shemp]

That's the thing, they knew of my change of address!  I informed them and everything.  And they said they knew about it.  So I'm like WHY THE FUCK ARE YOU CHARGING ME FOR SERVICE I NEVER USED.

Basically, in May, I called to catch up with my bill and asked them to cancel with the next billing cycle since I was moving.  Never heard from them 'till now!

[Van Cruncheon]

don't pay it. they know it won't hold up in court. worst case: you'll get harrassed for payment for a couple months.

[whiteACID]

don't pay it. they know it won't hold up in court. worst case: you'll get harrassed for payment for a couple months.

or it could go on his credit report, which is bad

[The Fake Shemp]

I will fax this dispute letter.  Quite frankly, I want to see if it could damage the person whose name was on the lease, although the bill was under my name.  I care more about that than anything, because my roommate is my friend.  More importantly, I just want to know who the fuck was using the phone, what were the charges, etc.

Who in their right mind uses a phone line and is like O WELL I GUESS ITS FREE.

[ToxicAdam]

I had this happen to me with the electric company. Except I didn't find out about it until 5 (!!) years later when a debt service called me.

So, get it taken care of before they turn it over to a collection agency. Then you have no recourse of disputing it and it's a 6 year mark on your credit record (regardless if you pay it off or not thereafter).

[Van Cruncheon]

oops -- ignore my advice!