Legal options for an annoying situation?

[RollTideTyler]

So i move into a fraternity house after i transfer schools (the semester has already started). I notice a sign up sheet on the door to the dining hall for tee-shirts. After asking someone about it, i am told that if you like the design of a teeshirt that is posted, sign your name on the sheet and you will get billed later on, and the shirt is delivered to the house.

Over the course of a year i sign up for about $50 worth of teeshirts. Note that i never signed a contract, or signed up for an account, or put my signiture on any piece of paper besides a single piece of paper with a blank grid on it to put your name in.

Upon returning home to my permanent address in New Jersey (i go to school in Alabama), i notice a bill from "greek resources" the company or organization that handles financing for greek life. They claim i owe them $350.

Naturally i am confused and after further research, i find out that the charges include the $50 worth of stuff i signed up for and received, about $75 worth of tshirts i either did not sign up for, or that i signed up for and never got.

The remainder of the balance is from "finance charges" which i was explained are monthly charges i received because of not paying my bill.

Now my problem with this is, and correct me if i am out of line on this one, is that i never gave them my address in newjersey to send a bill to. i never signed anything agreeing to those finance charges if i didnt pay. i would have gladly paid the the tshirts upfront with cash if thats how the system worked, but all i was told is put my name on this basically blank sheet of paper under the design of the shirt, i get the shirt in a few weeks, i get a bill later.

I call up greek resources and they explain that i owe them the money, and that if i pay them $300 or so they will take off $50 of finance charges (that still leaves me paying $300 for $50 worth of items).

They said if i dont pay they will send it to a collection agency and it hits my credit. What steps can i take to making them convince a district or small claims judge that i owe them money for items i did not sign up for, and items that i did sign up for that i never received. I just have a hard time believing that any court would make me pay for something i never got.

Rant over

[T-God]

just dont pay

[Dids]

Worst way to buy a t-shirt ever.

[mbillie1]

[ QUOTE ]
Worst way to buy a t-shirt ever.

[/ QUOTE ]

for real wtf just pay for the [censored] t-shirt eahrkjhgtsbna,lm

[b_jerkins]

would this possibly effect your status in the university?

[bluey]

play a couple hours of poker and send a check

[[Phill]]

"Naturally i am confused and after further research, i find out that the charges include the $50 worth of stuff i signed up for and received, about $75 worth of tshirts i either did not sign up for, or that i signed up for and never got.

The remainder of the balance is from "finance charges" which i was explained are monthly charges i received because of not paying my bill."

Go to your nearest Citizens Advice Buro (or whatever the US equiv is) and find out what they can and cant charge you for.

Im sure they cant charge you for stuff you never signed up for (get FULL evidence from them inc photocopies of your signitures etc) - if they cant prove you got the stuff they cant charge you for it im sure.

As for the charges you should be able to find out more about this - but im pretty sure they cant just tack on 200% or whatever it works out to when they have taken to effort whatsoever to contact you.

Worst case scenario you got $50 of T Shirts you didnt pay for and you have to pay interest on them, but for the most part if you didnt sign up for the other crap and you didnt recieve it they wil never be able to charge you for it.

Also, im pretty sure a reasonably competant lawyer would crush them in court due to how retarded the sales process was.

[RollTideTyler]

[ QUOTE ]
Worst way to buy a t-shirt ever.

[/ QUOTE ]

agreed, this was the only way to do it though. my blood pressure goes through the roof everytime i have a conversation with these people and they basically explain to me that they are going to charge me for some i did not receive.

[RollTideTyler]

[ QUOTE ]
would this possibly effect your status in the university?

[/ QUOTE ]

as far as i know it is completely seperate from anything having to do with classes and me getting my degree.

[RollTideTyler]

[ QUOTE ]
just dont pay

[/ QUOTE ]

i havent been paying and dont plan to just out of principle. my problem is what to do when they send it to a collection agency so it doesnt hurt my credit.