I never had this account!

Tate & Kirlin has called our house several times. Usually it would be a hangup call with no message on the answering machine, 2 messages were for a "C. Hugs", which is not my or my husband's name.

I called the number back once and received no answer, ultimately forgetting about it as it's so long in between their phone calls. Tried again today (apr 17, '07), finally spoke to someone, who asked if this was the (my maiden name) household. I told him that was my maiden name. I was then told that I owe AT&T $787 from an acct w/them from Sept 3, '97- Apr '98, which would have been during our being stationed in HI, however, we didn't even have an address there yet, much less a phone, when this account was supposedly opened on Sept 3, 1997. I told him I've NEVER had an acct under maiden name since marriage and phone bills have ALWAYS been listed under husband's name, not mine! He proceeded to tell me notices were sent to some address I've never lived at. I told him we never lived on that street in Hawaii, and he then wanted to confirm my social (he had it, so why then did he not know my whereabouts now to send a notice? It's on my credit report!) He also claimed they have attempted trying a phone # that apparently was out of service.

As I tried telling him I wanted AT&T to send copies of the bill, and was told that "see, the deal is that once those bills are sent as evidence, you are responsible for the entire amount", and basically told me there would be no negotiations after that. I let him know that "there was no way I'd make payments on an acct I didn't believe to be legit just because they call me 10 yrs later claiming that I owe it."

I told him I didn't owe that much in all of our phone bills combined during our time in HI (he said late fees/interest, I claim "not my fault you all unsucessfully attempted for years to contact me"). I told him I'd speak to my husband, but I didn't think I owed and if so, it certainly wouldn't be that much. He then snidely said "Well then, how much, Teresa, do you believe you owe?" I replied "that could be answered at the descretion of my lawyer, but I don't believe I owe anything".... something to that effect, but very close.

He started yelling over me at which time I terminated the call. He immediately called back and I simply said "you can call 20 times but it won't change anything until I see the bill from AT&T." He (at this point, very, very rudely) said, "Well Teresa, exactly WHERE did you expect me to send the copies to?" I told him "you have my information, run a credit check on me and find me".

Yes, he got the better of me. Yes, I'm guessing it might bite me in the butt here. But I promise on the Holy Bible I don't owe AT&T a dime! Even after moving each time w/military, we always left a forwarding address w/the post office also. I told my husband after picking him up at work. He knows as well as I do our final bills from each duty station were PAID! My husband has been retired since mid-2002 and we've been in Oklahoma since. I recently pulled my CR and saw no mention of this debt there either, so although they claim I owe, they didn't report?

Do I have any protection here at all? I honestly don't want this to turn into something in which I'll spend forever trying to prove my innocence!