Consumer complaint received 2018-01-18
Company: Media Collections, Inc
State: KS
Product: Debt collection
Sub-product: Other debt
Issue: Communication tactics
Sub-issue: Used obscene, profane, or other abusive language

Complaint:
( For context, this all took place between XXXX XXXX and XXXX XXXX ) I had an account with XXXX XXXX for my apartment 's wireless and cable. I tried to transfer it into my roommates name before I moved to KS that XXXX ( XXXX ). She declined to continue service with them, and I arranged for them to come pick up the box. They did not show up, despite multiple attempts. I did not have a car at the time, and my roommates were unable to get to the only store in the area ( many miles away ). I moved in XXXX and attempted again to schedule a pick-up, to which no one showed up, again. 

Fast forward several months, and XXXX attempts to collect a debt it says I owe. I refuse, since I am now 1500 miles away and availed them of numerous opportunities to pick up the box while I was living in the area, and they never showed up. After a few phone calls, I arranged with one of my roommates to ship the box to XXXX. She said she had, and as of XXXX XXXX I assumed all was well. 

Come XXXX I get a call from XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX a collection agency, saying that my account is now in collections and that I owe over {$400.00} for the box, but that they would settle for XXXX {$300.00}. I maintained that they should have received it, and that I would check with my former roommate to follow up. As I am still 1500 miles away, I am limited in how much I can do in this situation. After several conversations with an extremely rude, pushy, and impatient collections agent, I offer to spend the XXXX break trying to determine exactly what is going on. I come to discover that my former roommate believes it was stolen. Since I can not do much in any way to manage this situation, I call XXXX after the break and attempt to reach a payment arrangement that fits within my tight budget. 

This is where my complaints come in : the collections agent I spoke with was extremely bullying, twisting my words, pressuring and pushing me, and refusing to agree to a payment arrangement I can actually afford ( I proposed $ 25-50 per paycheck, for a repayment schedule of 6-10 weeks ). They repeatedly called me while I was at work, despite my repeated requests that they not call me between the hours of XXXX XXXX and XXXX XXXX  CST. ( They were extremely indignant that I would make any such request, and became very angry. ) They demanded I pay two {$140.00} payments, the first by the end of the month ( XXXX XXXX, precisely, and the second XXXX XXXX ), which I stressed I can not afford. They began berating me and twisting my words to make it sound like I was misleading her all along. They refused to send me a bill, or allow me sufficient time ( an extra two weeks ) to make sure I have enough money set aside, and refused to give me anything in writing ( which really upset me, as I prefer to have everything in writing ). I tried to explain my situation and come to a reasonable and fair settlement, but the collection agent was extremely hostile, continued to misrepresent my words and badger me about the situation, and made me extremely uncomfortable. The entire time we were talking, they insisted that I was being unreasonable.

Company public response: Company has responded to the consumer and the CFPB and chooses not to provide a public response
Company response to consumer: Closed with non-monetary relief