Consumer complaint received 2020-01-28
Company: Byrider Franchising, LLC
State: TX
Product: Debt collection
Sub-product: Auto debt
Issue: Took or threatened to take negative or legal action
Sub-issue: Collected or attempted to collect exempt funds

Complaint:
I did a voluntary repossession returning the vehicle financed through JD Byrider on or around XX/XX/XXXX. The account was charged off. Then last year in XXXX XXXXI received a notice that XXXX XXXX XXXX would begin taking legal action against me by filing a suit against me rendering a judgement which would give them legal means to freeze or levy my bank account or accounts. I receive XXXX   benefits. At the time I financed a XXXX XXXX XXXX while working at XXXX XXXX to supplement my income. I became unemployed and could no longer afford to pay the monthly payments. I turned over the vehicle and they were franticly telling me as I was walking out the door that they had a form that I needed to sign. I dont know what the form was or what it said as I never signed it. I just got into my friends car and he drove me home. I hadnt received any notices in writing via mail or phone from any collection agencies until XX/XX/XXXX when I received in the mail a collection notice stating that if I did not respond or dispute the debt that XXXX XXXX XXXX would begin taking legal action against me filling a lawsuit and a judgement would be rendered giving them the legal means to levy or freeze my bank account and in addition to that garnish my wages for outstanding debt. I called the collection agency JD Byrider aka CNAC had turned over to XXXX  XXXX XXXX. I spoke with a Mr. XXXX and I dont recall if I told him that I received Social Security XXXX. I did tell him that I worked part time at XXXX XXXX XXXX. I wasnt going to respond to the collection notice thinking it wasnt legitimate. I called CNAC and spoke to a female ( I cant recall her name ). I asked her if she could please provide me with the Collection Agency they used as  I wanted to confirm that XXXX XXXX XXXX was a real collection agency. The female did verify that was the collection agency they turned the account over to. At the time in XX/XX/XXXX I had verified that I was XXXX XXXX and was honest with Mr. XXXX. I in good faith and conscience desired to address the debt since I was being threatened with a civil lawsuit and was threatened that once a judgement was made against me that my bank account and other accounts would be frozen or a levy would be enforced preventing me access to my bank account. The bank account I have is with XXXX XXXX XXXX and I have direct deposit of my SSDI  benefits to my account. I thought about calling Mr. XXXX back to confirm with him that most of my income is from SSDI. Since I worked part time at XXXX XXXX   XXXX I decided to not go to blows with XXXX XXXX XXXX over the outstanding debt as my conscience bothered me greatly over knowing I had this negative mark in my credit file. I did agree to pay XXXX XXXX XXXX {$250.00} a month due on the XXXX of every month until the account is paid in full. Mr. XXXX I do recall telling me he would see about helping me something about a reduced amount or something of that nature. I thought okay great I will be helped with getting some kind of credit towards the debt owed. Maybe I didnt understand what he was telling me as I was scared and nervous just even picking up the phone. Honestly I was wanting to do the right thing because I thought it would help my credit score and turns out it has not. I was told by a few friends NOT to respond or agree to pay anything and to ignore the collection letter. I had been a XXXX XXXX for 12 years and I got clean and have been clean for 3 years and before that clean for 4 years but I XXXX. I became XXXX and lived on the streets of XXXX XXXX even tried to XXXX XXXX I got myself clean on my own. I went cold turkey. It was the best decision I ever made. I went to working on my credit about 2years ago. I paid off 4 charged off creditors. Even though I paid in full it really didnt help my credit. It showed paid but still as a collection. Fortunately 2 of the paid collections were deleted from my credit file. I apologized to Mr. XXXX for ignoring the letter but I told him I put aside my fear and that I was working on cleaning up the damage I caused myself. I guess what Im saying is Im no longer homeless and I have food to eat and a place to sleep at night. Im glad to be alive and happy I chose to not XXXX  or jump off the XXXX  back in XXXX. Im sorry for telling you all this but I just want you to know Im not complaining about it because what I learned is to let go and let God and to accept things as they are. I didnt fight Mr. XXXX the collector for XXXX XXXX XXXX as I wanted to be at peace with myself about my debts I created and failed to pay in full those companies I owed. After all if I didnt pay my debts then Im a liar. I agreed to pay those companies I owed and if I didnt make good on those outstanding debts then I would be in fact a liar. I didnt want that on my conscience. I was financially responsible. I now help others and have even help a few pay their debts whenever I had the means to do so. I learned that the 12 steps to sobriety is worth it. Today I love myself and Im proof that it works if you work it and the promises really do come true. I reclaimed my life. And even when my Father passed away XX/XX/XXXX I didnt relapse. I stayed focused on myself even though I wanted to numb the pain over the loss of my Dad. I didnt I got through because of my Higher Power. Please forgive me if I used this filing of a complaint to tell you what happened in my life which effected my choice to pay the debt owed to CNAC. I could have argued the point with Mr. XXXX that they couldnt legally collect this debt since I am receiving SSDI but I didnt. I believe that God knows what I must do and so I listened. After almost 2 years working on my credit I went from a XXXX credit score to XXXX as of XX/XX/XXXX. Thank you for allowing me to share these thoughts with you. 

Respectfully, XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX

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