Consumer complaint received 2017-05-14
Company: GREAT LAKES
State: NC
Product: Debt collection
Sub-product: Federal student loan debt
Issue: Threatened to contact someone or share information improperly
Sub-issue: Talked to a third-party about your debt

Complaint:
Student loan reference #  XXXX  Principal :  XXXX  Interest :  XXXX  Collection Fees :  XXXX  Total Due :  XXXX  Violations of consumer rights  : 1 ) Inv asion of privacy by using social media accounts to identify persons and organizations connected to the debtor, an d 2 ) I ndependently contacting those persons and organizations, requesting private information about debtor and the organizations.    XXXX  ) Threatening to continue sending debt collection related communications to 3rd parties that are not employers or relevant collection targets.     Statu te : 15 U.S. Code 1692b -  Acquisition of location information.   Statute  : 15 U.S. Code 1692c -  Communication in connection with debt collection.     These  XXXX  behaviors are a direct threat to the debtors ability to professionally network and move towards viable employment.     [ BEGIN COMPLAINT ] My student loan, serviced by " Great Lakes  Higher Education Guaranty  Corporation '' is in default due to an inability to make regular payments, due to challenges related to homelessness and unemployment.     On Monday,  XXXX   XXXX , the apparent collections agency, "  XXXX   XXXX   XXXX   XXXX  '', contacted at least  XXXX  organizations that I have been engaged with in the last 8 months. In their communications, they identified themselves as a law firm requesting employment verification. They asked each organization for information not related to me, such as EIN and information about the organization 's whereabout s. One of t he organizations is a nonprofit organization I volunteer for, the other a company that I have taken sporadic interim projects for as a contractor. Neither organization employed me. I have not been employed since  XXXX   XXXX ,  XXXX .     I notified  XXXX .  XXXX   XXXX   XXXX  that they were violating my privacy and my rights pursuant to the FDCPA. In response, I received a secure email from  XXXX .  XXXX  asking if I would communicate with "  XXXX   XXXX  or another representative ''. I replied the same day that I would be happy to speak with anyone other than  XXXX   XXXX , who is the collections agent that invaded my privacy to begin with by contacting organizations listed in my   XXXX   profile, and as long as I would not be inappropriately threatened.     I received no response to my offer to communicate. Then on  XXXX   XXXX ,  XXXX , I received a letter from  XXXX .  XXXX  stating that they would commence wage withholding from my " employer '', listing the company that most recently contracted me on an interim consulting project.     On  XXXX   XXXX    XXXX   XXXX   XXXX   XXXX   XXXX  issued a " Notice Prior To Wage Whithholding '' that lists, despite knowledge to the contrary, a company that does not employ me as my employer. The contents of this notice are standard and legally binding, however the persistence in communicating with a third party that is not my employer with a debt-related communication ( in this place a wage garnishment letter ) constitutes ongoing harassment and a 2nd communication, specifically violating rules associated with  3rd party communications as stated in 15 U.S. Code 1692c  of the FDCPA.     Furthermore the situation is aggravated by a failure on the part of  XXXX .  XXXX   XXXX   XXXX  to respect the communicated  issues related to this debt : 1 ) That I have been discharged from employment in the last 12 months 2  ) That I was legally homeless in the last 12 months and own no assets including vehicle  3 ) T hat I would be willing to make a smaller payment, but not sign into a legally binding payment agreement while unable to certify regular income  4 )  That I have been denied unemployment benefits by the State of North Carolina and have evidence of this denial Since  XXXX  of  XXXX , when I was terminated by my last employer, I have been working odd jobs and contract work while seeking employment again.     By using social media to identify organizations I have volunteered for and completed interim contract work for, and then repeatedly contacting those organizations knowing that neither is an employer,  XXXX .  XXXX   XXXX   XXXX  has violated my rights as a citizen and I ask that they halt this activity immediately.

Company public response: Company believes it acted appropriately as authorized by contract or law
Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation