Marion County man says he endured years-long battle with Dish Network

News 6 helps him get results

MARION COUNTY, Fla. – A Marion County man said he was in a yearslong battle with Dish Network.

He said a fraudulent account cost him money and his credit rating. 

Bryant Wood called the last two years dealing with Dish Network "a nightmare."   

"Just the aggravation of trying to get it settled, and trying to do the right thing to settle it," Wood said.

In 2015, Dish Network notified Wood his service was being interrupted because his account was past due. He was also being charged because Dish equipment had not been returned, according to a bill Wood shared with investigator Louis Bolden.

The 85-year-old Korean War veteran immediately spotted the mistake. It was his name, his account number but the address for the service interruption was not his.

Wood said he has lived in the same house for more than 40 years.

"When I told them, 'Hey, I don't owe you this,' they didn't quit," he said.

Because Wood does have a Dish Network account, he said the company charged his credit card for part of the bogus bill then the alleged debt was turned over to collections, according to Wood.

Wood said he watched his credit score tumble from the mid-800s to 700.

"When I've done nothing to cause that. It was frustrating," he said.

Wood says he got nowhere for two years until News 6 investigated the matter.

After weeks of emails and phone calls from News 6, the company finally reached a resolution with Wood.

Dish notified Wood a fraudulent account had been opened in his name, it was now closed and the balance "zeroed out", according to a letter from a company dispute resolution specialist.

The money charged to his card was also returned, and the company notified the credit reporting bureau's to have the marks on Wood's credit file removed, according to the letter.

"We take allegations of third-party fraud involving the Dish brand very seriously," a company spokesperson, Kristin Goett, wrote in an email to News 6.  "We are pleased we've been able to resolve the issue, and we regret the frustration this has caused Mr. Wood."

The dispute resolution specialist did not explain why it took two years to figure out it was a fraudulent account, or why they didn't figure it out before turning it over to collections, according to Wood.

"I might just be one of many that this is being done to," Wood said.


About the Author:

Emmy Award-winning reporter Louis Bolden joined the News 6 team in September of 2001 and hasn't gotten a moment's rest since. Louis has been a General Assignment Reporter for News 6 and Weekend Morning Anchor. He joined the Special Projects/Investigative Unit in 2014.

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