Consumer complaint received 2017-02-02
Company: TRANSWORLD SYSTEMS INC
State: VA
Product: Debt collection
Sub-product: Medical
Issue: Communication tactics
Sub-issue: Frequent or repeated calls

Complaint:
Transworld Systems is in violation of the Fair Debt Collection Act, the Fair Credit Billing Act and the Telephone Consumer Protection Act. Thus, I am entitled to seek damages and remedy for these violations explained below. 
I found out about this account in XXXX of XXXX after calling my medical provider to receive a routine medical treatment. I was told by the provider that I owed a balance and was given Transworld 's contact info as the collection agency that had my account. I never received a bill or any notice that I owed money to this collection agency, nor did I know that my account was in collections prior to contacting the provider. 

After contacting Transworld, I stated that I would not be paying the alleged balance owed, that I was in the process of appealing this amount with the provider and insurance agency, and that I would not like any more phone calls until I investigated the matter and that I would follow up. I kept receiving phone calls from different numbers from Transworld, XXXX per day. After a few days, I answered the phone and told the representative that I was still in the process of investigating the medical charges and that I would not like any further calls until I called Transworld back. At this point, the representative took heed and the calls stopped. I spoke with the medical provider and sent another appeal to the insurance agency. 

On XXXX XXXX, XXXX, I called Transworld to update your records about the alleged account. I told the representative, XXXX, that I never received a bill from the company and asked when Transworld received my medical bill to determine where I fell in the XXXX window that is now afforded to consumers to investigate arbitrary medical charges before their delinquent accounts are reported to the major credit reporting agencies. XXXX, admitted that Transworld received mail back as return to sender that was allegedly sent to my home address. XXXX also told me that Transworld received my account in XXXX XXXX. 

I expressed my concern to XXXX about Transworld 's violation of the Fair Debt Collection Act, the Fair Credit Billing Act and the Telephone Consumer Protection Act by continuing to call me, repeatedly after I asked not to be called until I finished my investigation of the alleged charges, and by failing to send me any notice of what I was being owed and what exact services I was being charged for. I asked XXXX if Transworld had any internal procedures to deal with this sort of situation before I reached out to other entities to express my concern and she became very offensive. She began to speak to me rudely and harshly, she continued to speak over me and cut me off, and she told me " do whatever I have to do. '' XXXX also threatened me by stating that Transworld would be reporting my account to the credit reporting agencies right away, despite the recent agreement to withhold such reporting 180 days from the date of receipt. XXXX also forecasted that I would not have this bill paid by the insurance company and urged me to set up a payment arrangement prior to completing my dispute investigation and receiving my appeal decision. 

Next, XXXX placed me on hold with no indication for approximately XXXX XXXX minutes and came back to the phone explaining that she was waiting for a manager to come to the phone. She then told me that I had the option of continuing to wait or having a manager call me back. I told XXXX that I would like a manager to call me back and asked for her name. XXXX was very reluctant to give me her name, ID number, or any other identifier other than her first name and assured me that those in the company would be able to identify her. XXXX then told me that I did not have the option to have a manager to call me back and it was best that I call back tomorrow, go through the entire process over and try to

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation