Comcast Cashes 79-Year-Old Woman’s Rent Check

And the hits just keep on coming for Comcast. So far this year — and we’re only a month-and-a-half into it — we’ve heard about the customer Comcast labeled an “a-hole,” the customer Comcast labeled a “super b-ch,” the possibly-imploding Comcast merger, and the Comcast insult-name generator. And now, we learn that Comcast cashed an elderly woman’s rent check.

79-year-old Francis Wilson of New Mexico accidentally sent her $235 rent check to Comcast along with a check to cover her $20.69 cable bill. And because Comcast’s check-processing system is automated, the rent check was cashed.

Wilson, who lives on Social Security, noticed the error and called Comcast to report it. A customer service rep confirmed that the company had cashed both checks — even though the rent check wasn’t made out to Comcast — and offered to credit Wilson’s account $235. That’s all well and good if you have plenty of cash in the bank, but if you’re living on Social Security, a $235 void in your checking account can cause big problems.

Local television station KRQE got wind of the situation and contacted Comcast on Wilson’s behalf. In the end, Comcast decided to give Wilson a reimbursement check for $235, another $235 cash and the previously-offered $235 credit on her account.