Consumer complaint received 2018-03-23
Company: Populus Financial Group, Inc. (F/K/A Ace Cash Express)
State: CA
Product: Debt collection
Sub-product: Payday loan debt
Issue: Took or threatened to take negative or legal action
Sub-issue: Threatened to arrest you or take you to jail if you do not pay

Complaint:
I was contacted through email by someone named XXXX XXXX stating that I was facing four criminal allegations against my name and my social security number. The guy said I was going to be prosecuted within a couple hours in court. Also that they wanted to come to an agreement on a payment plan for a payday loan. I believe the balance was in the area of 300 when I received the loan, but this guy is saying I have a remaining balance of {$1100.00}. And that if Im found guilty then Id have to pay the court fees and lawyer fees and the balance would be {$4400.00}. He also stated that if I was under any probation or payroll that they would need to report it to my manager or superior. He also stated that he was going to file my case with the local police department along with there investigation officer, and that they will be coming to my door step or to my workplace to arrest me and keep me in custody for the next 2-3 months for fraud. So i responded saying I wanted to resolve my debt, and I let him know how much I could do each month till the debt is paid, but then he demanded {$350.00} dollars on the spot to keep it out of court, if not they were going to proceed. So I let him know I couldnt do it that day but could do it the next week. So he agreed and said my first installment would be on the XX/XX/XXXX. Today, I receive another email from him stating that he still hasnt received any payment from me nor an answer. So that if I didnt pay the full amount within 45 minutes, he was going to pursue court action against me. I responded and reminded him that we had just agreed to something yesterday now hes threatening me again. And I reminded him Im trying to repay my debt, and that it was illegal for him to threaten with jail or a bench warrant. And I also stated that maybe bankruptcy was my best option. So he responded again with the same message as the day before that my first installment would be on the XX/XX/XXXX. And I responded with Im going to look into a lawyer. So then he threatens again that if I cant pay within 3 hours that he was going to pursue the court action. He also stated that this was the courts decision so I needed to obey it and if not I would be taken for legal and other requirement procedures for XXXX.

He also mentioned again that he would be generating a court date for me and again the local police department along with there AGO investigation officer would be showing up to my doorstep or work place and Id be jailed for four months. He also stated that the loan was provided against my paychecks so that his client Ace Cash Express has all the right and authority to inform my job about this case. So I asked him for the evidence which would be the loan documents to see if that was the remaining balance, and he responded with all the information is in court so hes not mentioned in the affidavit and are under cover and have yet to be mentioned until the case is executed. And then he asked me if I remembered taking out a loan with this company and did not bother paying back. And I responded with Im asking for the loan documents to see if this balance is true because I believe hes lying about it.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation