Before you choose MCI/WORLDCOM for any of the services they provide, please consider what happened to me:

 

This is the true story of my dealings with MCI/WORLDCOM's billing department.

In early February I received a notice from Midwest Collection Services (MCS) that I owed $83.36 that was over due to an MCI/WORLDCOM account.  This came as an absolute surprise to me since I have always paid my bills on time, and had never received any notice of this before. 

I immediately called MCI, and after a little under 2 hours & four transfers to different departments, I was told that MCI had no record of the account listed on the collection agency's notice.  I then called Midwest Collection Services, and spoke to a individual by the name of Tim Riley.   I explained to him that I would pay the amount in full, immediately, upon receiving a detailed bill, but did not feel right paying for something unless I knew what it was for.  He went on to call me a liar, accuse me of trying to avoid paying my bills, and make repeated threats.

A couple days later I called MCI back.  This time I called the Financial Department directly, the wait for this call has never been less then one hour.  The first time I reached an operator that day, I was disconnected immediately after explaining my story.  The second time I called the main MCI customer service number, and forced the operator to stay on the line (for the entire hour), while I contacted the financial service department.  It was here that I spoke with Corrie Lane.  After explaining the story, I was told by Corrie that I would receive a call back later that day.  The call never came.

The next day I called the MCI financial department and reached the operator named Jodie, but when I asked to speak with Corrie Lane, Jody explained that she 'went home sick for the day'.  So, I explained my story to Jody, after which she suddenly found out that Corrie Lane was still there.  At this point I lost any trust that I did have in the customer service of MCI.  Corrie, it turns out, didn't have any new information.  She then referred me to the a 1-800 number for the MCI Fraud department.  This number was actually MCI Financial department - the number I had called to reach Corrie - another wasted call.

At this point I had given up hope that I would ever find out why a collection agency was asking me for money.  So, I filled out a form on MCI's web site, for billing research.  I received an email back that stated the money was due for an internet account that I had with MCI, in early 1998.  This made sense, but after checking my credit card records, I realized that I had payments for every month in question, but they were to a different account number.  I sent another email, and they finally acknowledged the mistake.  In fact, I found that I was billed for both accounts for three months.  So, MCI actually owed me money.  Brian McNeil, of MCI, has assured me that a check for that amount is being sent, it's been two weeks and I haven't seen it.

This, of course, did not stop the collection agency.  I still receive calls almost daily (over $83 !).  I have asked MCI twice now to inform MCS, to no avail.  Trying to explain the story to anyone at the collection agency only gets me hang ups or threats.  They have called at all hours of the day, even 9:00 am on a Saturday.

 

UPDATE

The check never came.

I used the email address to contact them again, and very clearly stated my entire story. It was at this time that they were given an ultimatum, basically I said resolve it in two weeks or everything else would be done through the courts. Yes, it was overkill for $80, but by this point, everything had taken on a new meaning. They called me the next day, it was short, to the point, very business like and about two weeks later a check came in the mail. He was also able to notify the collection agency, so the calls stopped coming.

We use Sprint now.

 

OPINION

It is my opinion that MCI/WORLDCOM is not providing the quality of service that it should.  I understand mistakes happen, but it becomes a serious problem when the channels to resolve these mistakes are incompetent or so difficult to reach as to make them unreachable.  Had I not had access to email, and the internet, this problem would have never been resolved correctly.

Forward any comments, complaints, or questions to me Here.

If you are willing to write it out, and put your name on it, I'll be happy to format a story about your dealings with MCI (good or bad), and put it here with mine.