Flash forward. The year is now 2016. I am applying for a new apartment in Keene, NH. Before I kick over my application, I check my credit report to make sure there won’t be any surprises. Surprise! Time Warner Cable has sent me to collections for $251. But how can this be? I still have TWC at my current address in North Carolina. I log into the billing portal and look at that, $0.00 balance. Bill paid in full. I connect to the customer support chat to ask them wtf.

Chat start time Oct 19, 2016 6:42:00 PM EST

Chat end time Oct 19, 2016 7:48:08 PM EST

Duration (actual chatting time) 01:06:07

info: Thank you for contacting us. A representative will be with you shortly. You will be given the opportunity to take a survey about your experience with chat today when you close the chat window.

info: You are now chatting with Uday M..

kris roadruck: Cool name

Uday M.: Thank you.

Uday M.: Hello.

Uday M.: How are you doing today?

kris roadruck: So I was just looking in my equifax report and it says you guys have sent me to collections

kris roadruck: I find this strange as I still have an active account with you and as far as I know I’m fully up to date on payments

Uday M.: Kindly allow me couple of minutes while I check your account.

kris roadruck: here is all the info from the credit report if it is of any help

kris roadruck: IC SYSTEMS Agency Address: ***** Highway 96 E Saint Paul, MN ***** (888) 735–0516 Date Reported: 10/2016 Date Assigned: 05/2016 Creditor Classification: Cable/Cellular Creditor Name: TIME WARNER CABLE Account Number: 6436XXXX Account Owner: Individual Account. Original Amount Owned: $251 Date of 1 st Delinquency: 04/2015 Balance Date: 10/2016 Balance Owned: $251 Last Payment Date: N/A Status Date: 10/2016 Status: D — Unpaid

Uday M.: Thank you for the information provided.

kris roadruck: sorry its all jumbled together, apparently liveperson doesnt like raw pastes lol

Uday M.: Its okay.

Uday M.: No problem.

kris roadruck: are you still there?

Uday M.: Yes.

Uday M.: Thank you for waiting patiently.

Uday M.: Does it show account number or name on account?

kris roadruck: everything I know is in that paste

Uday M.: Thank you for the information provided.

kris roadruck: as you can see there are 4 digits of an account number with the other 4 XXXX’d out

kris roadruck: and my name is on the account

kris roadruck: Account Number: 6436XXXX

Uday M.: It does not mention your name?

kris roadruck: its on my credit report

kris roadruck: obviously its in my name

kris roadruck: if it helps any, I’m literally the only Kristopher Roadruck in the entire world

kris roadruck: so any mention of that name (or Kris Roadruck) in your system is me

Uday M.: Thank you for the information provided.

Uday M.: There are 2 ways to fix this issue.

kris roadruck: please start by first explaining why there is an issue at all. If you guys felt I owed you money why didnt you alert me to that fact on any of the bills you’ve sent me over the past 2 years?

Uday M.: What I will do is escalate this issue to our escalation team.

Uday M.: And they will help you out with this issue.

Uday M.: Do you have any questions before I transfer the chat?

kris roadruck: heck I’ve had you guys on autopay for some time now you could have literally just taken the money at any time lol

kris roadruck: sure before you transfer me please elaborate on the 2 things bit

kris roadruck: also I assume you’ve put in some notes with your findings so I dont have to start entirely over with them?

Uday M.: yes.

Uday M.: I have also updated complete notes on our records about this for them to refer to and assist you in a better way.

Uday M.: Also they will be able to see this chat transcript.

Uday M.: So no need to explain again.

Uday M.: I will now transfer the chat, please stay online while I do so.

Uday M.: Since there is high chat volume hence they will be busy. Our representative from from Escalation team will join you soon. Please do not disconnect the chat session.

info: Please wait while I transfer the chat to the appropriate group.

info: You are now chatting with Kirsten.

Kirsten: Thank you for contacting Tier 3. My name is Kirsten, and I am happy to assist you today.

Kirsten: Please give me just a moment to review your account. While I am reviewing, I would like to inform you of the end of chat survey. This is a short optional survey about me as a representative, and the service that I have provided. If you would like there will be a box at the bottom where any additional comments may be left.

Kirsten: Thank you you for your patience. I am happy to assist you with the unpaid balance at a previous address. First, do you remember the city and state in which the account was located?

kris roadruck: have you not located the cause of this?

kris roadruck: as I’ve mentioned to the previous representative, all I know is what I pasted in.

kris roadruck: I’ve moved a few times over the past 3 years with you guys

kris roadruck: 1 apartment in Austin, TX and 2 here in Morrisville, NC

kris roadruck: have had continuous service with you guys throughout this time

Kirsten: I believe this is the account in Texas, and I am in Ohio. I am unable to access your account one moment please.

info: Please wait while I transfer the chat to the appropriate group.

info: You are now chatting with Roshan S..

kris roadruck: *head-desk*

Roshan S.: Hello!

Roshan S.: How are you doing today?

kris roadruck: not well.

kris roadruck: you are now representative #3

kris roadruck: with no forward progress

Roshan S.: I will help you with this issue, customer satisfaction is what I personally strive for.

kris roadruck: and going on 40 minutes in

Roshan S.: Sorry for the inconvenience caused to you.

kris roadruck: here is the short and skinny of it

kris roadruck: I’ve been a customer of TWC for like 3ish years

Roshan S.: Is this account from Carolina region?

Roshan S.: I understand your situation completely.

kris roadruck: my account is according to the online portal, current

kris roadruck: yet you guys have sent me to collections for ***** dollars

Roshan S.: Okay.

kris roadruck: and the only way I heard about it was by checking my equifax

kris roadruck: as you can imagine, this is displeasing as it effects my credit score

Roshan S.: Let me transfer the chat to our Carolina team.

Roshan S.: My apology for the run around, you have entered Los Angeles Chat Support, please stay connected to this chat while I transfer you to the Correct chat queue. Do you have any concern before I transfer the chat?

Roshan S.: Please do not close the chat window because there is a hold time.

Roshan S.: We have a support page available to you that answers all of your frequently asked questions concerning your bill. It is a great resource for future reference. Please bookmark this link: http://www.timewarnercable.com/en/support/all-faqs.html

kris roadruck: NO

kris roadruck: stop that

info: Please wait while I transfer the chat to the appropriate group.

info: You are now chatting with Dinkar V..

kris roadruck: ffs

Dinkar V.: Hello.

Dinkar V.: How are you doing today?

kris roadruck: right now I’m pretty mad. DO NOT TRANSFER ME AGAIN!

kris roadruck: I’m not interested in repeating my problem. I’m interested in a solution. You are now representative #4, and this is minute 42

Dinkar V.: I apologize for the inconvenience caused.

Dinkar V.: Let me check the previous chat.

Dinkar V.: Please allow me a minute.

Dinkar V.: I have checked your previous chat.

Dinkar V.: Can you provide the account in the form of 000–0000–000?

Dinkar V.: account number*

kris roadruck: no I can not

kris roadruck: I’ve given the previous representatives all the info I have

kris roadruck: did you read the transcript and notes?

Dinkar V.: Yes, that is why I asking.

kris roadruck: look do you have a supervisor or someone you can transfer me to?

kris roadruck: this is getting ridiculous

kris roadruck: if you read the notes, you know I only have the 4 digits plus those XXXXs

Dinkar V.: Yes, let me transfer the chat to supervisor.

kris roadruck: so if the reason you are asking me is literally because you know I don’t have that information

kris roadruck: that kind of makes you not very helpful

Dinkar V.: Can you see that in the letter you receive?

kris roadruck: I didn’t receive a letter

kris roadruck: and clearly you did NOT read the transcript

Dinkar V.: What did you receive from collection team?

kris roadruck: I received nothing. As I’ve stated, multiple times now

kris roadruck: I found out about this by looking at my credit report at equifax

kris roadruck: I’ve pasted all the information I have

Dinkar V.: I have checked your both the accounts.

Dinkar V.: There is no balance due in your old account.

kris roadruck: look go find the smartest person in the room, preferably someone with some seniority, and put them on this chat please. None of you regular guys seem to be comprehending the problem, or have any ability to fix it. You are the 4th guy now and you don’t seem to understand the issue at all.

Dinkar V.: Okay.

Dinkar V.: Please be online.

info: Please wait while I transfer the chat to the appropriate group.

info: All representatives are currently assisting others. You are currently 1 in the queue. Thanks for your patience.

info: You are now chatting with Corey.

Corey: Thank you for contacting Tier 3 Support Chat. My name is Corey, please allow me a few minutes while I access your account and review the previous chat.

kris roadruck: Corey

kris roadruck: please do not transfer me

kris roadruck: you are now my 5th representative and I’ve been on chat for a full hour now

Corey: Are you in the carolinas?

kris roadruck: yes.

kris roadruck: are you guys franchised or something? I dont understand why your reps dont have system wide access

Corey: I do not have access to your account,

kris roadruck: ffs

Corey: We are split between Mid-West, West, East, And the Carolinas.

kris roadruck: cool just transfer me to the next 20 people who also dont have access to my account. And ignore my request to elevate me to someone who can actually help. Just toss me back in the general queue like the last 4 people

Corey: Okay, Give me a moment and I will get you over to the Carolinas support team.

info: Your chat transcript will be sent to *********** at the end of your chat.