Consumer complaint received 2020-05-05
Company: WAKEFIELD & ASSOCIATES, INC.
State: MO
Product: Debt collection
Sub-product: Medical debt
Issue: Communication tactics
Sub-issue: Frequent or repeated calls

Complaint:
I was called by Wakefield & Associates ( collections firm ) on XX/XX/XXXX and informed I have an outstanding balance of {$210.00} from XXXX XXXX XXXX Hospital. I told them I may have paid it since I just paid several about a week prior. I stated I was uncomfortable paying by phone and needed something in writing before I would consider it. Until now, I had no contact from the original creditor ( XXXX XXXX  ) from XX/XX/XXXX when the original bill was finalized. Given I have XXXX XXXX, this is a common kind of bill I would receive from any of my specialist physicians ' offices. 

I was informed that the original address that was used was my very old address from years ago. They apparently entered my old address as current and put my new address as a " former or previous '' address. As I have moved twice in the past 3 years, the address they used was the oldest and well after any mail forwarding services would have been stopped. Therefore, I could never have been notified in writing that this debt was owed from the original creditor or Wakefield & Associates. However, I was never called by the original creditor or emailed despite those points of contact being updated. I received a bill from W & A by mail about a week later. I researched it and see that it is in principle ( {$190.00} ) my bill, however, I refuse to pay a 10 % ( {$19.00} ) when I had zero opportunity to pay the original bill since I was not notified in any way, shape or form. The debt is also less than 6 months old. Once I was finally able to verify the debt, I attempted to call them several times to no avail. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, I filed a dispute online with Wakefield & Associates regarding the fee amount and did not receive a response. 

I continued to receive phone calls which, as I was able, I tried to answer. Most of the time it was a silent robocall and hung up about 15 seconds later. On XX/XX/XXXX, I was finally able to navigate to their online payments ( which does not have instructions as to how to get to it and I had to search to figure it out ), and I paid the principle balance above. I again filed a dispute for the fee/upcharge/interest at that time. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, I was called yet again and fortunate enough to hear a person after I answered. He not only made collections sound like it was mandatory with no opportunity to dispute, but I corrected him and directed him to the history. I paid the principle, but refuse to pay a collection fee when I was not allowed to pay it prior to that being added. I don't dispute the principle and have paid it in full, but I will not pay a collection fee that is ultimately the fault of whomever entered my new address as a previous one. Surely a creditor can not take a debt and tag on fees before you've ever had an opportunity to hear from the original issuer and go about hounding people almost daily ( most of which are silent calls ), and demand an extra 10 % for their trouble.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation