Consumer complaint received 2019-01-01
Company: Atlantic Credit & Finance, Inc.
State: MO
Product: Debt collection
Sub-product: Credit card debt
Issue: Communication tactics
Sub-issue: Used obscene, profane, or other abusive language

Complaint:
I am in the process of filing chapter XXXX bankruptcy. I have been contacting all of my creditors in order to fill out a packet given to me by an attorney 's office. I have not retained this attorney yet because the information needs to be filled out completely before I file. In attempting to gather information needed, such as balance due, account #, and mailing address for correspondence, I ran into an issue when I contacted Atlantic Credit & Finance, Incorporated. On the evening of XX/XX/18 at XXXX, I called to gather this needed information on several accounts that were placed with their agency. Initially, I spoke with XXXX who handles my accounts. I explained that I was filing bankruptcy and needed balances due, account numbers and mailing address for correspondence. Instead of her cooperating, she began asking me, in a very sarcastic tone, unnecessary personal questions, such as, " How did I get into such big debt? '' and " How does it make me feel? '' I started to oblige her questions, but told her it does not change my decision to file bankruptcy and asked her to please provide me with the information that I needed. She then transferred the call to her supervisor named XXXX ( spelling? ). She then started asking me the same questions in a sarcastic tone just as the previous collector did. Then she accused me of lying about the debts that I owed. For example, I am behind 3 months on my auto loan and she argued with me that it wasn't true, insinuating that I had money lying around somewhere. Again, I asked her nicely to please just provide me with the information so that I can turn in my paperwork to file. She then began to ask me personal questions like the previous girl in a very demeaning and sarcastic manner, asking me " How does it make me feel to be in so much debt? '' I had enough of the psychological interrogation by this point. I asked again to please just provide me with the information that I need to file and she REFUSED to help me. Instead, she kept asking me over and over and over and over and over again, the same question and I began to cry, had an XXXX XXXX and told her I had XXXX XXXX   because she was harassing me. I was being oppressed. She intentionally caused me to have XXXX and I begged her to stop. I stayed professional throughout this while grueling experience. Her exact words were, " I'll give you the information you need once you answer my questions. '' I eventually told her that I was disconnecting the call and did so. I then sent an email to the corporate office that same evening and copied the compliance officer. I requested a call back and received no call. The following week, I sent a formal complaint to their office from their website. I still have not received a phone call back. Their email address is XXXX and the compliance officer is XXXX. 
I do know some about the FDCPA and know that a collector should not intentionally cause harm and anxiety to a debtor. This was intentional. Asking the same inappropriate question over and over again- many times-and continuing to do so even after they were told they were causing me unneeded stress.

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