Banfield Pet Hospital review: illegal billing and pet service practices ( 2 comments)

I purchased a wellness plan for my pet about 18+ months ago. Five months into the pet plan, I became seriously dissatisfied with the vet service being rendered. When my complaints fell on deaf ears, I went on to cancel the option of automatic payments to them.in response to Banfields' verbal inquiry with me, I agreed to continue making the remaining 5+ payments, in an effort to satisfy the portion of the contract which divided the entire costs of services into 12 payments. Afterwards, even though I was out of pocket additional funds from having taken my pet during that same year for second opinions, (and although I was encouraged to do so), I DID NOT "trash" or disclose my negative experience involving Banfields with local media or on the internet. At that time, I considered this matter closed, and I did not hear from (or about) Banfields again, until five months after they cashed my 12th check payment. Banfield has now sent false information to a third party debt collection agent (IC System Inc. [protected] with reference number [protected]-1-69), who claims that Banfield hired them to obtain another years worth of premiums from me. My pet did not receive service beyond this first year, and I have not since returned to that vetinary location. I paid Banfields in FULL for that year of service! I find it to be highly unethical, and I believe it to be illegal, for any company to do this! The initial agreement I recall having signed provided Banfields the privilege to receive payments via automatic bank withdrawals. However, when Banfields (under their company approval) began to accept my personal checks, that initial privilege (involving automatic payments) was therefore recinded, and the initial agreement, from that point forward, became NULL & VOID. There is no verbal or written agreement between myself and Banfields to continue pet healthcare coverage beyond the first year. Even though Banfield "mysteriously" has nothing in their files about my (one) written, and several verbal complaints; the fact that they began to cash my personal checks (1/2 way into this consumer relationship) is evidence that a problem DID occur, and they have no right to file false claims in an attempt to collect monies that are not owed to them. I have to admit that I am still "flabbergasted" as a result of all this; So I have not (yet) forwarded the details of my claim to the IL STATE ATTORNEY GENERALs' Office, or even to the IL State Better Business Bureau, but I am being encouraged to do so if this situation is not resolved immediately. How can you help? Thank you for reading this email correspondence.