Spectrum

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Spectrum

Basic information
Founded	2014
Legal structure	Subsidiary
Industry	Telecommunications
Official website	https://www.spectrum.com/

Spectrum is a major telecommunications provider offering internet, cable TV, and mobile services. It has faced numerous consumer complaints and legal challenges related to unfair business practices, aggressive debt collection, billing disputes, and regulatory violations.

Anti-consumer practices

Restrictive cancellation policies

It has faced numerous consumer complaints and legal challenges related to unfair business practices, aggressive debt collection, billing disputes, and regulatory violations.

Unlike many competitors, Spectrum does not offer a Click-to-cancel option, forcing customers to call a representative, a process often designed to retain subscribers through prolonged retention efforts.

Customers report being subjected to lengthy hold times and aggressive retention tactics when attempting to cancel. Users have reported gaslighting along the lines of "we could have offered you a better deal if you had called us."

Once cancellation occurs Spectrum uses return of equipment as another opportunity to retain the customer, especially if equipment is returned to a Spectrum location.

Some former customers allege continued billing even after cancellation, requiring legal intervention to halt unauthorized charges.

Aggressive Unsolicited USPS Mail campaigns.

Spectrum uses aggressive repetitive addressed mail campaigns for customer acquisition and retention, with some users experiencing aggressive weekly mailing campaigns that are triggered post cancellation. These campaigns begin within a week of the cancellation but require "6-8 weeks" in order to stop. Mail campaigns are printed on plastic coated non tear-able paper. Users are able to opt out of paper campaigns via https://www.spectrum.com/policies/your-privacy-rights-opt-out.

Aggressive and unfair debt collection

Some consumers report being pursued for debts they do not owe, with Spectrum sending unpaid bills to third-party collection agencies such as Amsher Collection Services and The CBE Group.

Spectrum has sent letters to former customers threatening to reduce their credit score unless they renew service. This is done in the name of debt reconciliation, but the debt may be incorrect.

The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) mandates that collectors provide debt validation, yet Spectrum customers have reported receiving threats of legal action and adverse credit reporting without proper verification.

Billing issues and unauthorized charges

A recurring complaint involves Spectrum continuing to bill customers after service termination, even when equipment is returned and accounts are officially closed.

The Better Business Bureau (BBB) has logged complaints from former customers who were billed months after cancellation.

Some customers allege that Spectrum intentionally stopped sending paper bills to force them into automatic payments, leading to late fees.

Lack of transparency in pricing

Spectrum Internet corporate policy is to provide fixed pricing competitive to other providers for one year only. After that users are required to call up annually to request competitive pricing, or threaten to leave in order to get the signup pricing. Once the user has left, spectrum offers their services capped at as little as 30% of the post first year rate.

Accusations of misleading pricing structures, including:

• Hidden fees not clearly disclosed upfront, such as broadcast TV fees and equipment rental costs.
• Price hikes without adequate notice caused backlash.

Poor customer service and technical support

Added 24/7 support and AI chatbots in 2025, they've historically struggled with:

• Long wait times and unresponsive support
• Inconsistent service quality, frequent outages, and slow resolution of technical issues.

Legal and regulatory violations

Parent company, Spectrum Brand Holdings, has faced multiple penalties for consumer protection violations:

• Product safety violations
• Price-fixing penalties

Not receiving paper monthly billing statement to continue to collect late fees for nonpayment.

After months of charging late fees, you pay the late fees and make changes to services at your residence. Then after 10+ years of service at the same exact residence, you stop receiving your monthly billing statement forcing you to either sign up for paperless billing and add a form of payment to your account to automatically pay online, or miss a payment to restart accruing late fees. After calling Spectrum and reporting this issue for eight (8) months, you sign up with your local United States Postal Services to receive updates regarding mail addressed for your residence. After 2 months you confirm that mail from Spectrum never arrives at your local post office. So, you call Spectrum again and report that you are still not receiving your monthly paper billing statement. They almost charge you a service fee to request a copy of your paper billing statement that you never received. The customer service representative says they have reported it to a manager for further investigation and they will waive the fee (about $4) and send you a copy of your paper billing statement. The copy never arrives.

Source: Ongoing personal experience.