Consumer complaint received 2019-11-18
Company: I.Q. DATA INTERNATIONAL, INC.
State: TN
Product: Debt collection
Sub-product: Other debt
Issue: Attempts to collect debt not owed
Sub-issue: Debt was paid

Complaint:
My son and I received a final " move out '' bill on XX/XX/2019 for {$520.00} from the apartment complex that I cosigned for him and his girlfriend to live in. 

My son gave the apartment complex a money order for that exact amount ( {$520.00} ) on XX/XX/ 2019. The apartment complex cashed that money order on the same day. 

We received a letter from a collection agency on XX/XX/ 2019 that we stilled owed this money. My son and I both called the collection agency numerous times as well as the apartment complex to explain this was already paid and each place told us to call the other company ( collection agency referred us to the complex and the complex referred us to either the collection agency or the management company ). We both called the property management company of the complex that hired the collection agency who referred us back to the complex and/or the collection agency. Basically nobody claimed they knew anything about our payment or would help us find out where our payment went. 

My son was contacted via telephone by the collection agency and was threatened that if he didn't pay the amount over the phone immediately they would report it on his credit report. Even though he knew he already paid it, he paid them another {$530.00} on XX/XX/ 2019 with his credit card ( under my account ) over the phone. The collection agency had added an extra fee of {$5.00} to the original {$520.00} that was already paid back in XXXX. My son is only XXXX XXXX XXXX and was scared not to pay again. He had no prior dealings with a collection agency and they did not explain what he should do to prove he did not owe this money. 

Not only did we not owe this money anymore, but now the collection agency took it from my son again with an added fee on top of the original amount. 

I called the collection agency to get a refund, and they told me to send an email to a specific email address with a copy of the money order receipt that was originally paid. 

I sent an email on XX/XX/2019 to the exact email address the collection agency gave me including the copy of the original cashed money order. I did not receive a response from this email. I sent a follow up email on XX/XX/2019 with no response. I called them after receiving no response from my emails and they said they do not respond to emails. That is odd since they were the ones that told me to send the email. They told me it normally took approximately 30 days to process. After 30 days with no response, I called them back and they said the person I sent it to no longer works there. They then said I should mail the proof with a certified letter to their Compliance Dept. 

I did send a letter to their Compliance Dept requesting a refund on XX/XX/2019 including proof of original payment on XX/XX/2019 and the payment they took from my son again on XX/XX/2019 and still did not get a response. 

Thank you for your assistance in this matter!

Company public response: Company believes complaint caused principally by actions of third party outside the control or direction of the company
Company response to consumer: Closed with non-monetary relief