Consumer complaint received 2018-09-26
Company: Law Offices of Robert J. Colclough, III
State: CA
Product: Credit card or prepaid card
Sub-product: General-purpose credit card or charge card
Issue: Struggling to pay your bill
Sub-issue: Credit card company won't work with you while you're going through financial hardship

Complaint:
I was a loyal XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX client from XXXX until I had to file for XXXX and then instead of working with me, XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX is suing me and discriminating against my XXXX. 
During the 5 years I was a client I had an active Checking and Savings account, a credit card which was paid on time, and I also took out and paid off a loan for {$1000.00} to help me afford to move into an apartment. 
I was mostly happy with the Customer Service I received from XXXX, however there were two separate occasions where I was billed for charges I should not have been. I had signed up for paperless billing but the system was billing me {$5.00} per month for not being enrolled in paperless billing. I had to have a Customer Service rep credit 8 months of incorrectly billed fees. Then months later the same thing happened again and they had to credit another 6-8 months of incorrect {$5.00} fees for not being enrolled in paperless billing even though I was enrolled. 
My struggles with XXXX were that you always dealt with a different person every time on the phone so it did get confusing when notes were not properly taken. 
I had a credit card with a {$1000.00} limit and I also took out a loan to repair our car at the time for {$1300.00} and had begun paying this loan down until I had a family emergency. 
For health reasons I had to relocate temporarily out of state on XX/XX/XXXX and I had spoken to several different Customer Service reps about why and what my health issues were. This went nowhere for several months due to different Customer Service reps misguiding me and not noting my account properly. I was worried this would not be handled properly if I kept getting passed around like a hot potato that nobody cared about or respected as a valued client. 
I finally asked to speak to just one Customer Service rep specifically and only them when I called in to discuss how we would avoid this winding up on my credit report and negatively affecting me. I was told Ms. XXXX would be helping me and I could count on her to follow up and get me through this process. Ms. XXXX and I spoke several times and I let her know she would be dealing with my husband due to my XXXX, and to email and finalize details of the payment plan with my husband. I informed her that during this process of filing for XXXX it will take 3-5 years and I will not be able to work during that time period so I will have no income. I said I wanted to be put on a financial hardship program and was going to have my husband help me pay my bills during this time. I had already done this with two other major creditors who I am still in good standing with today. Ms. XXXX informed me that they do not offer financial hardship program, but they can do a loan modification. We were shocked that they can't offer a financial hardship program since it seems pretty standard, however, we started the process and paperwork for the loan modification. 
I have to moderate my exposure to radiation, wifi, etc and can not go online or use cell phones like most people can without moderate to severe symptoms which are debilitating. This is why I trusted Ms. XXXX to deal with my husband and make sure everything was set up properly. Unfortunately my worst nightmare came true and now I am being sued by XXXX. 
I happened to call in to check in with Ms. XXXX about the status of the loan modification on XX/XX/XXXX and to my horror she informed me my case was charged off 2 days prior to my phone call. I was irate and in disbelief when Ms. XXXX informed me she had done everything on her end she needed to do and told me there was nothing she can do about it now it has been charged off. I asked what happened to her promise to follow up and make sure this was handled properly? She told me she had followed up in XXXX on missing information with my husband and felt she had done her part. I realized then that she had sealed my fate. I asked her what happened to you following up like you promised since it is now XXXX and that was back in XXXX? Couldn't she have given a call before they charged my accounts off? She had no answer for me and I asked for her Supervisor who is named Ms. XXXX and had to leave a voice mail. It took weeks to track down Ms. XXXX and she did not return my calls until I had left several messages and when she finally did call me it went horribly and she showed no mercy for me or my XXXX. I asked her how a good client of 5 plus years, who is an XXXX and XXXX in the business and is working hard to improve my credit with XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX could be treated this way just because they became XXXX? 
She quickly informed me I would be receiving paperwork from the legal offices involved and ended the conversation. 
Once I received paperwork from the Law Offices of Robert Colclough, III, I called in to try to discuss what my options were, but I was verbally harassed by two different people, XXXX XXXX, and another horrible man that sounded like the meanest monotone man I have ever heard. I can't remember the mans name since I was severely traumatized, but I knew there was no working anything out with them even though the paperwork urges you to call in. I want nothing to do with this so called Law Firm who abuses people and preys on the XXXX just like XXXX. Both companies ' bullying tactics and retaliation are illegal. 
I am disputing this debt since it is a violation of my Fair Credit Reporting Act since they are filing a lawsuit against me unlawfully and in retaliation. XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX has been aware of my XXXX for over a year and a half and neglected to help me enter into the payment plan we had been discussing for months. I was never told of the timeline or that they would charge off without warning. Instead they chose to sue me over {$2000.00} and ruin my credit score since they are showing over a year 's worth of late payments. Ms. XXXX told me there would be no reflection of late payments since I had been working with them, but now I know she and their company are all untrustworthy. I can't think of a more inhumane way to thank a client when they become XXXX. My husband and I are currently XXXX and unable to find a safe place to live if my credit score is under 600, and due to this negatively impacting my score it is in the 500 's! I am now officially doomed due to their discrimination. We have been denied from at least 4 apartments we have applied for and there is no hope with this on my credit. 

I want this and ALL LATE FEES removed from all of my credit reports since it is an illegal act of retaliation and discrimination against me and my XXXX. They have damaged my credit score and my livelihood due to this dropping my score below the accepted level to get approved for an apartment. Thanks to XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX actions against me I am XXXX and unable to repair the damage they have done to my life unless this is removed. It's hard enough being XXXX and now they just kicked me when I'm down and my quality of life is in severe jeopardy. 
I am still willing to work with them to work out some payment arrangements which was my original intention. 
I also want an apology from XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX for their lack of integrity and discrimination and retaliation, even though these illegal acts are unforgivable. 
They are a large company and {$2000.00} won't ruin them, but for me this is a death sentence.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation