Consumer complaint received 2023-02-16
Company: Express Recovery Services, Inc.
State: UT
Product: Debt collection
Sub-product: Medical debt
Issue: False statements or representation
Sub-issue: Attempted to collect wrong amount

Complaint:
Express recovery debt collection is trying to collect XXXX in debt they say I owe in past medical bills to the University of Utah. They have provided me with any invoices only a screen shot from their computer which does not show the original amount of the debt only their companies amounts that they have listed. 

I called the University of Utah billing department and they told me my debt was discharged. They also stated in an email that they did not sell my debt to express recovery company. 

If the hospital has discharged my debt and sent me copies of my invoices showing a XXXX balance how can this debt collector continue to say I owe them those old debts? I have more recent debts with their company that I have currently requested they start applying my debts to. 

I started making payments on my own to their company 3 months ago of {$200.00} dollars a month. An attorney in their company called me a few weeks ago and we came to a payment agreement of {$400.00} dollars a month ; which I am paying and have held up my end of the bargain. I have asked them repeatedly to send me a copy of this payment arrangement which they have denied me and stated they do not provide payment agreements. How is that possible? 

During my last call with them he said my payment agreement only applied to the debt that was pending a lawsuit and that it was not to include my more recent debt that is reflected on my credit rating. After denying me a payment agreement I reminded him that It is my right to request which debts they apply my funds to. After some debate we came to an agreement that XXXX a month would go to old debt and XXXX a month could go to the newer debt. Again, I requested a copy of my payment agreement with their company and again he stated that they do not provide that documentation. How can they conduct business without providing a written copy of a payment agreement? 

XXXX XXXX was the original attorney managing my debt collection. I may need to go back and check my records for actual dates but I was continually XXXX by him since his company received my debts for collection. He threatened to sell my property to satisfy the debt. He came to my house and said I could go to jail for not paying my debt and asked me what the value of my car was so he could confiscate it to sell and satisfy payment. 

Express Recovery has continually garnished me rather than attempt to work out a payment arrangement. At my prior place of employment I had XXXX XXXX XXXX and was going to be on FMLA for 2 months. I called them to let them know that I would not be getting a paycheck for a couple of months and asked them if I could set up a payment plan for the next two months. The person said Ill have to talk to my manager and call you back. He did not call me back and when I called him back to follow up he told me I could not make a payment plan and that I was irresponsible for not calling him back sooner to follow up on my original phone call when I requested a payment plan. 

I can provide documentation and additional information if needed. I have attached some documentation but it was hard to see the invoices that I attached and Im not sure they are all of the invoices I needed to attach. Is there a way I can add additional documentation?

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